PHYSICAL WELL-BEING OF YOU AND YOUR BABY
‘To ensure good health: eat lightly, breathe deeply, live moderately, cultivate cheerfulness, and maintain an interest in life.’
— William Londen
A pregnant mother needs the best quality input in the form of food, water, oxygen, light and colour as they become the building blocks of her child’s body.
The human body is the most complex and intelligent system in the universe. Align your intellect to appreciate it. Fall in love with this wonderful vehicle that is the seat of creation of new life. An appreciation for the body translates into good care and self-love. And while you are pregnant, your child is a part of your body, so loving your own body is loving the two of you.
Research Suggests:
We harbour trillions of microbes on and inside our bodies and these have a symbiotic relationship with us. Not only are they not attacked by the immune system, they actually influence and are part of the immune system. Diversity of the microbiome, or the collective gene pool of these microbes, is fundamental to our health. Too much use of antimicrobial agents and antibiotics is a leading cause for disruption of the microbiome and health.
Love even your germs, you need to pass them all to your baby!
Connect with Your Body’s Innate Wisdom
‘There is more wisdom in your body than in your deepest philosophies.’
— Friedrich Nietzche
The human body has evolved over thousands of years of existence. A self-sustaining and self-preserving unit that has intelligence coded into every cell, and not just the brain, our bodies are capable of dealing with danger and healing from disease or physiological and emotional disturbances of any kind.
The growing dependence on drugs even for minor ailments or the obesity epidemic is testimony to the fact that we have lost the connection with its intrinsic intelligence. We need doctors, counsellors and reminders from our gadgets to manage our energy, food intake and hydration. We first bring upon our bodies a host of dietary- and lifestyle-induced diseases due to our neglect, hurry or greed and then spend time and resources on managing those conditions for the rest of our lives.
Do you often grab a cup of coffee or allow yourself a sugary treat to keep yourself on the task without realizing that your body was just trying to get your attention? Have you tried multiple diets and oscillated between weights? Do you find it daunting in your busy schedule to manage a simple and nutritious meal for yourself or your family?
Pregnancy is the perfect occasion to reconnect with your body’s wisdom and intelligence. It really is simple to provide yourself a nourishing and balanced diet, be well hydrated and at the peak of your vitality, energy and immunity most of the time.
Food is one of life’s greatest pleasures.
Nourishment is not only about the food we eat. How we eat is as important as what we eat. Our state of mind, the conversations we are engaged in and the environment we are in, impact how food is being absorbed by the body. In our haste to do as much as we can while we eat, we often merely swallow and don’t eat. Eating is establishing a relationship with your food and giving it the attention it deserves. It is important to eat consciously as we can only manage effectively what we are aware of.
Be particular about meal times as the body establishes a routine around them. Have small and healthy meals as needed, so that your energy and mood remains up throughout the day. As you switch to healthier meals, you will be full for longer periods and will need fewer of them.
By not eating well, the body slows down its metabolism to cope with long periods of food unavailability. Fatigue, irritability and weight gain are common effects of this folly. Resist the urge to compare yourself with others; everyone’s needs, lifestyle and metabolism are different.
Timeless Treasures:
Nearly every ancient tradition and culture in the world has guided man to be sitting, blessing, sharing and praying before food. Doing so can make us appreciate the gift and enjoy it with more presence.
How to Eat Mindfully
Once the food, body and mind connect is reestablished and one is well nourished, it is going to be difficult to be careless with food again. Investing good time and resources into food becomes a priority.
Healthy Head Start
As the body of the child forms, it diversifies into creating different kinds of cells to build tissues and organs like skin, brain, eyes, spinal cord, liver and bones and fluids like blood, mucous, brain and spinal fluids, etc. The nutrition supplied by the mother has to make up for all the elements needed for this wondrous system to create itself.
Many birth defects are attributed to nutritional deficiencies, and supplementation programmes for pregnant women are commonplace in most countries. Poor nutrition can also result in low birth weight or premature birth. While some birth defects can be corrected and some treated to a reasonable degree, it is best to create an environment that allows every child to manifest in good health.
A balanced diet of meats, lentils, milk and its products, leafy greens, wholegrains, eggs, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and oils is what nutritionists have been always recommending—the fundamentals of eating well have not changed over the years. Depending on our values and preferences, whether vegetarians, meat eaters or vegans, we have a lot of options to ensure we are well nourished.
We need to make smart choices by choosing a variety of nutritious foods rather than just eating more food! This is especially so if you are experiencing a smaller appetite. If you’re very thin, very active or carrying multiples, you may need to eat a little more, but if you’re overweight, you will be advised to consume fewer extra calories.
