DESCRIPTION

The average pregnant woman will gain 25 to 45 pounds during her pregnancy. Sometimes more, sometimes less. As a rule of thumb, an expectant mother should gain at least 10 pounds by 20 weeks of gestation. During pregnancy, there is increased water retention due to hormones, the weight of the enlarging uterus including amniotic fluid, placenta and the growing fetus. An increased fatty insulation is deposited over the belly and backside, which may include the upper thigh area, and the increased weight in the breasts. This is needed for extra structural support and as a storage of energy that may be needed for the labor and birth process. The mother's blood volume also increases during pregnancy. After the birth, new mothers generally lose 15 pounds with the baby's birth and another 3 to 4 pounds the first few days after delivery. The remainder is used for sustenance during the first few months postpartum. Making breast milk, getting up several times a night to nurse, and dealing with the stress of a new baby definitely burn up the fat reserves. It takes the body time to reduce the extra tissue and fluids that were required for a pregnancy. Breastfeeding mothers usually have more of a dramatic weight loss than non-nursing mothers.

Many new mothers will put on extra weight during their pregnancies. This is not unusual. Pregnancy and during postpartum breastfeeding is not a time to restrict diet. Most midwives worry more that the mother may not be gaining enough weight than too much, especially if her diet is nutritious and adequate to maintain a healthy pregnancy. The same follows for after the baby has arrived and the mother is breastfeeding her newborn. After the baby is born, the mother needs the proper nutrition to produce breastmilk and then provide necessary nutrients to her newborn and to maintain her own health. One of the nice "side effects" of breast-feeding your baby is that it does burn calories more efficiently.

MoonDragon's Nutrition Information: Pregnancy Diet

Continue to follow your pregnancy diet while you are breastfeeding your baby and continue with any pregnancy nutritional supplements that your midwife recommends. Do not diet while breastfeeding. You will need slightly more calories and protein during breastfeeding. This is the equivalent of one peanut butter sandwich per day, as a suggestion.

The first 4 to 6 weeks of postpartum period should not be a time to be overly concerned with weight loss. A woman's body after childbirth will often change in appearance. If this is your first baby, then you may find that your hips may become fuller and rounder and your breast size will be greater, giving you more of that full-bodied womanly-goddess figure that is normal for women to be. You may not have the "pubescent girl" appearance any longer. You have left the "maiden" aspect of your life to become a "mother". Be prepared that it will take some time to be able to wear your pre-pregnancy clothing and you will be much more comfortable in loose fitting clothing with easy access to breastfeeding efforts (such as button-down or zipper fronts and loose fitting shirts that can be pulled up to expose the breast).

Exercise should be began slowly, depending upon your body and the recovery following your birth (cesarean delivery takes much longer to recover from than a vaginal birth, and a hospital vaginal birth usually takes longer to recover from than a homebirth). Do not over do it! If you are still having a lochia discharge (postpartum bleeding), if it turns bright red upon exercise, than you are overdoing it. You do not want to exhaust yourself at this time. You and your body are already going through a great deal of changing without adding further stresses to it. Having an understanding, supportive partner helps a great deal. Remember, it took you 9 months to have your baby. It requires some time for your body to return to a normal non-pregnant state.

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NUTRITION LINKS

PREGNANCY & LACTATION

MoonDragon's Nutrition Information: Pregnancy Nutrition Diet Information

MoonDragon's Nutrition Information: Facts About Folic Acid

MoonDragon's Nutrition Information: Client Handouts - Food Groups

Vegetable and animal protein foods, serving sizes, and food groups used to assist pregnant clients and their midwives in planning a balanced daily dietary intake of sufficient protein to prevent potential complications of pregnancy.

MoonDragon's Nutrition Information: Client Handouts - Nutritional Supplemental Information (Page 1)

Information about weight gain in pregnancy; tracking weight gain; food cravings; counting calories; making calories count; meal frequency; nutrients; vitamins.

MoonDragon's Nutrition Information: Client Handouts - Nutritional Supplemental Information (Page 2)

Information about minerals & prenatal supplements.

MoonDragon's Nutrition Information: Client Handouts - Sample Meal Patterns & Menu

Sample meal patterns and example menu to assist clients and midwife in planning healthy, nutritionally balanced meals and snacks.

MoonDragon's Nutrition Information: Client Handouts - Vegetarian Food Guide

Dietary guidelines and information about complimentary plant protein combinations for vegetarian-vegan diets with a description about types of vegetarian diets.

MoonDragon's Nutrition Information: Client Handouts - Nutritional Profile

Questions for clients to assess their own eating habits and to assist nutritional counseling by their midwife.

MoonDragon's Nutrition Information: Client Handouts - Protein Values of Common Foods

A list of protein foods with quantities needed to assist in assessments of protein intake.

