Prenatal Nutrition and Fitness: Facts and Myths about Food, Drink and Exercise during Pregnancy

If you're a mother-to-be, you've probably heard a thousand things about 'do this, don't do that,' right? Most people give advice, especially about food and exercise. Some of these things are true, but some are complete myths. So today, let's talk about this in detail and find answers to many of the questions you have in mind. But remember, you should definitely talk to your doctor about whether any of these things are right for you.

Is the saying 'two people need to eat' true?

We've all heard the saying, "Now you're not one, you're two. So you need to eat for two." But is that really true? No. According to doctors, you only need about 300 extra calories a day. And that's from the second trimester of pregnancy. Think about how small 300 calories is. That's about the size of a regular banana and a cup of yogurt. Otherwise, there's no need to pile up mountains of food to feed two people. Doing so will only cause you to gain unnecessary weight.

Why is taking vitamins so important?

During pregnancy, your body needs more of certain vitamins and minerals than usual. Folic acid and iron are two of the most important. Your doctor will give you a special prenatal vitamin supplement for this time. It is very important to take it correctly.

• Folic Acid : This helps the brain and spinal cord of the unborn baby develop. Specifically, it helps reduce the risk of birth defects called neural tube defects, such as spina bifida .
• Iron : Your blood volume increases during this time, so you need extra iron to keep up. Otherwise, you may experience fatigue , shortness of breath , and anemia .

Can I start exercising during pregnancy?

Many people think, "Oh, it's too late to start exercising now that you're having a baby." That's a complete myth. In fact, even if you haven't exercised before, it's a good idea to start simple exercises during pregnancy, as recommended by your doctor. However, this is not a good time to start new, high-impact sports (e.g., soccer, inline skating) that carry a high risk of falling. But it's okay to start doing things like brisk walking and swimming . The doctor's recommendation is to exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, most days of the week. This will give you a lot of benefits.

• You can get a good night's sleep.
• Reduces the risk of gestational diabetes during pregnancy.
• The body and mind get a good boost.

Be sure to remember these rules when exercising.

Exercising is good, but it should be done very carefully. Here are some things to keep in mind. Let's look at this table to understand this clearly.

Water and other beverages

It is very important to avoid dehydration throughout the day, not just during exercise. Drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day is a good idea. But stay away from sugary drinks as much as possible. Most of the time, we don't think about how much sugar and unnecessary calories are in store-bought fruit drinks, sweet teas, and coffee drinks like `Frappuccinos.` These can lead to unnecessary weight gain very quickly. Therefore, the best thing to do is to drink pure water.

Also take care of your body balance.

As your baby grows in your womb, your body's center of gravity changes. Simply put, your body's balance changes. So it can be hard to get used to it all at once. Even when doing something like riding a bike, you have to do it more slowly and carefully. So be a little more careful when walking, going up and down stairs. Pregnancy nutrition, pregnancy exercise, prenatal nutrition, prenatal fitness, folic acid, food during pregnancy, when expecting a baby