Your diet can affect the following aspects of the baby’s development:
Apart from the baby, what you eat will have a profound effect on how well your body copes with and recovers from the physical and emotional demands of carrying and delivering the baby, summed as follows:
Whenever possible, choose wholesome foods instead of processed foods like chips, sugary and deep-fried snacks, cold drinks, etc. You don’t need to totally avoid all your favourite foods; just balance them with nutritious foods so that you don’t miss out on any important nutrients.
Good nutrition can often minimize and even eliminate the unpleasant side effects of pregnancy. Complex carbs, such as those found in wholegrains, keep fatigue away by keeping you energized for longer periods. Excess oil and fat can aggravate heartburn, so a low-fat diet helps if you suffer from heartburn or acid reflux. Enough fibre and water consumed in different ways can help manage constipation. Herbs like ginger or supplements containing vitamin B can lessen vomiting and nausea.
Essential Nutrients for Pregnancy
During pregnancy, your energy requirement increases by about 300 kcal a day, which is not much compared to the average woman’s requirement. Although the adage ‘eating for two’ isn’t entirely correct, you do require more nutrition.
Including the following foods in your daily diet will help ensure that you fulfil your body’s dietary needs during your pregnancy:
Eat wholegrain products including wholewheat rotis or bread, oatmeal, rice, wholegrain pasta, ragi, rye, barley, corn, oats, quinoa, bulgur, millets and kasha. Limit highly processed and refined carbohydrates like biscuits and baked treats, soft drinks, colas, instant noodles, rice, etc.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women need healthy fats. Some nutritionists suggest switching between a wide variety of cooking mediums like ghee and oils of mustard, olive, rice bran, coconut, sunflower, soybeans, etc. Lean meats and fatty fish (salmon, herring and sardines), milk and milk products, avocado, nuts like walnuts, almonds, pistachio, cashews and peanuts, seeds like flaxseeds, sesame, sunflower, pumpkin, melon, etc. are all good ways to get essential fats.
Processed and cooked food items all use fat in varying quantities. Therefore, when it comes to fats, the quality is more important than quantity, as an average diet easily makes up for quantity.
Avoid trans fats or foods with ‘hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fat’ like in many packaged and processed foods, fried and fast foods.
Proteins are the building blocks of cells, tissues, enzymes and hormones. Meats, eggs, pulses, sprouts, chickpeas, kidney beans, soybeans, milk, cheese, wholegrains, seafood, paddy, seeds and nuts are good sources of protein.
Vitamins
Folate (also known as folic acid)
Folate, commonly known as vitamin B, is essential for cell division and organ formation. This nutrient, apart from playing a crucial role in overall health, helps prevent malformations of the brain and spinal cord in the developing child. Other birth defects like cleft palate are also linked to folic acid. Due to the severe nature of neural tube defects, it is strongly advised to take adequate folate daily before conception and throughout the first three months of pregnancy.
All dark green vegetables are rich in folate. You have a wide range to choose from depending on your taste like spinach, kale, mustard, methi (fenugreek), herbs like mint, coriander, dill and parsley, radish and salad leaves, dark gourds, ladyfingers, peas, broccoli, and asparagus; citrus and other juicy fruits and their juices like orange, pineapple, banana, ripe papaya, pomegranate and guava; legumes and wholegrains, yeast extract, liver, dried beans and fortified breakfast cereals, pasta and bread. Care should be taken, however, to avoid overcooking the vegetables as folate is easily destroyed by heat.
Vitamin B12
This vitamin is required for blood formation. It is primarily found in foods of animal origin like meat, poultry, fish, milk and eggs. Vegans (vegetarians who do not eat any animal products including eggs and milk) must take vitamin B12 supplements in order to meet their daily requirements.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A plays a crucial role in the healthy growth of cells and tissues, functioning of the immune system, maintaining healthy vision and is an important antioxidant. Night blindness or reduced light blindness is attributed to a deficiency of vitamin A. Pregnant women can easily obtain enough vitamin A from food instead of supplements. Good sources include eggs, milk, deep-red and yellow fruits and vegetables like carrots, beetroot, ripe papaya, mango, pumpkins, sweet potatoes and dark green leafy vegetables like spinach and broccoli.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is required for collagen formation in bones, muscles and blood vessels, is very important for the immune function and is a powerful antioxidant. It is recommended that pregnant women obtain their vitamin C from food rather than from supplements.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D helps with absorption of calcium and a host of other minerals. It is essential for bone health. Food sources include fortified milk, margarine and cold water deep-sea fishes, e.g. salmon and sardines. Apart from foods, our bodies can also synthesize vitamin D when exposed to sunlight.
