Nutrition
Page Contents:
The Power of Nutrition During Pregnancy, Written by Danielle Bishoff - Australia
What if I'm a Vegetarian? Written by, Claire Hall, Midwife - Australia
THE POWER OF NUTRITION DURING PREGNANCY
Danielle Bishoff - Australia
Pregnancy is a normal condition. Many complications of pregnancy are not prevented by increased testing or advanced technology but by something as simple as quality nutrition. There is endless research that shows the correlation between poor nutrition and unhealthy pregnancies. Numerous studies, reports, and articles over the years have wholeheartedly supported this view.
The physical changes in the body of pregnant women are extensive. Quite simply, everything changes! Among the many inter-related physiological adaptations that take place, one of the most significant is the expansion of the blood volume by 50-60% by around 28 weeks gestation. Adequate blood volume expansion by 28 weeks serves as a foundation for adequate transport of nutrients to the baby during the last trimester when s/he begins to put on weight and store nutrients for after the birth as well as rapidly develop his/her brain. If the blood volume has not expanded during the first 28 weeks, a disease called metabolic toxemia of late pregnancy (pre-eclampsia) may manifest during the last trimester. The liver is simply unable to cope with the increased demand on it due to the increased fetal demand and imbalanced blood volume.
Malnutrition can and does occur in the modern diet due to a lack of high quality proteins and calories. Results of this include:
• Unhealthy and/or abruption of the placenta.
• Prematurity and low birth weight babies.
• Poor and prolonged healing after the birth.
• Higher susceptibility to infections of both the mother and baby.
• Nausea and vomiting due to hypoglycemia and liver damage.
• Weak contractions, susceptibility to pain, and long labors.
While eating well is not a promise of a problem free pregnancy and birth, taking responsibility for treating both yourself and your baby well can only be beneficial. Conclusive evidence has shown that well nourished women experience fewer complications.
Listed below are some of the things recommended for a healthy pregnancy:
• Eat only whole, natural foods. Fresh is best, frozen is ok, and canned is useless. Eat unprocessed and fresh meats, cheeses and whole grain breads.
• Eliminate all sodas, coffee, black teas, and juice “drinks”.
• Salt should not be restricted. Your desire for salt is the best gauge of how much you need. Even if all other nutrients are adequate, salt restriction alone can cause elevated blood pressure and edema.
• Weight gain is encouraged. Weight gain from quality food is different than weight gain from junk foods. No pattern or amount of weight gain is normal. Each woman is an individual and will gain exactly what is needed to support the pregnancy if given the proper nutrition.
• Drink lots of fluids and herbal teas to help your blood volume expand.
• Eat enough! Use your cravings, hunger, and feelings of fullness as your gauge and stay aware of what you are consuming. Small, frequent snacks of high quality foods as well as eating before bedtime can help prevent nausea caused by low blood sugar. Nausea frequently occurs in the first trimester because the appetite has not yet caught up with the increased demand for nutrients.
Basic Nutrition: Quantity + Quality
Sufficient calories need to be eaten to meet the added demands of pregnancy, to protect protein from being burned for energy, and to obtain the required vitamins and minerals. Poor maternal weight gain is clearly linked to poor fetal weight gain and suboptimal development. Well –rounded diets sufficient in calories are more likely to be sufficient in all aspects of the needs of the body.
Protein
Protein supplies the amino acids needed for growth and maintenance of tissues. Much of the growth that occurs during pregnancy is dependant on protein: uterine muscle tissues, fetal muscles, brain cells, and connective tissues all depend on protein for adequate growth. Protein is also necessary for the formation of hormones, enzymes and antibodies.
Foods derived from animals such as meat, dairy, and eggs contain these essential amino acids in the proper balance. Non-animal sources of food also contain all the amino acids. However, few of them supply the amino acids in the exact proportions the body needs, which is why vegetarians need to combine certain vegetable protein sources in order to obtain the proper balance of amino acids.
