June 2022

Ways To Boost Immunity During Pregnancy

Posted on June 7, 2022April 2, 2024 by admin

Pregnancy is a wonderful experience but you need to be careful to strengthen your immune system during this period. During pregnancy, it’s your foremost duty to take care of yourself and your unborn baby as well. Intake of proper food to increase immunity during pregnancy should be your topmost priority. Your immune system acts as a protective shield and defends your body from infections caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, toxic substances and various illnesses.

Pregnant women are more vulnerable to disease and infection, so it’s very crucial to boost your immunity during pregnancy by consuming a proper diet.

Impact of a weak immune system during pregnancy.

How does your weak immune system impact your health?

1. If your immune system is weak, you are more prone to infection and diseases can thrive in your body.

2. If your immunity is low, then you are at high risk of feeling fatigued and tired.

3. Women have a high probability of falling sick because of a weaker immune system and lack of awareness in following a proper diet plan.

4. A strong immune system is directly related to a healthy fetus. If your immune system is suppressed, it will impact your baby’s development.

So it’s very important to enhance your immunity during pregnancy and preggers should take proper advice from doctors.

Tips to boost the immune system when pregnant

Here are the best tips to boost your immunity during pregnancy.

Exercise: Exercise is the best and most healthy way to increase your immunity during pregnancy. Try yoga and workout classes or follow any prenatal yoga program. You should take advice from a doctor and follow a healthy diet plan.
De-stress: Preventing stress and following stress-free meditation helps to maintain a healthy immune system.
Probiotics: Take probiotics properly. Probiotics are naturally found in many foods like yoghurt and kefir. But you can also take it as alternative medicine available in medical shops after consulting your doctor. Probiotics help to boost immunity during pregnancy and protect your child from illness and infection and contribute to the healthy development of a fetus.
Nutritious diet: Make sure you eat proper healthy food enriched with vitamins and zinc during pregnancy. It is very important to intake food that is rich in proteins and carbohydrates. This food helps to maintain health and enhance the immune system during pregnancy
Sleep: Sleep also plays an important role during pregnancy. Make sure you get proper sleep during pregnancy. Irregular sleep patterns cause irritable mood and negative emotions. Your body needs adequate sleep and rest during pregnancy for the healthy development of your child.
Environment: Your surrounding environment also impacts your moods and emotions. Make sure you live in a positive environment. You can also read books and listen to music to reduce stress which will boost your happy mood and overall immunity that contributes toward the healthy development of a fetus.
Vitamin: Intake of vitamin C during pregnancy also boost your immune system. So, it’s very important to have vitamin tablets for the healthy development of a child.
Zinc: Taking zinc during pregnancy helps to boost your immunity and helps in proper fetus development.
Drinking water: Keeping yourself hydrated is also very important during pregnancy. Drinking lots of water helps to maintain and increase your immunity. Staying hydrated helps your body naturally eliminate toxins and bacteria that causes infections. It is very important to drink 8 glasses of water to maintain good health.
Warmth: Keeping yourself warm is a very important factor in the healthy development of the fetus.

Please follow the above points and make sure you take pregnancy in your stride with a smile. This can be a crucial time for you, but you have the potential to go ahead and take care of yourself with love and affection. So, start boosting your immunity, which can contribute to the healthy development of your child.

FAQ

1. How can I boost my immune system while pregnant?

You can boost your immune system by exercising regularly and going for yoga and meditation programs. It’s very important to live in a positive environment in a happy mood. You should intake proper doses of Vitamin c and Zinc and drink 8 to 10 glasses of water. You can also take probiotics to enhance immunity for the proper development of the fetus.

2. Is your immune system weaker when pregnant?

Your immune system acts as a protective shield and defends your body from germs, illness, toxic substances, and infection caused by bacteria and viruses.

Pregnant women are more vulnerable to disease and infection due to weak immune systems. So it’s very crucial to increase your immunity during pregnancy by intaking a proper diet. Women are at a high risk to fall sick because of a weaker immune system. So it’s very important to enhance your immunity during pregnancy and preggers should take proper advice from doctors.