Fibre
A fibre-rich diet can help you achieve and maintain regular bowel movement, which is essential to gut health. A healthy intestine is, in turn, essential for seamless absorption of nutrients leading to good overall health. Enough fibre reduces the risks of stomach ailments like cysts and ulcers. Fibre-rich food also keeps us full for longer periods as it digests slowly. A diet rich in natural foods like fruits, vegetables, grains and cereals contributes to enough fibre.
Minerals
Iron
Iron is required for the formation of red blood cells that transport oxygen in the body. A number of women in developing countries from all strata of society are found to be anaemic or deficient in iron. In India, studies show that almost 60 per cent pregnant women are deficient in iron. Anaemia has serious consequences for the health of both mother and child. Low birth weight, preterm delivery and maternal mortality have all been correlated to anaemia. In India, supplementation with iron is usually initiated for the first few months by the doctor and continued during lactation depending on health profile. Increasing vitamin C intake helps increase iron absorption from foods. Rich sources of iron in diet are meat, poultry, fish, dark legumes like kidney beans and moong, dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, red and purple coloured vegetables and juices, dried fruits, tofu and soy products, nuts and seeds.
Calcium
The pregnant mother and her unborn both need calcium for strong bones and teeth, and for healthy growth of the body. Pregnancy and lactation place extra demand for calcium on the mother’s body, so a focus on adequate calcium intake is a must. Excellent sources of calcium are milk and other dairy products like yoghurt and cheese, yolk, dried or canned fish, shrimps and small fish with edible bones, green leafy vegetables, broccoli, lady fingers, soybeans and other dried beans, and calcium-fortified foods and fruit juice. Calcium supplements are usually recommended.
Fruits and vegetables carry vitamins and minerals. The best time to eat fruits is the first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. They are also rich sources of phytochemicals which are powerful antioxidants. Choose whole fruit rather than juice, whenever possible.
Be as creative as you can with your diet, as there are many great ways to bring in attention to food, and having great fun with it at the same time.
Did You Know?
In the Indian diet, there are easy and delicious ways to incorporate enough of folate. You can knead all sorts of leafy greens into your dough instead of making plain flour rotis. Green chutneys and condiments can be made and preserved in the refrigerator for a few days, and taken with every meal. Rich green herbs are an indispensable part of our seasonings, think curry leaves, coriander and mint. A variety of sprouts can be quickly sautéed and made into delicious salads.
Eating Well by the Six Tastes
(see table for reference)
Ayurveda categorizes six tastes in our food—sweet, sour, salty, bitter pungent and astringent.
It is quite interesting to note that eating the six tastes ensures that our nutritional needs are met. For example, sweet foods being a source of energy are high in carbohydrates, proteins and fats. We need energy to even metabolize and assimilate nutrients from other foods, so sweet foods are considered the most nutritious in Ayurveda.
Timeless Treasures:
Be it a date, honey, gruel, fruit or pudding, religions around the world welcome a baby through a ceremonial offering of food to it, sometimes in the first week of birth and sometimes in the later months. But the taste of the food, you guessed it, is always sweet!
Keep in mind, however, that Ayurveda was not conceived in today’s ‘industrial production of refined junk’ age and does not mean a pound of dressed up doughnuts when it advocates sweet.
Eating Well by the Colours in Food
To make sure, we feel attracted to its bountiful gifts of health, nature packaged them in a resplendent show of colours. Indeed, the colours that we see in natural foods are simply the most easily absorbable and potent nutrients for different health needs like keeping our eyes and brain sharp, keeping bones and teeth strong, keeping blood healthy, protection of immune system, protection from age-related degeneration and cancers, etc.
We naturally eat many red, orange, green and yellow foods but it takes more attention to eat blue.
Sources of coloured foods:
Apple, carrot, tomato, watermelon, ripe papaya, red bell pepper, chilli pepper, pomegranate, raspberry, cherry, strawberry, pink grapefruit.
Orange, melon, mango, apricot, sweet potato, carrot, pumpkin.
Lemon, banana, pineapple, peach, guava, corn, yellow bell pepper.
Spinach, fenugreek, coriander, spring onion, ladyfinger, gourds, karela or bitter gourd, cabbage, peas, beans, moong, melon, kiwi, apple, lime, green grapes, lettuce, Swiss chard, arugula, kale, collard greens, broccoli, artichoke, asparagus, celery, avocado, zucchini, Brussel sprouts.