Here are some examples of vegetarian foods with high sources of plant protein:
Protein in Legumes: Garbanzo beans, Kidney beans, Lentils, Lima beans, Navy beans, Soybeans, Split peas
Protein in Grains: Barley, Brown rice, Buckwheat, Millet, Oatmeal, Rye, Wheat germ, Wheat, hard red, Wild rice
Vegetable Protein Artichokes, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Green peas, Green pepper, Kale, Lettuce, Mushrooms, Mustard green, Onions, Potatoes, Spinach, Tomatoes, Turnip greens, Watercress, Yams, Zucchini
Protein in Fruit:: Apple, Banana, Cantaloupe, Grape, Grapefruit, Honeydew melon, Orange, Papaya, Peach, Pear, Pineapple, Strawberry, Tangerine, Watermelon
Protein in Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, Cashews, Filberts, Hemp Seeds, Peanuts, Pumpkin seeds, Sesame seeds, Sunflower seeds, Walnuts (black)
One excellent ingredient to look for is hemp seed protein. Hemp seed is an nutritious dietary source of easily digestible gluten-free protein. It provides a well-balanced array of all the amino acids, including 34.6 grams of protein for each 100 grams. The fatty acid profile of the hemp seed is extremely beneficial, containing omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in a virtually ideal ratio. Other beneficial aspects of hemp seed include a strongly favorable unsaturated-to-saturated fat ratio; a high content of antioxidants; and a wide variety of vitamins and minerals.
Sodium
Fat Soluble Vitamins (A, D, E, K) are stored in the liver for use if dietary intake become inadequate:
Vitamin A is responsible for the development of healthy eyes in the baby and the growth and integrity of cells of the skin and intestinal lining. Toxicity has been found in those taking over 7000 IU during pregnancy (supplements) and overdose is known to cause fetal malformation.
Vitamin D is necessary to absorb and utilize calcium and phosphorous in skeletal development and is formed in the skin after exposure to sunlight.
Vitamin E has antioxidant properties. It takes on oxygen and affects the influence of other substances on cells. This protects cell membranes and keeps them healthy. It also helps with the forming of red blood cells in the bone marrow and tissue healing. Externally, vitamin E is used to prevent stretch marks and heal scar tissue.
Vitamin K is an essential factor in the blood clotting process, which can be a factor in blood loss after the birth. Also, see the section on Vitamin K and the newborn.
Water Soluble Vitamins (Vitamins C, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12) are not stored in the body; any portion unused by the body is excreted in the urine.
Vitamin C boosts the immune system, enabling it to protect the body from infection and viruses. It is also essential to the formation and development of connective tissue and the vascular system.
B Vitamins help with the work of cells and protein metabolism. Of particular interest in pregnancy is folic acid and B12.
Folic Acid has several different forms. Folic acid is the man-made or synthetic form of the vitamin folate. It is found in fortified foods and vitamin supplements. Folic acid is better absorbed and more readily available to the body than folate. In fact, the body absorbs only about 50% of the folate in food. In contrast, about 85% to 95% of the folic acid from supplements and fortified foods is absorbed.
In what food source is the nutrient found?
Foods naturally high in folate include:
How does the nutrient affect the body? In the body, folate plays an important role in the following processes:
Iron is part of hemoglobin, which is essential for the transport of oxygen in the bloodstream. People who have iron deficiency anemia experience decreased energy and vitality, breathlessness, and pale complexion, among other indicators.
During pregnancy, additional iron is needed for several reasons:
To get the most of iron from one's diet:
Email: mailto:sunshinecoast@homebirth.org.au
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WHAT IF I’M A VEGETARIAN?
Written by Claire Hall, Midwife - Australia
For the most part, there are plentiful alternatives to animal products for vegetarians, (with the exception of Vitamin B12 for Vegans) and you can easily meet your nutritional needs by consuming a vegetarian diet. There are, however, some special dietary considerations that you might like to take into account. Our body functions on a day to day level, taking nutrients from the foods that we eat and metabolising them for immediate use (eg vitamin C), but is also takes certain nutrients and stores them in places like our liver, fat etc. (eg calcium, B group vitamins). Our body then uses those stores as they are needed in special circumstances such as pregnancy. Health conscious vegetarians, (especially those on a strict diet like Vegans), can often be lean. Being lean/slim is by no means a problem, but time and effort need to be taken to ensure that your body stores of certain nutrients aren’t too low. It is possible to be consuming a healthy amount of food and have low body stores of certain nutrients. While you may be consuming enough nutrients for your immediate needs, with low body stores, it may not be enough to meet your Baby’s nutritional needs.