3. What can I eat to boost my immune system during pregnancy?

You should take proper doses of Vitamin C and Zinc and drink 8 to 10 glasses of water. You can also take probiotics to enhance immunity for the proper development of the fetus. Meat, eggs, nuts, and green vegetables help to boost immunity. You can also consume omega 3, almonds, and a protein-rich diet for a healthy fetus.

4. When does your immune system weaken in pregnancy?

Women’s immune get weak during the early pregnancy stage. So, it’s very important to intake a good diet and include yoga practices to boost your immune system for healthy fetus development. Common symptoms are morning sickness, backache, fatigue, cold and irritable mood. Women are at a high risk to fall ill because of a weaker immune system and lack of awareness in following a proper diet plan. A strong immune system is directly related to a healthy fetus. If your immune system is compromised, it will impact your baby’s development.

5. Can I take Vitamin C during pregnancy?

Yes, it’s good to intake vitamin C during pregnancy. You should eat fruits and vegetables enriched in Vitamin C, and you can also take prenatal vitamins that contain vitamin C. However, it’s a bad idea to consume a high amount of vitamin C when you’re pregnant. The maximum daily amount you should take is 1800 mg for women 18 and younger and 2000 mg for women 19 and over.

Motherhood is a precious experience and it starts from the moment of conception. You should make your body environment as friendly and welcome as possible for the new visitor who is going to enter your life. Improving your immunity and taking good care of your health is your first step in this journey. From the moment the good news is confirmed via the Preganews pregnancy kit to the point you deliver your baby safely, you need to walk that extra mile to ensure that your baby is safe and so are you.

Healthy & Best Foods for 1 Year old

Posted on June 7, 2022April 2, 2024 by admin

Your one-year-old is just a baby and as a parent, you must be careful about what to feed and not to feed your baby. This is the age when you can try and give your baby all kinds of healthy food but make sure it is not too sugary or spicy. Don’t let your baby binge on junk food or aerated drinks. That’s the worst you could do for your baby as it can cause health issues in future. Let us take a look at what’s best for your one-year-old.

What to feed your baby

At 12 months, your baby can taste everything you eat but you should take care of the nutrition quotient. Each meal should be nutritiously enriched for your baby’s healthy growth.

You should feed healthy food like milk, dairy, eggs, meat, fish, and poultry, legumes like chickpeas, lentils or peas, nuts, orange, green vegetables, and fruits. Add a little oil or desi ghee to baby food for energy and healthy muscle growth.

How much food should your baby eat?

Your baby can eat one cup of food three to four times a day. You can also add one or two snacks between meals.

If you’re not a breastfeeding mom, your baby should eat more often. Milk products are considered healthy food for your baby, so it is very important to make them a part of a child’s diet. Your baby should be fed three cups of milk every day in the morning, evening and at bedtime.

Foods to avoid

Avoid giving junk food and soft drinks to your baby. Fried snacks like crisps, chips, cookies, soda, and candy are not healthy for children. These foods are high in sugar content, salt, fat, and chemicals. Your baby should eat healthy foods for proper growth and development.

Healthy food for a 1-year-old baby

Here is a list of healthy food to pick from –

1. Peaches, Banana, and other fruits

At 12 months babies start touching and feeling food with their fingertips and tasting it. This is the best time to give finger-friendly foods to your baby. Start giving your baby healthy food like soft, fresh fruits. You can also give sliced bananas, strawberries, peaches, or mango.

2. Yogurt and milk

As your baby may slowly wean off breast milk or formula, it’s a great time to introduce cow’s milk. Milk and yoghurt are high protein-rich healthy food for babies and they also contain bone-building calcium, which helps in developing their teeth.

You can also give whole-fat dairy milk or yoghurt at mealtimes or as a snack. You can also add diced fresh fruits or honey to yoghurt which is very healthy food for the baby.

3. Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a great option when your baby starts chewing. It’s very easy to swallow and digest and has the high nutritional value of protein, carbs, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats.

Oats are also fibre rich that boosts the function of digestive tracts and keep them healthy.

