Medication safety short version

FACT SHEET No. 12 - 2005
Maternal and Infant Nutrition

Proper nutrition
during pregnancy. However, initiating good nutritional habits three months to a year chances of having a healthy pregnancy and baby. Before, during and after pregnancy, the • Do I suffer from heavy periods and is Food Guide Pyramid can help you choose, on a daily basis, what and how much you need to • Do I eat at least three meals per day? eat from each food group. For additional Should I take vitamin or mineral
Dietary changes during pregnancy
supplements?
Caffeine and alcohol can cross the placenta before and during pregnancy is a safeguard, breathing. It is safe to drink up to 300 mg of but not a substitute for a sound diet. Some coffee per day. However, health authorities supplements contain large doses of vitamins have not established a limit of alcohol that is developing baby. Speak with your health care Therefore, it is best for women to avoid alcohol while pregnant. To reduce the risk of food-borne illnesses, be aware of the food safety issues in your community. Harmful To reduce the risk of neural tube defects, bacteria from contaminated food and water women of childbearing age or those planning may cause miscarriage, stillbirth or severe illness in your newborn baby. Speak with your grams of folic acid from foods, supplements or health care professional before taking any both. Folic acid is a B vitamin found in dark medicines, herbal teas and preparations. green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, nuts, Some herbal teas contain active ingredients whole grains, fortified breads and cereals. that can affect your pregnancy and baby. Dietary changes before conceiving
Feeding your new baby
Before pregnancy, it is important to reduce Breastfeeding on demand is the ideal form of your intake of caffeine and alcohol. You infant feeding. Breast milk contains optimum should also avoid eating shark, swordfish and nutrition and adapts to meet your baby’s marlin. The mercury present in these fish can changing needs. Exclusive breastfeeding is harm your unborn child’s nervous system. Do recommended for the first six months of an infant’s life. If you cannot breastfeed your without seeking professional advice. Think baby, good alternatives include expressing about your own eating habits and ask yourself your own breast milk, obtaining breast milk from a healthy wet-nurse or a human-milk bank and using infant formula. Nurses and pharmacists can help you choose a formula your baby with sufficient amounts of energy, Introducing solids to your baby is a gradual Your baby’s health and diet require serious process that starts at about six months of age, attention in the first year of life. Your health and lasts several weeks or months. Giving care professional can help you make the right solids too early can cause food allergies or choices that will best meet the nutritional intolerance. Complementary foods, either home prepared or commercial, should provide For information on maternal-infant nutrition search the following sites:
• The National Women’s Health Information Centre. Healthy Pregnancy: • Food Standard Agency. Eat well, be well • Health Canada. Office of Nutrition and Health Policy. Nutrition for a Healthy
For information about feeding your baby search the following sites:
• DH Department of Health Maternal and Infant Nutrition www dh gov uk The Food Guide Pyramid: A Guide to Daily Food Choices
Source: United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

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