Purple grapes, red or purple cabbage, beetroot, brinjal, plum, blackberry, blueberry, turnip, kidney beans.
Pear, coconut, onion, garlic, cauliflower, turnip, potato, radish, mushroom.
Meet Your Fluid Needs
Along with oxygen, water is essential for the creation and sustenance of life.
The child thrives in the mother’s amniotic fluid during pregnancy, which keeps increasing with the size of the sac as the pregnancy advances. Circulatory fluids like blood also increase in volume. Sufficient fluid is required to allow the normal biological processes of pregnancy to take course and create a comfortable prenatal environment.
Drink plenty of fluids. Being properly hydrated will help keep your metabolism smooth and energy up. It also helps prevent bladder infections and constipation.
Fluid needs vary from person to person and environment to environment. Besides water, drinks like milk, buttermilk, fresh juices, smoothies, lemonade, soups and broths, coconut water, all contribute to the fluid intake.
Any substances that are harmful to the mother can be especially detrimental to the unborn child, so make sure that your drinking water is safe.
A great thirst quencher and coolant, coconut water is deeply balancing for the constitution. In addition, it is known to carry electrolytes, chlorides, potassium, magnesium, sodium, calcium, manganese, riboflavin, vitamin C and sugar. The perfect health drink from nature, it detoxifies the body, balances pH levels and improves urinary function.
Foods to Avoid
Some foods to be avoided are unpasteurized cheeses, unpasteurized milk, raw eggs or foods containing raw eggs, raw or undercooked meats, smoked fish and other seafood. Avoid fish like shellfish, salmon, tilefish, king mackerel, etc. as they contain high levels of mercury which can harm a baby’s immature nervous system.
Also avoid artificial sweeteners and diet sodas. Do not consume foods containing Mono Sodium Glutamate (MSG), which is a common flavouring agent in commercial Chinese food, some chips, noodles, sauces, etc.
Exercise Your Way to Better Health
‘Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.’
— John F. Kennedy
Fitness helps us get more out of life and its experiences and pregnancy is no exception. It is an obvious fact that if the parents are fit, the offspring is more likely to commit to health and fitness. While fitness does change with the progress of the pregnancy, you can exercise in moderation throughout your pregnancy, unless otherwise instructed.
The Benefits of Exercising
Most studies advocate the benefits of exercising during pregnancy. Until late into the pregnancy, exercising stretches and eases sore body parts, reduces pain, improves mobility and posture, reduces stress, raises energy, enhances circulation and thereby easing swelling, tones pelvic muscles for labour and helps with constipation. It helps to improve your quality of sleep.
Regular exercise prevents excess weight gain and will enable you to return to your fitness more easily after your delivery. It decreases your risk for gestational diabetes and high blood pressure. Endorphins released during exercising enhance mood and spirits.
In the book Exercising Through Your Pregnancy, James Clapp writes, ‘Pregnancy does not limit lung function, and both pregnancy and exercise improve the ability of body tissues to take up and utilize oxygen.’
If you were inactive before pregnancy:
Pregnancy can cause:
These changes can result in an increase in the following risks to the mother:
Contraindications to Exercise
If any of the following conditions are observed, you must refrain from exercise:
Plan Your Exercise Routine
Type of exercises
While strenuous exercises are not advisable for pregnant women at any time, this is especially true of the first trimester. Many physiotherapists recommend not starting any new exercise regime in the first trimester and keeping it gentle, even if you do exercise regularly. Control your tendency to be too zealous about fitness goals.
Pregnancy exercises should be safe, flexible, low impact and moderately paced. Relaxation of the muscles should be addressed as much as workout and stretching. Walking is great, but yoga, swimming, cycling, and breathing exercises are also good. If used to it, strength training can be continued as it keeps the muscles in good shape and prevents aches.
Any activity or sports that poses a risk of abdominal contact or falling over should be completely avoided. Heavy duty team sports, adventure sports, skiing, climbing, horse riding, etc. should be avoided. Avoid lying straight on your back as your heavy uterus can press down on the arteries and obstruct blood circulation. Standing or sitting still in one position can also get uncomfortable. It is important to be attuned to comfort yourself without apology.
Exercise schedule
If you can make time for 30 minutes of exercise a day, 3-5 times a week, you are doing well for your health. Start slowly if it has been some time since you last worked out. You can start with 10 minutes a day or even less. Every week, try to add 5 minutes until you are comfortable, or until you can work out for 30 minutes.
To prepare your muscles and joints, begin each exercise session with a 5 to 10 minute warm up.