If your weight gain is very slow after the first 12 weeks, you may need to increase your food (kilojoule) intake. Perhaps eating more often, increasing the amount of times you snack on seeds, nuts and dried fruit, or eating foods higher in unsaturated fat more often will help. Between meals, soy shakes made with carob, fruit and perhaps tofu, are a delicious and nutritious way of increasing your kilojoule intake. Other nutritious higher fat & kilojule foods include nut butters, seed pastes (such as tahini), soy products, avocado, fresh coconut and bean dips.
What about supplements? The most common supplements to a vegetarian diet are vit B12 (see below), calcium & iron supplements. Omega- 3 fatty acids are essential to our diet and are also popular supplements for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike, in the form of flaxseed or fish oil. It is also common for Vegetarians to have insufficient iodine in their diet. Adding ½ teaspoon of iodised salt to your daily diet will be sufficient, but if you’re taking a multi vitamin supplement, it may already have your recommended daily intake.
Vitamin B12 is not found in any significant amounts in plant foods. Reports from around the world reveal that many long-term vegans (vegetarians who do not use any eggs, meat, fish, poultry or dairy products) are especially at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency. Because of high stores in the liver, people who completely give up animal products may go for years before showing any signs and symptoms of a B12 deficiency. During the latter half of pregnancy the baby removes significant amounts of B12 from the mother's stores, and a breast feeding mother secretes vitamin B12 in her breast milk. Inadequate stores in your body mean an insufficient supply to your Baby. Unless a Vegan Mother is supplementing her diet on a regular and consistent basis (and has been doing so over a long enough period of time to prevent low body stores), her baby is at high risk of vitamin B12 deficiency. Even though the mother may not show signs of vitamin B12 deficiency, her baby may not receive an adequate intake. Vitamin B12 deficiency may develop in the baby within 3-6 months of age. The B12 deficient child may have seizures, become apathetic, lethargic, anaemic, and show signs of developmental delay and failure to thrive. To prevent the risk of psychiatric problems and permanent neurological damage, many Vegans have their serum B12 levels checked periodically. While oral B12 supplements can restore serum levels of B12 and eliminate macrocytic anaemia, the neurological disorders may persist even months after treatment. In some cases the damage done to the nervous system is not reversible. It cannot be stressed highly enough to ensure a regular, consistent supplementation of Vitamin B12. By consuming Vitamin B12 supplements and fortified foods such as cereals, soy milks, etc., on a regular basis, your body stores of Vitamin B12 should be prevented from getting too low. Check your labels and ask at your local health food store.
For some great info on vegetarian/vegan diets please check out:
http://www.vrg.org/family/adatranscript.htm http://www.andrews.edu/NUFS/Vegetarian%20Diets%20During%20Pregnancy.html
http://www.vegsoc.org/info/preg.html
Sources:
Heinerman J. (Ph.D); “Heinerman’s Enclopedia of Nature’s Vitamins and Minerals”; Prentice Hall; New Jersey; 1998
http://parenting.ivillage.com/pregnancy/psafe/0,,3vxq,00.html.
Parker Shonda; The Naturally Healthy Pregnancy; 1998; Loyal publishing sisters, OR. (now out of print)
Mangels R. (Ph.D, R.D); Kavanagh-Prochaska, K.; “Vegan Nutrition in Pregnancy and Childhood”; http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/pregnancy.htm
Claire Hall, Midwife - Australia
Email: charisbirthsupport@bigpond.com
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The Power of Nutrition During Pregnancy, Written by Danielle Bishoff - Australia
What if I'm a Vegetarian? Written by, Claire Hall, Midwife - Australia
THE POWER OF NUTRITION DURING PREGNANCY
Danielle Bishoff - Australia
Pregnancy is a normal condition. Many complications of pregnancy are not prevented by increased testing or advanced technology but by something as simple as quality nutrition. There is endless research that shows the correlation between poor nutrition and unhealthy pregnancies. Numerous studies, reports, and articles over the years have wholeheartedly supported this view.
The physical changes in the body of pregnant women are extensive. Quite simply, everything changes! Among the many inter-related physiological adaptations that take place, one of the most significant is the expansion of the blood volume by 50-60% by around 28 weeks gestation. Adequate blood volume expansion by 28 weeks serves as a foundation for adequate transport of nutrients to the baby during the last trimester when s/he begins to put on weight and store nutrients for after the birth as well as rapidly develop his/her brain. If the blood volume has not expanded during the first 28 weeks, a disease called metabolic toxemia of late pregnancy (pre-eclampsia) may manifest during the last trimester. The liver is simply unable to cope with the increased demand on it due to the increased fetal demand and imbalanced blood volume.
Malnutrition can and does occur in the modern diet due to a lack of high quality proteins and calories. Results of this include:
• Unhealthy and/or abruption of the placenta.
• Prematurity and low birth weight babies.
• Poor and prolonged healing after the birth.
• Higher susceptibility to infections of both the mother and baby.
• Nausea and vomiting due to hypoglycemia and liver damage.
• Weak contractions, susceptibility to pain, and long labors.
While eating well is not a promise of a problem free pregnancy and birth, taking responsibility for treating both yourself and your baby well can only be beneficial. Conclusive evidence has shown that well nourished women experience fewer complications.
Listed below are some of the things recommended for a healthy pregnancy:
• Eat only whole, natural foods. Fresh is best, frozen is ok, and canned is useless. Eat unprocessed and fresh meats, cheeses and whole grain breads.
• Eliminate all sodas, coffee, black teas, and juice “drinks”.
• Salt should not be restricted. Your desire for salt is the best gauge of how much you need. Even if all other nutrients are adequate, salt restriction alone can cause elevated blood pressure and edema.
• Weight gain is encouraged. Weight gain from quality food is different than weight gain from junk foods. No pattern or amount of weight gain is normal. Each woman is an individual and will gain exactly what is needed to support the pregnancy if given the proper nutrition.
• Drink lots of fluids and herbal teas to help your blood volume expand.
• Eat enough! Use your cravings, hunger, and feelings of fullness as your gauge and stay aware of what you are consuming. Small, frequent snacks of high quality foods as well as eating before bedtime can help prevent nausea caused by low blood sugar. Nausea frequently occurs in the first trimester because the appetite has not yet caught up with the increased demand for nutrients.
Basic Nutrition: Quantity + Quality
- Adequate nutrition is the single most important physical factor in determining the outcome of a pregnancy.
- Common sense tells us that a person cannot grow a baby with poor nutrition and an insufficient amount of food. Can a strong house be built without quality material?
- We have all seen women with unhealthy diets and lifestyles who manage to grow and birth a seemingly healthy baby with no problem. While on the surface all may look well, the drain of resources in the mother’s body and the lack of healthy stores in the baby can and will have repercussions later for both.
Sufficient calories need to be eaten to meet the added demands of pregnancy, to protect protein from being burned for energy, and to obtain the required vitamins and minerals. Poor maternal weight gain is clearly linked to poor fetal weight gain and suboptimal development. Well –rounded diets sufficient in calories are more likely to be sufficient in all aspects of the needs of the body.
Protein
Protein supplies the amino acids needed for growth and maintenance of tissues. Much of the growth that occurs during pregnancy is dependant on protein: uterine muscle tissues, fetal muscles, brain cells, and connective tissues all depend on protein for adequate growth. Protein is also necessary for the formation of hormones, enzymes and antibodies.
Foods derived from animals such as meat, dairy, and eggs contain these essential amino acids in the proper balance. Non-animal sources of food also contain all the amino acids. However, few of them supply the amino acids in the exact proportions the body needs, which is why vegetarians need to combine certain vegetable protein sources in order to obtain the proper balance of amino acids.
Here are some examples of vegetarian foods with high sources of plant protein:
Protein in Legumes: Garbanzo beans, Kidney beans, Lentils, Lima beans, Navy beans, Soybeans, Split peas
Protein in Grains: Barley, Brown rice, Buckwheat, Millet, Oatmeal, Rye, Wheat germ, Wheat, hard red, Wild rice
Vegetable Protein Artichokes, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Green peas, Green pepper, Kale, Lettuce, Mushrooms, Mustard green, Onions, Potatoes, Spinach, Tomatoes, Turnip greens, Watercress, Yams, Zucchini
Protein in Fruit:: Apple, Banana, Cantaloupe, Grape, Grapefruit, Honeydew melon, Orange, Papaya, Peach, Pear, Pineapple, Strawberry, Tangerine, Watermelon
Protein in Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, Cashews, Filberts, Hemp Seeds, Peanuts, Pumpkin seeds, Sesame seeds, Sunflower seeds, Walnuts (black)
One excellent ingredient to look for is hemp seed protein. Hemp seed is an nutritious dietary source of easily digestible gluten-free protein. It provides a well-balanced array of all the amino acids, including 34.6 grams of protein for each 100 grams. The fatty acid profile of the hemp seed is extremely beneficial, containing omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in a virtually ideal ratio. Other beneficial aspects of hemp seed include a strongly favorable unsaturated-to-saturated fat ratio; a high content of antioxidants; and a wide variety of vitamins and minerals.
Sodium
- Sodium is a necessary component of a healthy diet and is essential to the proper maintenance of fluid balance within the body. Secondary symptoms of sodium deficiency are similar to secondary symptoms of true toxemia: swelling and elevated blood pressure.
- If you had a high sodium diet before pregnancy, your body will simply excrete less than usual in order to meet the increased demands of pregnancy. If you have been restricting your salt intake, the general rule is to salt to taste, using your cravings as a guide and keeping in mind that you loose salt anytime you swell or lose liquid through perspiration or urination.
- Keep in mind that table salt is usually sodium chloride refined from mined rock salt. Sea salt comes from evaporated ocean water and is a quality alternative.
Fat Soluble Vitamins (A, D, E, K) are stored in the liver for use if dietary intake become inadequate:
Vitamin A is responsible for the development of healthy eyes in the baby and the growth and integrity of cells of the skin and intestinal lining. Toxicity has been found in those taking over 7000 IU during pregnancy (supplements) and overdose is known to cause fetal malformation.
Vitamin D is necessary to absorb and utilize calcium and phosphorous in skeletal development and is formed in the skin after exposure to sunlight.
Vitamin E has antioxidant properties. It takes on oxygen and affects the influence of other substances on cells. This protects cell membranes and keeps them healthy. It also helps with the forming of red blood cells in the bone marrow and tissue healing. Externally, vitamin E is used to prevent stretch marks and heal scar tissue.
Vitamin K is an essential factor in the blood clotting process, which can be a factor in blood loss after the birth. Also, see the section on Vitamin K and the newborn.
Water Soluble Vitamins (Vitamins C, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12) are not stored in the body; any portion unused by the body is excreted in the urine.
Vitamin C boosts the immune system, enabling it to protect the body from infection and viruses. It is also essential to the formation and development of connective tissue and the vascular system.
B Vitamins help with the work of cells and protein metabolism. Of particular interest in pregnancy is folic acid and B12.
Folic Acid has several different forms. Folic acid is the man-made or synthetic form of the vitamin folate. It is found in fortified foods and vitamin supplements. Folic acid is better absorbed and more readily available to the body than folate. In fact, the body absorbs only about 50% of the folate in food. In contrast, about 85% to 95% of the folic acid from supplements and fortified foods is absorbed.
In what food source is the nutrient found?