4. Whole-grain pancakes

Pancakes are good for babies, and whole grains have high nutrition value, vitamins, minerals, and fibre. Whole-grain pancakes are a good meal choice for a 1-year-old baby’s diet. Whole grain releases prebiotics, which produces beneficial gut bacteria and boosts digestion. You can also add fresh fruits and honey as a topping.

5. Eggs

Eggs are a very healthy food for babies. They are good for eye health and proper brain development and have high nutrition values such as protein and healthy fats. You can give scrambled eggs and boiled eggs to your baby.

It is very important to note that eggs are also allergy-causing food. Babies easily get prone to allergy, which may include symptoms such as hives, nasal congestion, digestive issues, coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. You need to keep a watch for such indications.

6. Tofu

Tofu has rich nutrition value since it contains iron, calcium, and protein. Tofu can be served as a sweet or savoury dish. Silken tofu can be taken as smoothies or can be mashed into bananas, avocado, or cottage cheese. Tofu is considered a very healthy food for baby growth and development. You can also give tofu with soft vegetables, such as diced bell peppers, tomatoes, and onions to your babies.

7. Chicken or meat

Soft pieces of chicken are a healthy way to add more protein to your baby’s diet for proper growth and development. Avoid giving any hard pieces of chicken, as it will be difficult for your baby to chew or swallow. Also avoid giving spicy food, which might upset their delicate stomachs.

8. Avocados

Avocados are also a very healthy food for babies. Their creamy texture helps to provide high nutritional value for your child’s growth. According to the American Heart Association, 30–40% of your baby’s calories value should come from fat. Avocados contain healthy fats, which helps to grow a baby’s brain and heart.

9. Steamed broccoli, peas, and carrots

You can give steamed vegetables such as broccoli, peas, and carrots to your babies. Steamed vegetables are considered very healthy food for a baby’s growth. Broccoli, carrots, and peas are fibre and vitamin C enriched that help to support eye health, muscle-building.

10. Mashed beans

Mashed beans can be black, kidney, or white beans that have a high content of iron, to keep your baby’s blood cells healthy.

Feed mashed beans to your babies along with food high in vitamin C, such as broccoli, diced tomatoes, or mashed sweet potatoes which will ease iron absorption efficiently.

Baby feeding tips

Start giving your baby his or her bowl of food that will help your baby to learn to self-feed. Use a baby’s high chair to seat your baby and give them enough time.

Initially, your baby will eat slowly and create a mess. Assist your baby to get most of the food in his or her mouth instead of on himself/herself or the floor. Encourage your baby to finish the food and give your baby lots of love and affection during meal times.

Sit with your baby and maintain eye contact while interacting with your child, give a smile and talk and praise your baby while eating.

Be calm and accepting. Give your child positive attention when he/she does eat, but don’t make it a problem when he/she doesn’t eat. Just take the food away, cover it, and offer it to her again a bit later.

These feeding tips will help you to handle this messy phase when babies learn to feed themselves independently. This milestone will not be reached overnight so you need to go really slow and keep your patience.

FAQ

1. What food should not be given to a 1-year-old baby?

Stop giving junk food and soft drinks to your baby. Fried snacks like crisps, chips, cookies, soda, and candy are not healthy for children. These foods are high sugar content, salt, fat, and chemicals. Your baby should eat healthy food for proper growth and development.

2. What should I feed to 12 months old baby?

You can feed streamed vegetables, broccoli, carrot, peas, mashed beans, yoghurt, milk, chicken, multigrain pancakes, peaches fruits to your baby.

3. Which fruit is best for the 1-year-old baby?

Peaches, bananas, and strawberries are healthy food for babies. Avocados are also very healthy food for babies. Their creamy texture helps to provide high nutritional value for your child’s growth. Avocados contain healthy fat that is good for babies.

4. What food develops a baby’s brain?

Eggs are very healthy food for babies. They are good for eye health and proper brain development and have high nutrition value such as protein, healthy fats. Avocados contain healthy fats, which helps to grow a baby’s brain and heart.

5. At what age can babies eat cooked rice?

Babies as young as six months can be fed cooked rice provided it is properly mashed. You can some butter or ghee, and some dal and boiled vegetables. You can even make a yummy khichdi using rice and moong dal. Cooked rice is a proper meal and you can safely feed this at lunch or dinner.