The body builds tempo slowly, and this prevents injury and strain. Stretch all the muscles you can one by one. Build your movements at your own rhythm. After exercising, gradually reduce your activity, breathing slower and deeper; finally, do some stretching if you feel any tense muscles.
Prenatal Yoga
The word ‘yoga’ means union. It signifies the integration of the body, mind and spirit in such a manner that it is aligned with the divine. If you haven’t already experienced yoga, now is the time to. Consider it as a gift to yourself and your baby.
Apart from imparting strength and flexibility, yoga is a great tool for stress relief and restoring the balance of energies throughout the system of body, mind and spirit. By releasing stress from the mind and tension from your body, a healthy inner environment is nurtured and many discomforts of pregnancy are naturally avoided or relieved. Through yoga, you can cultivate the mental attentiveness and physical stamina that shall support you immensely during labour. It is an ideal and holistic preparation for birthing.
For more information on yoga, please refer to Appendix E.
Tone Your Pelvic Floor Muscles
By doing squats, postures, kegel exercises and stretching you can aim to tone and strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. Imagine them as forming the numeral 8 around the anus and vagina.
As the circulation to the pelvic floor is boosted, when it is exerted and released, you start to gain more control on your muscles. There are many benefits of better control over the pelvic muscles. During the rigours of labour, your power to relax and contract your pelvic floor can come in very handy. Other benefits are great sex and prevention of urinary incontinence.
Effects of Exercising in Water
If you are comfortable in water, and have easy access to good hygienic pools, exercising in water could be a great option. The buoyancy of water very effectively supports some of the extra pregnancy weight and this makes exercise less strained on the joints and tendons.
Many women are able to sleep better after aqua exercises, as they use more energy, while at the same time feeling much easier on their muscles and joints due to the water lift. They report less swelling due to a relief from the upright position, better balance and circulation. Additionally, there is less risk of injury.
However, if you have a communicable disease, phobia of water, vaginal infection, itchiness or any skin condition that could be transmitted, avoid the pool.
Breathing for Good Health
Breathing is the pillar of good health and wellness, but is so intrinsic to life that it is often ignored. In many languages, the words for breath and life are the same.
Breathing slowly, rhythmically and deeply fosters energy, health and good spirits. Emotions such as anxiety and anger, as well as physical states like exhaustion cause us to breathe shallow, diminishing our blood’s capacity to deliver oxygen and fuel to every cell in the body.
It needs to be acknowledged that pregnancy is a time when you are ‘breathing for two’. Support your oxygen intake and vitality by practicing to breathe well.
Timeless Treasures:
The breathing process is involuntary and under the control of the central nervous system. From birth until death, it goes on at its own pace through sleep, illness and changes in the environment. Reaching out to every living cell in the body, breath referred to as ‘prana’ meaning ‘life’ is considered to be the bridge between the cosmic and the physical. It is the junction where cosmic energy translates to life. By bringing the breath under conscious control, the yogis meant to control nearly every aspect of life.
Get Adequate Rest and Relaxation
Enough sleep is one of nature’s ways to heal physical, emotional and spiritual imbalance, fatigue and trauma. Prioritize your rest, unapologetically!
The following tips can get you a better and more comfortable night’s sleep:
Prenatal Massage and Spa Treatments
Massage can be a great addition to your wellness repertoire. Prenatal massages are tailored to the needs of pregnant women. They are becoming common and are wonderful to completely relax and revitalize your tired body. They can help ease aches and pains, reduce joint stress and ease swellings/oedema by boosting circulation. They balance the rising and waning energy of the body caused by hormonal changes. Massages are a great aid to sleeping better, as they decrease stress hormones and increase the feel-good dopamine and serotonin levels.
Is Massage Safe During Pregnancy?
The first trimester is a relatively delicate phase of minimal interference and some experts are averse to the idea of a massage or any warming treatments during that time. Using the services of a well-trained professional is a must during pregnancy. Like all wellness regimes, listen to your body and do not allow anything that feels uncomfortable.
Your massage therapist will most likely massage you while lying on your side during the second and third trimester in order to alleviate the extra strain on the lower back and pelvic areas when the pressure of massage techniques is applied.
Energy therapists know how intrinsically our bodies are connected and how any excess pressure on a certain point can affect an entirely different organ, for instance the wrists, ankles and the hollow of your sole have certain points that could stimulate the uterus and cause gentle contractions if extensively massaged.
Women with normal, low-risk pregnancies can benefit greatly from the variety of massage techniques. However, if you have a high-risk pregnancy or have any medical conditions, discuss with your doctor before you decide on your choices for wellness. Discuss your comfort and issues freely with providers when you ask for wellness-related services.
Summing Up: