The Nutritional Needs of Mothers and Babies: A Review

Abstract

The aim is to assess the importance of measuring healthy habits by pregnant women, that enhance different factors of mother and fetus health. We evaluate the change and variations in dietary recommendations. A female went through a lot of physical and mental changes in different stages of pregnancy and there are some common symptoms such as vomiting, fatigue, nausea, frequent urination, dizziness, etc. Certain hormonal changes are there to balance the body’s fatigue, tiredness, and hormones, few dietary recommendations are mentioned and it has been concluded that diet plays an important role during pregnancy, and meeting all the nutrition needs is an essential factor in planning the diet. Many diseases/deficiencies are there such as goiter, iodine deficiency, folate deficiency, gestational diabetes mellitus, gestational weight gain, Neural tube defects, and much more. A detailed view is mentioned below in the following paper: On average, pregnancy lasts 40 to 42 weeks (Nine months). On average, weight gain for a pregnant woman is 12 to 14 kg, thus weight gain can lower the risk of complications during labor and also lower the risk of LBW (low birth weight). Low GWG increases the risk of having an LBW infant. The average weight of the baby should be 2.5–3 kg. A baby having this much body weight should be considered a healthy infant. We provide up-to-date advice for achieving optimal nutrition before conception, throughout breastfeeding, in the first two years of life, and for preschoolers, with an eye on long-term health benefits. These guidelines are intended to aid in the primary prevention of obesity and the non-communicable diseases it is linked to among economically privileged groups, such as European women and children. Medical professionals should be incentivized and educated to promote and advise patients on preconception nutrition, which includes enhancing adolescent nutrition and health. Women who are physically active, eat healthily, don’t smoke, don’t drink excessively, and have a good body mass index (BMI) have a higher chance of having a safe pregnancy. Women of childbearing age should have their consumption and status of specific micronutrients closely monitored, especially folate. Women at risk for insufficient dietary intake of certain micronutrients may benefit from taking dietary supplements containing iron, vitamin D, vitamin B12, iodine, and maybe others. Smoke and alcohol should be strictly eliminated from the diet. Yes, diet plays an important role during pregnancy but staying physically active is equally important for the mother and the baby to promote general health and well-being. Exercise and stretching can reduce the risk of excessive maternal weight gain or gestational weight gain(Obesity). A long walk can greatly help a pregnant woman after lunch or in the morning.