Healthy growth and development do depend on the diet you provide. It is important to ensure that your baby gets wholesome balanced nutrition so that he or she can grow and achieve developmental milestones. Feeding right is very important if you want a healthy and active baby.

Exercises To Avoid When Trying To Get Pregnant

Posted on June 6, 2022April 2, 2024 by admin

If you’re wondering if exercising while trying to conceive is safe, here’s some good news. When you’re trying to conceive, getting into a gym programme and staying active is a significant step in the right direction. After all, exercise is important for overall health and wellness and can aid in the preparation of your body for conception and pregnancy. Though exercising is great for the baby and the mother to be, but, some exercises are not good for the time and must be avoided so as to keep the process healthy and stress-free.

Below are listed some exercises that you must avoid when trying to conceive. These exercises are known to make your body weaker and more tired if you are trying to conceive.

Some of the exercises are:

Running Too Hard:

Running is known to help you in conception up to a certain limit but, if the limit is crossed, it has adverse impacts on the health if you are trying to conceive. Your hormonal level in the body is impacted and becomes very imbalanced when it comes to running more than a certain limit.

(https://www.runnersworld.com/health-injuries/a20836206/what-runners-should-know-about-trying-to-conceive/#:~:text=For%20the%20majority%20of%20women,no%20need%20to%20cut%20back.)

Some of the side effects of running too hard are listed as follows:

Dead Butt Syndrome: If your buttocks are numb or hurting, and you are also experiencing discomfort in your knees, hips, lower back, and, back of your legs, you may have gluteus medius tendinopathy, often known as “dead butt syndrome,” which is inflammation of the tendons in your back.

Frequent urge to urinate: Have you ever gone for a run and then felt an overwhelming want to urinate? You’re not the only one who feels this way.” Those who participate in high-impact sports have the highest prevalence of urine incontinence “According to a study, activities such as running are beneficial.

The reason for this, according to experts, is that running weakens your pelvic muscles.

You can take action if this sounds familiar. Kegel exercises, according to experts, work because they grow the muscles that hold your urethra and other organs in place over time.

Avoid intensive exercises:

If you are trying to conceive, avoid hardcore exercises. They can affect your hormone levels and impact your fertility. Some of the side effects of hardcore exercises can be –

Longer periods of rest are required.
Experiencing anxiety more often.
Injuries caused by overuse of equipment.
Sore muscles or heaviness in the limbs.
Difficulty in Sleeping.
Experiencing mood swings or irritability.
Suffering from depression.
Feeling exhausted more often than not.
Getting leaner and weaker.

These side effects can affect your ability to conceive.

What exercise is best when trying to conceive?

You don’t need to stop exercising completely when you are trying to conceive. Barre, yoga and pilates can help you to build strength, balance, muscle tone and endurance which will benefit you during this time. Yoga helps you to relax which is important during the process of trying to get pregnant. Yoga needs to be done under guidance to get the best results and avoid injuries that could interrupt your process.

Does exercise prevent implantation?

Too much information is not available regarding the right exercises that can be done while undergoing fertility treatments. Doctors usually recommend minimal or no exercise during IVF. There are no confirmed reports on the impact of vigorous physical activity on implantation, clinical pregnancy or live birth rates. The worry is associated with ovarian torsion when the ovary twists around its stalk. Running, yoga inversions, high-impact exercise etc. can cause the ovaries to shift in the pelvis and this can disrupt the IVF treatment.

How much exercise should you aim for when trying to conceive?

If you are trying to conceive or have just confirmed the news using the Prega News kit, you should aim for a moderate exercise routine of 30 minutes on most days of the week. You can even split it into 3 ten minute workout sessions. Any exercise that gets your heart pumping like aerobics, yoga, strength training or even gardening and housework is good for you and your future baby.

How much exercise is too much when I’m trying to conceive?

Unless you are an athlete who is regularly training for competitions, most people do not come close to their daily exercise limit, whether you are trying to conceive or are already pregnant. Studies show that if you exercise intensely for more than 5 hours per week, conception may be delayed.