Foods naturally high in folate include:
- Beans
- Citrus fruits
- Liver
- Organ meats
- Peanuts and other legumes
- Peas
- Spinach and other dark greens
- Strawberries
- Wheat germ
- Yeast breads
How does the nutrient affect the body? In the body, folate plays an important role in the following processes:
- Formation of hemoglobin in red blood cells
- Normal growth and maintenance of all cells
- Prevention of neural tube defects in fetuses before birth
- Production of neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, that regulate mood, sleep, and appetite.
Iron is part of hemoglobin, which is essential for the transport of oxygen in the bloodstream. People who have iron deficiency anemia experience decreased energy and vitality, breathlessness, and pale complexion, among other indicators.
During pregnancy, additional iron is needed for several reasons:
- The formation, implantation and growth of the placenta. Protein fibers anchor the placenta in place, and blood from the maternal system bathes the implantation site, allowing for exchange of nutrients and oxygen to the baby and waste from the baby out to the mother.
- There is a 20-30% increase in maternal red blood cells in order for the mothers body to provide for an increasingly larger and complex organ: the placenta. Maternal iron supply is also transferred to the baby for storage and production of red blood cells. Newborns utilize this stored iron for the first 4-6 months of life.
- The liver performs over 500 metabolic functions, many of which are essential for a healthy pregnancy. The expansion of maternal blood volume serves as a foundation for adequate transport of nutrients to the baby, especially during the last trimester. Inadequate blood volume expansion eventually affects both the mother and baby (of particular relevance is pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, and toxemia).
- Strong, rich blood depends on the foods you eat.
- Eat only whole, natural foods. Processed or canned foods offer virtually nothing in terms of nutrition.
- Omnivores, vegans, and vegetarians can all find significant sources of iron in their diet IF the nutritional intake is adequate.
- Vitamin C and other organic acids found in fruit aids in the absorption of iron
- Drinks such as tea, coffee, chocolate, and soda prevent the absorption of iron.
- If you crave sugar, your body probably needs more protein. The body craves what it knows will raise the blood sugar rapidly: sugar! In pregnancy, the constant need for more blood glucose to nourish the baby must be supplied with nutrient rich calorie sources and foods high in protein.
To get the most of iron from one's diet:
- Eat high-iron meals with vitamin C or foods high in vitamin C. Taking 200-500 mg nearly doubles iron absorption.
- Niacin, B1, B2, pantothenic acid, choline, B12, folic acid, calcium, cobalt, and copper are involved in the absorption, assimilation, and utilization of iron.
- Minimize exposure to cigarette smoke and other air pollutants.
- Tannic acid, caffeine, and phosphates inhibit iron absorption; avoid them
- Avoid antacids; they neutralize stomach acids, which are needed for iron absorption.
- Minimize use of laxatives, which decrease the amount of time the body has to absorb iron.
- Minimize consumption of refined carbohydrates; they cause the secretion of more-alkaline digestive juices, which decrease the acidity of the stomach.
- Do not take iron supplements or high-iron meals with dairy products, which neutralizes stomach acidity.
- Use leavened whole grains; yeast in the fermentation process makes iron available.
- Do not rely on iron-fortified foods; iron used by manufacturers is often a phosphate compound not soluble in the human digestive tract.
- Large doses of supplemental zinc or calcium interfere with iron absorption.
- Cast-iron cookware adds iron to food, especially if the food cooked in it is acidic.
- Regular aerobic exercise improves iron absorption because of the body's greater need for oxygen-carrying capacity.
- Choose iron supplements carefully.
Email: mailto:sunshinecoast@homebirth.org.au
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WHAT IF I’M A VEGETARIAN?
