Once you become pregnant, you begin to pay a lot more attention to your diet than ever before. Mom and baby need a broad range of nutrients for health and proper development. One important and often overlooked nutrient in the prenatal diet is zinc. Zinc is important for every stage along the road to parenthood, including conception. Zinc is an essential nutrient for sperm production in the man and healthy and regular ovulation in the woman. Once pregnancy is achieved, zinc is important throughout the development of the baby for cell growth and for the immune system of mom and … Continue reading →

Folic acid is the B vitamin that gets the most attention during pregnancy. This is deserved considering the information about the role of folic acid in preventing neural tube defects. However, folic acid is just one of several important vitamins for mother and baby. Vitamin B1 (Thiamine): Thiamine is important for muscle growth and tone, the functioning of the nervous and digestive systems. Food sources include beef, eggs, legumes, breads, whole grain cereals, brown rice, green leafy vegetables and nuts. Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): Riboflavin is important for digestion, immune system support and energy production. Food sources include milk, eggs, meat, … Continue reading →

Folate is an important nutrient for the developing baby. A synthetic form of folate used in prenatal vitamins and as food supplements is folic acid. Studies have shown folate can help prevent neural tube defects affecting the brain and spinal cord. The most important time period for baby to reap the benefits of folate in the diet is when the neural tube is forming in the early weeks of pregnancy. In many cases, this is happening before a woman even knows she is pregnant or just after she discovers the pregnancy. For this reason, increasing the intake of folate in … Continue reading →

During pregnancy, a variety of nutrients are vital to the development of the baby and health of the mother. One important nutrient is calcium. Calcium is important to both mother and baby and not getting enough can have serious consequences, particularly for mom. Calcium is vital for the development of the bones and teeth. This is how calcium is best known by most people. But that’s not all it does to aid in fetal development. This nutrient is also used in muscle growth in the baby and is important for maintaining a regular heart rhythm in both mom and baby. … Continue reading →

You probably already know that good nutrition is vital to your growing baby. The foods you eat nourish your baby and provide nutrients needed for organ and tissue growth. Did you know that nutrition before pregnancy is critical to your baby’s health? There have been studies to show the diet of the mother impacts the baby as early as at the time of fertilization and in the early weeks of pregnancy. These studies resulted in the current guidelines which suggest women get extra folic acid and take vitamin supplements if they are trying to conceive. Newer studies have shown the … Continue reading →

Our basic cell structure is composed of amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) and our bodies our made of an incalculable amount of these cells. Thus, protein is essential for our growth and health. It is in the womb that the baby progressed from multiplying cells to a body with functioning organs, bones, muscles, brain, circulatory system, etc. The baby cannot develop properly without protein and thus expectant mothers need to ensure that they are getting enough. Milk is famous for its high calcium content which is essential for strong bones, but milk is also an excellent source of … Continue reading →