Intense training with a low BMI can alter your menstrual cycle and even stop ovulation. It is better to check with your doctor.

What are the best pre-pregnancy workouts?

If you are actively trying to conceive and waiting to see the two bands on your Prega News kit, you should stick to safe workouts and not take unnecessary risks.

Some exercises that are considered safe during this period include –

Running and walking are good for the heart and you don’t need any special equipment apart from a good pair of walking shoes. In fact, you can walk right through your pregnancy. Experienced runners can even keep running but make sure not to risk injury by indulging in intense training.

Weight lifting builds muscle tone and bone strength which can help you stay in shape during pregnancy. Choose lighter weights with more repetitions or go for resistance exercises like squats, crunches and push-ups. Take a breather between workouts and have plenty of water. Pilates, Barre and yoga should be done under supervision to avoid injury.

Swimming is a low impact exercise that can help in building muscle tone and is great for the heart. Swimming makes pregnant moms feel weightless and can also act as a relief against nausea and swelling.

Indoor cycling is another safe, low-impact exercise that can be continued till the baby arrives. You should take water breaks and rest in between if you feel tired or breathless.

Exercising is great when you are trying to prepare your body for conception, but it is not at all beneficial if you are doing it wrong. Wrong methods and wrong exercises can only work to impact the body in an adverse manner. The body needs rest and rejuvenation frequently but when the exercises are wrong they lead to adverse impacts that do not allow you to be healthy or conceive.

Make sure you consult your doctor so that you don’t end up doing the wrong things and delay the conception. If you are looking to conceive and deliver a healthy baby, it will help you to do some homework about what exercises to do and what to avoid. Stay healthy and keep trying. Soon you will have Prega News delivering good tidings.

Pregnancy Fatigue

Posted on June 6, 2022April 2, 2024 by admin

Growing a baby in your womb obviously suppresses your body’s energy, leaving you tired and fatigued. It’s not a good decision to ignore the signals constantly sent by your body. It’s better to reach out to others if you’re struggling to sleep throughout your pregnancy. Seek help from your doctor or your partner.

You should avoid taking any pills or medicines as a sleeping aid to ease fatigue during pregnancy.

Pregnant women should sleep at least 8 hours in bed, to avoid fatigue in early pregnancy. If possible, try to sleep a little earlier. As your body hormones are changing, make sleep a topmost priority during child development.

Is it normal to feel fatigued?

Fatigue in early pregnancy is normal and you may feel exhausted during the first months of pregnancy. Fatigue during pregnancy, even extreme fatigue, is an early symptom of pregnancy that nearly all women undergo in the first trimester. It’s also very normal to feel pregnancy fatigue in the third trimester.

Fatigue eventually gets better at the start of the second trimester, however, the fatigue symptoms often return back in the third trimester. The symptoms vary from pregnancy to pregnancy.

Cause of pregnancy fatigue

In the last 3 months of your pregnancy, you may feel exhausted. The extra stress of your belly on your body will make you feel extreme fatigue. As your belly may make you uncomfortable in bed and your baby pressurizes your bladder all night, you may strive hard to get a sound sleep. Sometimes pregnancy fatigue can be a sign of a medical illness, such as:

• Anemia

• Infection

• Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

• Fibromyalgia

• Gestational diabetes

• Underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism)

• Depression

If fatigue is one of the symptoms you’re experiencing, it’s better to seek a doctor’s help. You may feel better once you get treated for any condition that’s draining your body energy during pregnancy.

There are a number of other factors that may cause pregnancy fatigue, including:

Building the placenta- Your body is creating placenta throughout the first trimester. Placenta is an organ your body prepares especially for pregnancy that provides nutrients and oxygen to the baby to grow and thrive. It’s a tedious task that drains your body energy which causes fatigue during pregnancy.
Your hormones -Pregnancy fatigue is also due to the high production of the progesterone hormone, which your body release to support your pregnancy and enhances the production of milk glands required for breastfeeding later on. Hormone changes can also cause mood swings and emotional roller coasters during pregnancy which cause fatigue.
Increased blood supply- The demands of increased blood supply for fetus development and pumping extra blood to supply your baby with nutrients and oxygen can make you feel fatigued and exhausted.
Other physical changes -Your metabolism rate activity is running high in your body during pregnancy, as a result, your heartbeat rate is up and your blood sugar and blood pressure rate goes down, and your body is utilizing more nutrients and water, which make you feel fatigued.

