DUEDATE
Your Pregnancy Questions Answered
FAQS
Q: WHEN SHOULD I BEGIN MY HEALTHY DIET?
It is recommended that pregnant women begin a healthy diet as soon as possible. Following the dietary intakes are recommended.
Q: WHY DO I HAVE CRAVINGS AND SHOULD I EAT THEM ALL ?
Experts are still insure of why women have pregnancy food cravings. However, it is safe to eat your cravings as long as they will not harm the fetus like avoiding alcoholic drinks. It is recommended to eat small portions of your cravings.
Q:IS IT SAFE TO DRINK CAFFEINE DURING PREGNANCY?
It is recommended that during pregnancy, women limit their intake of caffeine. However, there currently isn’t an answer pmn how much caffeine is safe during pregnancy but the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommend pregnant women to limit their intake to less than 200 milligrams per day. This is about one 11-ounce cup of coffee.
Q: WHAT DIET IS RECOMMENDED IF I HAVE GESTATIONAL DIABETES?
Diabetes is developed when the body cannot produce or use enough insulin which is a hormone made by the pancreas that helps cells to turn sugar in the blood (glucose) into fuel. It is important to control your high blood sugar because it can be harmful for you and the fetus. A personal diet is recommended as everyone has different physical characteristics such as weight, height, physical activity, and the needs of the growing baby. However, there are cases in which the dietary changes many not help and the pregnant mother may need to take insulin.
Q: FOODS TO AVOID?
Alcohol - linked to premature deliveries
Saccharin - consumption highly discouraged - (Artificial Sweeteners (I.e. Equal, NutraSweet, Sunett, and Splenda) are considered safe with moderation.
Limit Cholesterol intake to 300 mg or less per day.
Avoid fish with high levels of mercury (shark, swordfish, king mackerel, white snapper.
Avoid raw shellfish - oysters and clams
Avoid soft cheese - Feta, Brie, Camembert, blue veined, and Mexican-Style cheese due to risk of having Listeria infection
Q: WHAT HAPPENS IF THE SUGGESTED MEALS MAKE ME SICK ?
Our dietitians have provided alternative meals to try to meet our customer's food satisfaction. This will also serve as an alternative for the soon to be mothers who have allergic reactions to certain foods.
Q: ARE THERE ANY VEGAN OPTIONS?
Yes, we do have vegan options for mothers as we try to provide the best food options for mothers and their fetus. We also have other meal recommendations for vegans in case certain foods make the mothers feel sick.
Q: IS IT SAFE TO EXERCISE WHILE BEING PREGNANT ?
Yes, it is safe to exercise as long as one does not over do it and takes safety precautions while exercising.
Q: Â HOW DOES EXERCISING WHILE PREGNANT HELP ME ?
Exercising during pregnancy helps boosts mood, improve sleep, and reduce aches and pains. Exercising is also great because it helps pregnant women prepare themselves for birth by strengthening muscles and building endurance. Researchers have stated that prenatal exercising helps lower the risk of developing gestational diabetes.
Q:WHAT TYPES OF EXERCISE ARE RECOMMENDED FOR PREGNANT WOMEN ?
For moms to be, we recommend exercises that involve flexibility and strength such as yoga, stretching, and weight training. Cardio exercises include walking, swimming, aerobics, dancing, and running for all moms to be. For already pregnant mothers, we recommend activities such as swimming, brisk walking, indoor stationary bicycling, and aerobics.
Q: FOR HOW LONG SHOULD I EXERCISE PER DAY ?
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend healthy women with uncomplicated pregnancies to exercise for at least 20 to 30 minutes a day.
Q: ARE THERE ANY EXERCISES THAT I SHOULD AVOID?
In order to avoid injuries, we avoid not doing any activities where you can fall or involve contact such as skiing, horseback riding, football, volleyball, softball, soccer). We do not recommend doing any activities that involve jumping, hopping, or bouncing.