Search Results for: Proper nutrition
How to Plan a Vegan Diet for a Toddler
A vegan diet, which is free of any animal products, can adequately meet the nutrient needs of a rapidly developing toddler as long as proper planning is involved. As with any diet, parents must offer a variety of healthy foods to avoid nutrient deficiencies and ensure proper weight gain. A vegan diet must include a reliable source of vitamin B12, most commonly found in animal products, and offer sufficient calories and fat for the growing 1- to 3-year-old child.
Pregnancy First-trimester Care
Finding out you’re pregnant can leave you feeling a roller-coaster of emotions: the highs of happiness and anticipation mixed with the lows of worry and anxiety. With all the changes quickly taking place inside your body, there’s a lot you need to do in order to ensure the best pregnancy possible for both you and your baby. Finding a care provider, attending your prenatal appointments and maintaining a healthy lifestyle will all help you segue into the next chapters of your pregnancy until you reach the final goal: a healthy baby.
Fetal Growth Abnormality
Fetal growth abnormality is an umbrella term that refers to any abnormality in how a baby grows inside the womb. According to the Nemours Foundation, newborns typically weigh between 6 lbs., 2 oz. and 9 lbs., 2 oz. and can range from 19 to 21 inches in length. Newborns that are significantly larger or smaller than normal are considered to have a fetal growth abnormality. While many pregnancies with fetal growth abnormalities will be born at term–37 weeks after conception–other will be born before the 37 weeks mark and thus be premature.
Smoking Effects on Fetuses
When you’re pregnant, you take a lot of steps to ensure the health of your developing baby. You eat all the right foods and exercise daily. You get plenty of rest and try to reduce your stress levels. And you make sure not to miss a single prenatal appointment. But if you’re addicted to cigarettes, stopping smoking is one of the most significant things you can do to deliver a healthy baby. According to a survey by the U.S. Public Health Service, nearly 20 percent of women smoke while pregnant. Unfortunately, the harmful compounds found in cigarettes can impair, and even be fatal to, a developing fetus.
Teen Pregnancy Health Risk
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that teenage girls experience more medical complications during pregnancy than adult women. Because a teen’s body is still developing, a number of physical problems can arise. Teens also face more personal, economic and social problems related to pregnancy. While data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that more teens may be delaying sex, research suggests that a teenager’s environment often influences the decision to become sexually active at a young age.