By the end of the first trimester, the Herculean task process of manufacturing the placenta is completed, which means in the second trimester, you will feel less fatigued due to renewed energy levels.

Causes of fatigue in the third trimester

Third-trimester fatigue is due to the following factors:

• Your growing baby bump: Your belly is growing fast, and the extra weight can drag you down.

• Pregnancy insomnia and other symptoms: Your baby bump along with other pregnancy symptoms including heartburn, backache, and restless leg syndrome may make your sleep during pregnancy more difficult.

• The stress of having a baby is also one of the factors that cause fatigue.

• Multi-tasking: Responsibilities like a job and maintaining work-life balance can cause fatigue during pregnancy.

Remedies to avoid pregnancy fatigue

During pregnancy, your body needs adequate rest and sound sleep.

Follow these restful suggestions to avoid fatigue during pregnancy:

• Take naps: Most pregnant women can’t sleep throughout the night because of baby pressure on the bladder or other pregnancy discomforts that can make you wake up throughout the night. Start covering the sleep that you’re losing at night by taking a small nap or two during the day.

• Seek help: Seek help at home so that you don’t get so exhausted and you get sufficient time to get a daily nap or two. Get a family member to carry out daily house cleaning activities, or hire a housekeeper.

• Change your sleep posture: Shift your sleeping posture on your front or back to your left side. You’ll feel more comfortable to sleep and also it will give less pressure to the blood vessels that nourish your baby. Keep a pillow in between your legs or underneath you to support your sore back to get sound sleep.

• Exercise: Exercise is the best way to overcome pregnancy fatigue; exercising can actually help to beat fatigue during pregnancy. Going for a morning walk or swimming can also help you to get sleep more soundly.

• Relax: Practice deep breathing or meditation. Join any yoga or meditation program to overcome pregnancy fatigue. Take a warm bath, or ask your partner to give you a massage to help you to get proper sleep.

• Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water during the day. Dehydration drains your energy.

• Eat regular meals and fruits to keep your blood sugar stable. Avoid food or drinks that are enriched in sugar and fats.

Try to continue your sleep routine once your baby is born. Use these same tips during the first few months of motherhood. Continue to seek help and proper rest that your body needs, to keep up with your growing baby.

FAQ

1.What is normal fatigue during pregnancy?

Fatigue in early pregnancy is normal and you will be exhausted during the first months of pregnancy.

You begin to feel fatigued in the very initial weeks of pregnancy. Some women will experience pregnancy fatigue as early as one week after conceiving.

2.Is it normal for pregnancy fatigue to come and go?

Fatigue eventually gets better at the start of the second trimester, however, the fatigue symptoms often return back in the third trimester. However.the symptoms vary from pregnancy to pregnancy and person to person.

3.How can I reduce fatigue during pregnancy?

During pregnancy, your body needs adequate rest and sound sleep. Follow these restful suggestions to avoid fatigue during pregnancy:

1.Relaxation exercise 2. Change your sleep posture 3. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables 4.Drink plenty of water 5.Yoga and meditation 6. Seek help from your partner or doctor.

4.What can I drink for energy while pregnant?

Drink plenty of water during the day. Dehydration drains your energy. Eat regular meals and fruits to keep your blood sugar stable. Avoid food or drinks that are enriched in sugar and fats. You can also drink coconut water, lemon water, fruit juice, herbal tea, vegetable soup, and buttermilk during pregnancy.

5. When is pregnancy fatigue the worst?

Motherhood is a beautiful experience but pregnancy comes with its own challenges from the day you confirm the good news with the Prega news kit. Staying calm and dealing with fatigue in the best way possible will help you have a safe pregnancy so that you can welcome your little one.

Month: June 2022

Ways To Boost Immunity During Pregnancy

Healthy & Best Foods for 1 Year old

Exercises To Avoid When Trying To Get Pregnant

Pregnancy Fatigue

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