Written by Claire Hall, Midwife - Australia
For the most part, there are plentiful alternatives to animal products for vegetarians, (with the exception of Vitamin B12 for Vegans) and you can easily meet your nutritional needs by consuming a vegetarian diet. There are, however, some special dietary considerations that you might like to take into account. Our body functions on a day to day level, taking nutrients from the foods that we eat and metabolising them for immediate use (eg vitamin C), but is also takes certain nutrients and stores them in places like our liver, fat etc. (eg calcium, B group vitamins). Our body then uses those stores as they are needed in special circumstances such as pregnancy. Health conscious vegetarians, (especially those on a strict diet like Vegans), can often be lean. Being lean/slim is by no means a problem, but time and effort need to be taken to ensure that your body stores of certain nutrients aren’t too low. It is possible to be consuming a healthy amount of food and have low body stores of certain nutrients. While you may be consuming enough nutrients for your immediate needs, with low body stores, it may not be enough to meet your Baby’s nutritional needs.
If your weight gain is very slow after the first 12 weeks, you may need to increase your food (kilojoule) intake. Perhaps eating more often, increasing the amount of times you snack on seeds, nuts and dried fruit, or eating foods higher in unsaturated fat more often will help. Between meals, soy shakes made with carob, fruit and perhaps tofu, are a delicious and nutritious way of increasing your kilojoule intake. Other nutritious higher fat & kilojule foods include nut butters, seed pastes (such as tahini), soy products, avocado, fresh coconut and bean dips.
What about supplements? The most common supplements to a vegetarian diet are vit B12 (see below), calcium & iron supplements. Omega- 3 fatty acids are essential to our diet and are also popular supplements for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike, in the form of flaxseed or fish oil. It is also common for Vegetarians to have insufficient iodine in their diet. Adding ½ teaspoon of iodised salt to your daily diet will be sufficient, but if you’re taking a multi vitamin supplement, it may already have your recommended daily intake.
Vitamin B12 is not found in any significant amounts in plant foods. Reports from around the world reveal that many long-term vegans (vegetarians who do not use any eggs, meat, fish, poultry or dairy products) are especially at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency. Because of high stores in the liver, people who completely give up animal products may go for years before showing any signs and symptoms of a B12 deficiency. During the latter half of pregnancy the baby removes significant amounts of B12 from the mother's stores, and a breast feeding mother secretes vitamin B12 in her breast milk. Inadequate stores in your body mean an insufficient supply to your Baby. Unless a Vegan Mother is supplementing her diet on a regular and consistent basis (and has been doing so over a long enough period of time to prevent low body stores), her baby is at high risk of vitamin B12 deficiency. Even though the mother may not show signs of vitamin B12 deficiency, her baby may not receive an adequate intake. Vitamin B12 deficiency may develop in the baby within 3-6 months of age. The B12 deficient child may have seizures, become apathetic, lethargic, anaemic, and show signs of developmental delay and failure to thrive. To prevent the risk of psychiatric problems and permanent neurological damage, many Vegans have their serum B12 levels checked periodically. While oral B12 supplements can restore serum levels of B12 and eliminate macrocytic anaemia, the neurological disorders may persist even months after treatment. In some cases the damage done to the nervous system is not reversible. It cannot be stressed highly enough to ensure a regular, consistent supplementation of Vitamin B12. By consuming Vitamin B12 supplements and fortified foods such as cereals, soy milks, etc., on a regular basis, your body stores of Vitamin B12 should be prevented from getting too low. Check your labels and ask at your local health food store.
For some great info on vegetarian/vegan diets please check out:
http://www.vrg.org/family/adatranscript.htm http://www.andrews.edu/NUFS/Vegetarian%20Diets%20During%20Pregnancy.html
http://www.vegsoc.org/info/preg.html
Sources:
Heinerman J. (Ph.D); “Heinerman’s Enclopedia of Nature’s Vitamins and Minerals”; Prentice Hall; New Jersey; 1998
http://parenting.ivillage.com/pregnancy/psafe/0,,3vxq,00.html.
Parker Shonda; The Naturally Healthy Pregnancy; 1998; Loyal publishing sisters, OR. (now out of print)
Mangels R. (Ph.D, R.D); Kavanagh-Prochaska, K.; “Vegan Nutrition in Pregnancy and Childhood”; http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/pregnancy.htm
Claire Hall, Midwife - Australia
Email: charisbirthsupport@bigpond.com
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