Losing a pregnancy can be heartbreaking. And for many expectant couples, the fear of having a miscarriage can be consuming, even edging out the excitement about being pregnant.
Unfortunately, miscarriages are fairly common. On average, one in five pregnancies will end in a miscarriage – and some research shows that there are up to 800,000 miscarriages a year in the United States.
To eat well during pregnancy you must do more than simply increase how much you eat. You must also consider what you eat. Although you need about 300 extra calories a day — especially later in your pregnancy, when your baby grows quickly ? those calories should come from nutritious foods so they can contribute to your baby’s growth and development.
Why It’s Important to Eat Well When You’re Pregnant
Do you wonder how it’s reasonable to gain 25 to 35 pounds (on average) during your pregnancy when a newborn baby weighs only a fraction of that? Although it varies from woman to woman, this is how those pounds may add up:
In the happy haze of early pregnancy, you’re probably already thinking of baby names and planning to shop for baby clothes. The reality of labor and birth may seem extremely far off – which makes this the perfect time to start planning for the arrival of your baby by creating a birth plan that details your wishes
The term birth plan can actually be misleading – it’s less an exact plan than a list of preferences. In fact, the best thing about a birth plan isn’t that it allows you and your partner to determine exactly how the birth of your child will occur – because labor involves so many variables, you can’t predict exactly what will happen. A birth plan does, however, help you to realize what’s most important to you in the birth of your baby.
Finding out your child is pregnant and planning to have the baby means that a lot of things are going to change in your family. And though it’s certainly not what most parents expect, it happens every day: nearly 1 million teenage girls in the United States give birth every year.
If your teen is about to become a parent, it can be overwhelming for both of you. How can you support her through the changes and challenges that are ahead?
Pregnancy is a subject that generates a lot of paper. Bookstores and libraries devote not just shelves but entire aisles to it. At your first prenatal visit, your doctor will likely load you down with armfuls of pamphlets that cover every test and trimester. But despite all this information, pregnancy can take any soon-to-be parent by surprise.
