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Pregnancy is a crucial stage for women and utmost care should be taken during this period. Their needs become more demanding and as the physical changes occur, special considerations are set. With regards to the proper diet for pregnant women, here are some useful tips to remember.

Eating right

Eating the right kind of food is important for the baby inside the mother’s womb to develop and grow into a very healthy being. An additional 300 calories should be consumed by a pregnant woman so that she would be able to provide all the necessary nutrients that the baby will need while inside its mother’s womb. Eating a balanced meal may be harder with the onset of vomiting and bouts of nausea during the early months of pregnancy and this may test you.

Variety is important

You should eat a variety of foods to ensure that all the nutrients that you need will be absorbed by the body. Eat only a little amount of sweets and fatty foods. A generous amount of wheat and grains, fruits, vegetables, high-protein meat, and dairy products is important. High fiber goodies like pasta, rice, cereals, and fruits should also be taken.

Vitamins and minerals

Make sure to take all the necessary vitamins as well as minerals daily. A special vitamin supplement for pregnant women is also available and should be taken regularly so that all the needed vitamins and minerals is recieved by the body. It is also a good idea to ask your doctor on which kind of vitamin supplement will be best for you.

Vitamin C and Vitamin A

Women who are pregnant require at least 70 mg of Calcium everyday. To meet this requirement, eat a lot of vitamin c rich fruits like strawberries, oranges, papaya, grapefruits, tomatoes, cauliflower, and sprouts. For your vitamin A needs, eat carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes, turnips, pumpkins, and apricots. But should also monitor how much you take since too much of vitamin A might cause fetal defects or malformations.

Things to avoid

SOme of the things to avoid during pregnancy are: alcohol intake - alcohol has been connected to birth defects, premature delivery, and mental retardation among others. caffeine intake should be reduced to less than 300 mg. a day. It is present in many drinks like coffee, tea, and sodas. Cholesterol and fat intake should also be reduced to less than 30% of the calories you take everyday. Don’t eat shellfish and rawfish especially clams and oysters. Some types of cheese should also be avoided since they have not been pasteurized and may cause infections.

When sick eat the following

Morning sickness and diarrhea or constipation are fairly common during pregnancy. During this times, it is advisable to eat crackers, pretzels, and cereals if you are having morning sickness. For constipation, fresh fruits and vegetables and a lot of water is important. For diarrhea: applesauce, oatmeal, bananas, and wheat bread are recommended.

These are some of the things a pregnant woman should take during pregnancy. It will ensure that both the mother and the baby will be healthy and is taking the right nutrients and vitamins. Remember, discipline and responsibility is crucial for a successful pregnancy. Take only healthy foods and avoid fatty and high cholesterol treats. Alcohol and cigarettes are definite no-no’s when it comes to this matter. Keep your focus and after you have delivered the baby, you will say to yourself that it was worth all the sacrifice.

Note: This article may be freely reproduced as long as the AUTHOR’S resource box at the bottom of this article is included and all links must be Active/Linkable with no syntax changes.

For up to date links and information about Pregnancy, please go to: http://www.PregnancyClue.com

Women in our culture are sometimes advised to avoid spicy or “gassy” foods when nursing. Or they are told that chocolate, citrus, carbonated beverages or dairy causes problems in all nursing babies.

As a breastfeeding educator, I often see women warning other Moms that they need
to avoid certain foods while breastfeeding. There are also websites that give
unproven breastfeeding advice that claim that women must eat a certain kind of
diet in order to make quality milk for her baby. So what is the truth?

Does a nursing Mom need to restrict her diet?
Are there foods that a Mom should avoid while breastfeeding?

Generally speaking, a nursing Mom does NOT need to restrict her diet.

Obviously, drinking heavily or excessive caffeine consumption (meaning several cups
of coffee a day) is a no-no, but other than that, there is no reason for a
breastfeeding Mother to assume that she needs to avoid any foods.

So called “gassy” foods do not affect the nursing infant because the undigested
carbs that cause gas in Mom do not pass into breastmilk. It is literally impossible
for “gassy” foods to cause gas in babies except in the rare case of an infant being
allergic to one of these foods.

Interestingly, according to the La Leche League (considered the world’s foremost
authority on breastfeeding) website, “In Italy, mothers are often told not to eat garlic,
cauliflower, lentils, and red peppers. In India most mothers eat all these things and
breastfeed very happily. Actually, in parts of India they believe that garlic helps a
mother to breastfeed successfully!”

