Optimal preparation for pregnancy includes correcting weight to a healthy body mass index between 18.5 and 24.9. It also means establishing a diet high in the nutrients critical for fetal development. These include the omega-3 fatty acids found in...
Working out regularly during pregnancy helps keep you in the best physical shape possible and provides other benefits to both you and your baby. Even if you did not exercise regularly before you got pregnant, starting an exercise plan early in...
If you have neglected your physical fitness regimen during pregnancy, don't worry. You are not doomed to carry your pregnancy weight after your baby has been born. Get back on track to a healthy, lean body with a consistent aerobic and...
Eating a balanced diet is never as important as it is during pregnancy. An expecting mother must ensure that both she and her growing baby get an adequate supply of the key nutrients needed for fetal development. These important nutrients,...
During pregnancy, it is natural to gain some weight. When you deliver your baby, the Mayo Clinic says, you will lose more than 10 lbs., and in the days that follow, you will lose water weight. Once that weight is off, you will still have to lose...
The foods that you eat during your pregnancy affect your unborn baby directly. They provide him with the nourishment he needs to grow and develop, but certain kinds of foods also have the potential to cause him harm. The first trimester is an...
Plan B, also called emergency contraception, prevents unwanted pregnancies after unprotected sex or if the first form of birth control, like a condom, fails. The hormone in Plan B, levonorgestrel, keeps the ovaries from releasing an egg. Drugs.com...
Maintaining a healthy diet before pregnancy can improve fertility, keep you healthy during pregnancy, make childbirth easier and help establish a healthy environment for your future baby, according to the American Pregnancy Association. Although...
During your pregnancy you will have increased nutrient needs. Not only do you need to nourish your own body, but you need to provide adequate nutrition to allow your baby to grow and develop. There are certain foods that you need to be sure to...
Your diet during pregnancy is one source of fetal nutrition. A pre-pregnancy diet helps prepare your body, which is a baby's other source of nutrition. The body releases nutrients such as protein, calcium and fat into the mother's bloodstream,...
Healthy pregnant women should continue to exercise throughout their pregnancy, according to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). Regularly exercising during your pregnancy can help lower your risk of developing pregnancy-induced high...
If you have diabetes and become pregnant, you need to monitor and control your blood sugars closely. You also need to follow a healthy diet that includes a variety of foods from each of the food groups to support your health and the health of your...
Pregnancy is a critical time to obtain appropriate nutrients for your developing baby and for your own health. Certain nutrients, such as folic acid and vitamin D, are more important during pregnancy than at other times. Remember that although you...
When you're pregnant, a healthy diet that includes foods from each of the food groups will help you meet all your nutrient needs to support your health and your baby's health. Women need to eat an additional 300 calories a day while pregnant. If...
You don't have to sacrifice all of your favorite foods and cravings during your pregnancy for the sake of your unborn baby, according to the March of Dimes. But you should try to make sure that most of the calories you eat provide sufficient...
Pregnancy is a happy time filled with changes in a woman's body. You will become larger in size during your pregnancy and your body will need more nutrients and vitamins for you and your unborn baby. The doctor may prescribe prenatal supplements...
When you are pregnant, your vitamin and mineral needs increase to meet both your needs and the needs of your growing fetus. It is important to follow a healthy, balanced diet to make sure you meet those needs. In addition to your increased...
Losing weight after pregnancy is easier said than done. And while the weight seems to melt of celebrities, real moms face a daily battle with finding the time to exercise and eat healthy, while still taking care of a brand new baby. To lose the...
A nutritious diet during pregnancy reduces the risk of health problems and promotes proper weight gain. According to the Institutes of Medicine, women in 2011 are more likely to enter pregnancy overweight or obese. While adequate weight gain helps...
Polycystic ovary syndrome is a medical condition that affects a woman's hormones and ability to become pregnant. Women with PCOS commonly experience enlarged ovaries containing numerous small cysts. According to WomensHealth.gov, nearly 5 million...
Obesity is a significant concern in the United States. According to the National Library of Medicine, about 80 percent of weight loss surgeries, also known as bariatric surgeries, are done on women. The majority of these women are still in the...
Women who develop diabetes while they are pregnant suffer from a condition called gestational diabetes or gestational diabetes mellitus, also called GDM. The disease strikes about 5 percent of women who are pregnant, or close to 200,000 a year,...
High-protein, low-carbohydrate diets such as the Zone, Atkins and South Beach plans tout the benefits of eating more healthy fats and muscle-repairing protein and fewer energy-giving carbohydrates, claiming doing so promotes weight loss. Some...
Women who are diabetic either before their pregnancy, or who develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy, must be mindful of how the food they eat affects their blood sugar levels. When blood sugar levels fluctuate, they can spell trouble for...
Both pregnant moms and their unborn babies benefit from exercise during pregnancy. Whether you're a habitual exerciser who's already in great shape or are looking to get in shape for the first time, you can formulate an exercise plan that's right...
Eating well during pregnancy is important so that your developing baby will get all the nutrients needed for proper growth. A well-balanced diet will not only keep you healthy, but your baby healthy, as well. Eliminating things such as alcohol and...
Pregnancy and childbirth are, to risk enormous understatement, hard on a woman's body. Once you've met your child, it can sometimes be hard to get motivated to start working out again. However, Ari Brown of "Baby 411" reports how vitally important...
Many new moms are anxious to return to their pre-baby bodies but have difficulty finding gym time. To lose the weight, be creative and add exercises to your daily routines. Try to find 30 minutes three times a week to devote to fitness,...
During your fifth month of pregnancy, you're squarely in the middle of your second trimester. The worst of the morning sickness should have passed, and your appetite should have recovered. You need a little more of each healthful food group during...
Smoking during pregnancy can increase the risk of ectopic pregnancies, low birth weight and preterm labor, so it is important to quit smoking if you are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant. Learn how to quit smoking during pregnancy in this...
Home births account for approximately 90 percent of the world’s births and are gaining popularity in Western culture. Learn how to plan a home birth in this pregnancy video.
