The following information is for women who are already pregnant as well as those likely to become pregnant soon. It must be emphasized that you should think about preparing your body nutritionally for a healthy pregnancy before conception. Pregnancy is all about change. It can be a challenging time both emotionally and physically. But with the right approach, some enthusiasm, positive thinking, professional guidance and support from friends and family, it can be a time of learning, a renewed feeling of health and the beginning of a rewarding relationship with your new family.

Taking good care of both yourself and your partner before conception will help ensure that both of you and your baby stay healthy throughout the pregnancy and beyond. One of the reasons for this is that the development of the sperm and the egg can be affected by various personal and environmental factors. Before deciding to have a baby, you should try and ensure that you are healthy physically and emotionally including:

• Being within the recommended healthy weight range for your height and build. Losing or gaining that extra weight once you are pregnant is not a good idea.
• Avoiding as much as possible any artificial additives in foods, and environmental chemicals/pollutants.
• Quitting (or at least very much reducing) your smoking and alcohol consumption.
• Managing lifestyle stress, for example by avoiding stressful situations, by exercising, relaxing and enjoying the outdoors.
• Ensuring your diet is adequate in providing all the nutrients you require.

Healthy eating is essential for you and your baby to have the best chance of staying healthy and happy. Remember that while you are pregnant you are the only source of the essential nutrients your baby needs to grow adequately and be healthy. If your intake of these nutrients is insufficient, your baby's requirements will not be met or the nutrients will be removed from your own body structure to satisfy the baby's needs, both of these being unhealthy. The important principles are to avoid the foods which can harm the baby, to select a variety of foods from each of the food groups (and vary this choice according to what you most want at the time because this is probably what your body needs), and to eat in moderation (eating for two does not mean eating twice as much!)

Medical journals are packed with studies advocating a nutrient-rich diet and sensible supplementation for expectant mothers. German research bears this out with evidence that women who use multiple prenatal supplements can expect up to a 17% reduction in birth defects for their newborns.[1] Which nutrients do you need and why? Some supplements are more vital to a comfortable pregnancy and a healthy baby than others.

• Folic Acid Is Critical. Folic acid plays a critical role for the developing fetus by preventing neural tube defects such as spina bifida, a condition in which parts of the spinal cord are unprotected by vertebrae, and anencephaly, a fatal defect in which both the skull and most of the brain are missing.
• Prevent Anemia with Iron. Adequate iron intake is important during pregnancy, a time when some women become anemic. Studies show that women who have iron-deficiency anemia run the risk of delivering shorter, smaller babies.[2]
• Calcium & Vitamin D for Bones. Calcium is the final critical component of gestational nutrition. It is primarily used for building a fetus' bones and teeth, although cells and blood also rely on calcium to function. Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption and bone formation in babies.
• Magnesium - Nausea, Cramps, Edema And More. Magnesium is essential for maintaining a healthy pregnancy.
• Other Nutrients for Good Measure. Vitamin B6, a nutrient needed for amino acid metabolism, is also required for your growing baby. Much of the way your baby develops essential proteins, such as DNA and insulin, depends on zinc.
• Protein. Sufficient protein can be important in preventing preeclampsia.

Remember, a vitamin pill can't replace a healthy diet. If you're pregnant, eat wholesome foods such as whole grains, fresh vegetables and fruits, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, and lean meats. Most importantly, work with your primary care practitioner to determine which dietary and supplement programs are best for you and your growing baby.

Once the baby is born...
Keeping a child's environment too clean can increase the risk of developing allergies. Reduced microbial stimulation during infancy and early childhood may result in slower postnatal maturation of the immune system and increase allergy risk.

Breast feeding for at least 4 months or, to a lesser degree, consumption of oily fish or Omega 3 fatty acids during pregnancy, improved maturation of babies' visual cortexes with resulting better vision at 3 1/2 years of age.

References
[1] Hort A, Bran H. Gesundheitswesen 1997;59(4): pp.248-251.
[2] Preziosi P, et al. Am J Clin Nutr 1997; 66: pp.1178­82.

A Hint for Delivery time.

Don't push! The pushing stage of birth is coached in most hospitals and involves the attendants telling the birthing woman when her cervix is fully open (dilated) and encouraging her to give long, strong pushes with each contraction.

Previous research shows that coached pushing does not improve the short-term outcome for mothers and babies, except when the baby needs to be born as soon as possible. This study randomized 325 women giving birth to coached or uncoached pushing. Three months later, they measured the pelvic floor and bladder function of 128 of these new mothers.1

Women in the coached group had decreased bladder capacity and less urge to empty their bladder. They were more likely to have an overactive bladder muscle, and to have stress incontinence, on testing.

Researchers commented, "With uncoached pushing, bearing down does not occur until uterine contractions are well established and the urge to push is present. There are normally several short bearing down efforts per contraction with breath holding for 5 to 6 seconds."

In contrast, "In coached pushing, the mother is alerted to begin pushing as soon as a contraction is noted, and she is encouraged to push for 10 seconds, take a deep breath, and push again. Coached pushing could potentially increase the amount of pressure on the pelvic floor with subsequent deleterious effects." [American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology May 2005; 192(5): pp.1692-6].