There are even a couple of studies that showed that babies nursed longer and with
more vigor when their Moms ate garlic.

The advice given to a nursing Mom varies according to local culture and the popular
“old wive’s tales”. Women all over the world eating a wide variety of foods produce
good quality milk and have thriving babies. There is not a shred of evidence that
supports the idea that eating a special diet helps make breastmilk “richer”.

Consequently, there is no one food that all breastfeeding Moms should avoid.
Breastfeeding women should eat a variety of healthy foods, just as they did
while they were pregnant.

The only exception would be if your baby has food allergies/sensitivies, which is
rare but not unheard of. If your family has a strong history of allergy to a
specific food (such as peanuts), you might consider avoiding that food while nursing
and during pregnancy.

Enjoy nursing your baby!

Carrie Lauth publishes a free newsletter for Moms who do things the natural way. Get your copy plus free subscriber goodies at http://www.natural-moms.com

These easy face paint recipes show how to make homemade face paint using common household ingredients. Mix and store in baby food jars or discarded film canisters. Be ready for your next kids party or dress-up event.

Facepaint Recipe #1

1 tsp. Cornstarch

tsp. Cold cream
tsp. Water
Food coloring (variety of colors)

Mix together cornstarch and cold cream until well blended. Add water and stir. Add food coloring one drop at a time until you get the desired color.

Facepaint Recipe #2

3 tblsps. Cornstarch
1 tblsp. Flour
3/4 cup Karo light corn syrup

1/4 cup water
tsp. Liquid food coloring

Mix cornstarch and flour together in a bowl. Gradually stir in Karo syrup and water until smooth. Divide mixture into individual containers as needed and tint each one with the food coloring of your choice. Leave one batch untinted.

Clown Make-up

Blend on a paper plate:
2 tblsp. shortening
5 tsps. cornstarch
1 tsp. flour
Dab of Vaseline

Add food coloring for various colors.

Fake Blood for Halloween Party Make-up

Karo brand corn syrup
Red and blue food coloring
Milk

Add some red food coloring to the corn syrup, then just a drop or two of blue to get a more realistic dark color. Milk will make the blood appear more opaque and more realistic.

Note: This mixture is sticky and can stain clothes.

More Fun Make-up Tips:

To lightly blacken faces, carefully burn a cork and when cool, rub on the face.

For a ghoulish look, add a dusting of flour to already made up faces.

For a stubbly bearded look, sprinkle tobacco over a thin layer of vaseline.

Copyright 2005 Kids Party Paradise All Rights Reserved

Patricia B. Jensen is a mother of three and kids party enthusiast. She is the webmaster and owner of Kids-Party-Paradise.com - a complete resource for kids party ideas including invitations, cakes, decorations, games, costumes, favors, and food.

For all the latest party news, read her
Kids Party Blog.

Detox To Conceive..

If you’re having trouble conceiving your body may need a detox.

The key to fertility is getting the body into its natural optimum balance, which is often thrown askew by junk food and the stress of modern life. Leading fertility experts believe there are three main factors that reduce fertility: stress, over-acidity in the body and hormonal imbalance.

Fluctuating sugar levels can cause havoc with your hormones, and, just as a seed needs the right acid/alkaline balance in the soil, your eggs need the right environment for conception to take place. Stress leaves the body exhausted and unable to properly cleanse itself.

The ideal answer is a detox at a health spa, but not everyone has the time or money to spend on a stay at a health resort. Those who do should consider it as an aid to conception, those who do not should concentrate on:

• Diet: avoid a diet high in additives, processed food and sugar. To help balance acid/alkaline levels, eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, preferably organically grown.
• Combat stress by every means possible: meditation, deep breathing; boost your self-esteem; and sort out any relationship problems.
• Get plenty of sleep to help your body recuperate.
• Exercise: go to a gym, fitness classes, or get an exercise video for home. Exercise will eliminate toxins through sweating, and it will help you to loose weight if that is a problem.
• Take a holiday, and try to time it so that you ovulate in the last few days of the holiday when you are most relaxed.

The best gardeners take care to keep their soil in top condition to give their seeds the best chance of propagating, do the same with your body!

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Author: Tony Luck who runs a site offering advice on having babies and babycare. Included is the fscinating Chinese Conception Chart which is supposed to tell you whether the baby you are expecting will be a girl or boy!