MoonDragon's Nutrition Information: Client Handouts - Pregnancy Diet Intake Worksheet

A worksheet we use to assess daily dietary intake of clients. The client uses a sheet to keep track of everything she eats and drinks in a day, quantity consumed along with time and place she ate or drank her nourishment. These sheets are then gathered by the midwife for total nutritional analysis and assessment. Nutritional counseling assists clients in planning healthy dietary habits and preventing anemia, pre-eclampsia or toxemia, and other nutritionally-based problems.

GENERAL NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

MoonDragon's Nutritional Analysis Index - Some of the information and graphics are courtesy of Rick Hall, About.com Nutrition Guide nutrition.about.com

Nutritional breakdown of various individual foods found in the various food groups. Included are links to fast food sources for nutritional analysis.

Fruits
Vegetables
Breads, Cereals & Grains
Dairy, Milk and Cheese
Nuts and Seeds
Fast Food



GENERAL INFORMATION LINKS

MoonDragon's Nutrition Information: Food Safety Information Links

Weblinks about food safety, food preparation and food storage.

MoonDragon's Nutrition Information: Food Allergy Links

MoonDragon's Nutrition Information: Functional Foods and Food Technology Links

Weblinks about food technology and functional foods.

MoonDragon's Nutrition Information: Guidelines From Major Health Organizations

Weblinks from Major Health Organization for children, adults and seniors.

REGULAR & SPECIALTY DIETS

MoonDragon's Nutritional Information: Diet Index

Adult Regular Healthy Diet
Allergy & Food Sensitivity Diet
Bland Diet
Calcium-Enhanced Osteoporosis Diet
Cholesterol- & Sodium-Restricted Diet
Daily Values (DV) Nutrition Information
Fat- & Cholesterol-Restricted Diet
Fiber-Enhanced Diet
Gestational Diabetes Diet
Gluten-Restricted Diet
Infant Nutritional Information - Birth to 12 Months
Lactose-Controlled Diet
Pregnancy Nutrition Diet
Rotation Diet
Sodium-Controlled Diet - 2.0 to 2.5 Grams
Soft Diet
Tyramine-Restricted Diet
Weight Control Suggestions
Weight-Reduction Diet

MoonDragon's Postpartum Holistic & Herbal Recommendations

MoonDragon's Postpartum Care Index

MoonDragon's ObGyn Womens Health Disorders: Obesity

MoonDragon's ObGyn Womens Health: Disorders: Chronic Fatigue

MoonDragon's ObGyn Womens Health Disorders: Depression

MoonDragon's ObGyn Womens Health: Disorders: Stress

MoonDragon's Health & Wellness: Disorders: Hypothyroidism

MoonDragon's ObGyn Womens Health: Anemia Information Index



MoonDragon's Client Handouts about nutrition and diet for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers are available at the links below. Examples of sample diets and menus are given, including some holistic suggestions. Nutritional analysis for various foods and nutritional therapy information is also available.

MoonDragon's Nutritional Guidelines

MoonDragon's Nutrition Information - Diet Index

MoonDragon's Nutrition Information: Pregnancy Diet

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POSTPARTUM CARE INFORMATION

Postpartum Care: Index

Postpartum Care: Weight

Postpartum Care: Diet

Postpartum Care: Bowel Movements & Urination

Postpartum Care: Bathing

Postpartum Care: Breasts & Breastfeeding

Postpartum Care: Perineal Care

Postpartum Care: Vaginal Bleeding (Lochia) & Menstruation

Postpartum Care: Exercise & Back Care

Postpartum Care: Sexual Intercourse

Postpartum Care: Contraception

POSTPARTUM VISITS

PostPartum Visit: Day One

PostPartum Visit: Day Three

PostPartum Visit: Day Seven

PostPartum Visit: 4 to 6 Week Visit

POSTPARTUM CONCERNS

Baby Care & Concerns

Fatigue & Exhaustion

Postpartum Depression (The "Baby Blues")

NOTIFY YOUR MIDWIFE OR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER IF...

You or your family member has questions about postpartum care.

You or a family member develops any unexpected and/or unusual symptoms or problems.

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Herbal formulas obtained from Susun Weed's Herbal for the Childbearing Year

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PREGNANCY RELATED LINKS

MoonDragon's Pregnancy Information & Survival Tips

MoonDragon's Pregnancy Information Index

MoonDragon's Pediatric Information Index

MoonDragon's Parenting Information Index

MoonDragon's Nutrition Information Index

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MoonDragon's Health & Wellness: Manufacturers & Distributors

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MoonDragon's Nutrition Information Index

MoonDragon's Health & Wellness: Nutrition Basics Index

MoonDragon's Health & Wellness: Therapy Index

MoonDragon's Nutrition Therapy Index

MoonDragon's Alternative Health Information Index

MoonDragon's Aromatherapy Information Index

MoonDragon's Health & Wellness Index

MoonDragon's ObGyn Womens Health Information Index by Subject Order

MoonDragon's ObGyn Womens Health Information Index by Alphabetical Order

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