Here are the answers to all your pregnancy nutrition worries.

As you go through your pregnancy, no doubt the unsolicited advice from everyone and their mother have put you in a conundrum—for every fact, you will find a contradictory one. We demystify common misconceptions and help you tell apart fact from myth.

Your officemates say: Eat up, you’re eating for two.


Sorry, you need to put back that extra serving of  pudding. The biggest myth is that it is okay to eat more during pregnancy because you are eating for two.  Chef, cookbook author, and food, health and travel writer Catherine Jones and perinatal nutritionist and dietician Rose Ann Hudson, authors of the newly updated book Eating For Pregnancy, stress that you are carefully eating for one, and you should increase calorie intake to 300 calories a day – the equivalent of one cooked chicken breast. Remember that you are eating primarily for you, and just a little bit more for a tiny someone, who at full-term, is small enough to fit in the crook of your arm.

Your Mom says: Forget the salt – you don’t want to swell up.

Normal sodium intake of 2,300 mg daily does not make you swell up, but excessive consumption can cause water retention and swelling, particularly in the ankles. And while a little swelling is normal in pregnancy, swelling combined with high blood pressure can be a symptom of preeclampsia and requires immediate medical attention. Rule of thumb – salt your food to taste. It is still and essential nutrient.

Your best friends say: It’s ok to eat a little less, because your baby will just feed off your fat stores.

Pregnancy is NO time to diet. Adequate calories, vitamins, minerals, fats, and protein ensure healthy fetal development and delivery. Depriving your baby of essential nutrients can result in low-birth weight and other complications. Inadequate protein will force your body to break down tissues (muscle) to feed the baby, and your health will suffer. The only source of protein your baby has is from the food you eat.

Your favorite aunt says: Eat a low-fat diet to keep the extra weight off.

Low-fat diets can be extremely dangerous in pregnancy, because most foods considered “fatty” are good sources of protein, such as eggs, meats and cheese. During pregnancy, it’s important to eat a balanced diet that includes plenty of good fat. For instance, DHA omega-3 fatty acids from fish and supplements form the building blocks of your baby’s brain, particularly during the third trimester. Be sure your diet includes mono- and polyunsaturated fats from plant oils and fish sources.  

Your dear grandmother says: A fish diet will ensure a perfectly healthy baby.

Maybe in your grandma’s time, yes. If only our waters weren’t so polluted today and the resulting mercury content in some fish weren’t toxic to babies.  Methyl mercury, primarily found in large fish (such as tuna, swordfish, tilefish, and king mackerel), can contain high levels of mercury. Smaller fish, like salmon and grouper (lapu-lapu) are all safe to eat during pregnancy. Fish high in omega-3s (such as salmon, sardines, trout, herring, and halibut) are essential for healthy brain development. Bottom line: Don’t eliminate fish from your diet, but make smart choices.

Are you pregnant and craving non-food items? Find out more about the syndrome that causes your bizarre cravings.

If you crave nonfood items such as clay, cornstarch, laundry starch, or coffee grounds, your doctor needs to know immediately. This is a condition called pica, and it can cause serious health complications for both you and your baby.

The word pica is Latin for magpie which is a bird notorious for eating almost anything.  The most common substances craved during pregnancy are dirt, clay, and laundry starch. Other pica cravings include: burnt matches, stones, charcoal, mothballs, ice, cornstarch, toothpaste, soap, sand, plaster, coffee grounds, baking soda, and cigarette ashes.

Complications of Pica

• Lead Poisoning: Eating substances that contain lead, such as soil, clay, or paint, could lead to lead poisoning, which can seriously harm both you and your baby, and can even result in death.
• Bowel Obstruction: Eating non-food items, especially rocks, hair, and dirt, can cause your bowel to become obstructed. This can lead to severe constipation, bowel inflammation, and infection.
• Parasite Infection: Items from the earth, including clay, soil, and grass, can be home to parasites. When you ingest these items, parasites can then infect your gastrointestinal tract causing pain, weight loss, and other side effects.
• Dental Injury: Your teeth were not made to process non-food items. Hard substances like rocks, clay, and ice can cause serious damage to your teeth, and you may experience broken and fractured teeth.

Effects of Pica on Your Baby

Unfortunately, pica cravings can cause serious harm to your baby. Eating non-food items can actually prevent your body from absorbing the proper minerals and nutrients. This could mean that your baby is not receiving the proper nutrition, increasing his risk for a variety of complications, including low birth weight, preterm labor, and stillbirth.

Get help

Don’t panic; it happens and is not abnormal. The most important thing is to inform your health care provider to make sure you have a complete understanding of the specific risks associated with your cravings. Here are some suggestions to help you deal with pica cravings:

• Inform your health care provider and review your prenatal health records.
• Monitor your iron status along with other vitamin and mineral intake.
• Consider potential substitutes for the cravings such as chewing sugarless gum.
• Inform a friend of your craving who can help you avoid non-food items.

Treatment for pica usually includes:

• nutritional supplements
• medications to control cravings, stress, or depression
• psychological counseling
• behavior therapy

Pregnancy shouldn’t matter in the work place—but it does.  Learn how best to come clean about your pregnancy and make the best of your situation.

Finding out you’re pregnant is always a big deal. While letting everyone know the good news may seem urgent, when it comes to the work place, careful consideration about how and when to break the news is necessary.

Do your homework

Before any big announcements,  find out your rights as an employee and your office’s policies about pregnancy and maternity leave.

Many women choose to keep their impending motherhood under wraps until it’s impossible to hide a growing belly. Although It is often perfectly fine to keep on working until you’re about to pop, if you work in a potentially hazardous environment or your work is suffering because of your symptoms, it may be a better idea  to have a frank discussion with your boss earlier – at least 15 weeks before your due date.

You may also want to confer with a few trustworthy co-workers who have already been down this road. What were their maternity leave arrangements like? How did the boss react when they broke the news? Who in management was helpful? 

Don’t overlook assistance from your human resources representatives.  Their advice could be invaluable, since they have counseled other pregnant women in the past.  And because your job doesn’t directly impact theirs, you can count on them for objectivity.

If you’re suffering from regular bouts of nausea, calling in sick frequently, or just generally fatigued, letting your boss and coworkers know about your pregnancy may help them be more sympathetic and understanding. But not everyone has an understanding boss and a family-friendly workplace, so throw out any ideas to text, call, or email the good news to your boss. This is news that is best delivered formally and face-to-face. That said, timing is everything.

Break it

As long as you’re positive that your employer will behave in a professional manner, nothing should stop you from making the announcement as early as possible. It helps if your boss is a mother herself and can help make your pregnancy less stressful.

Be honest if you are concerned about keeping your job. Whether your boss reassures your position or confirms your fears, at least you will know how he feels, and you can take the necessary steps to ensure that you have employment and security for you and your baby.

 If you work in a potentially hazardous environment, you need to halve the talk urgently – for your baby’s sake and your own.  That way, your boss can reduce your responsibilities, rework your schedule or make whatever necessary changes in a timely fashion.  Your office will appreciate knowing earlier more than they would if you sprung it on them at the last minute.

Bosses also appreciate it when you come to the table with your own suggestions, such as naming who would be best to handle the responsibility in your absence and how to help ease the transition. This demonstrates that you have really thought things through.

Hold it!

Unfortunately, some employers are less than enlightened about pregnancy in the workplace and take the unfair attitude of grumbling about what a hassle it will be for them. If you have this kind of boss, wait to tell him until your pregnancy is 14 to 20 weeks along. This allows you to argue later that you obviously can do your job while carrying a child.

Better yet, time your announcement to coincide with the completion of a project or another milestone. This way, you’ll send a strong message: I’m almost half way through my pregnancy, and my productivity hasn’t suffered. Finally, you may want to wait to tell your boss until after a salary or performance review to make sure your pregnancy doesn’t sway any decisions.

While it’s fine to use certain beauty products during pregnancy, other products are definite no no’s.

Pregnancy can be pretty punishing—on your beauty regimen as well as your body. Your regular beauty arsenal isn’t cutting it anymore, and now is not the time to experiment with products.

It’s wise to let your vanity take a back seat until you know what’s safe and what’s not. Skin, being the body’s biggest organ, absorbs topical ingredients that get into the blood stream and may pose a risk to a developing fetus.

Off limits!

Learn to read labels for unsafe ingredients before using your favorite soap, lotion or cosmetic.  The following ingredients are best avoided when pregnant:

Hydroquinone – A common bleaching agent in creams and soaps. Often found in products meant to lighten age spots and blemishes.

Papaya –. Papaya soaps contain “papain” – also found in creams, lotions, even toothpaste. Large doses of papain have been shown to cause problems in the stomach and intestines, induce paralysis, decrease heart rates, and slow activity in our central nervous systems.  It has also caused birth defects among lab rats.

Retinoids – Retinoids are Vitamin A derivatives used in acne medications and anti-aging creams. Sometimes they are used in cosmetic powders and foundation. Retinoid ingredients to avoid include: tretinoin (found in Retin-a, Renova) isotretinoin (Accutane, Isotrex) adapalene (Differin) tazarotene (Tazorac). Retinoic acid,
Retinol,
Retinyl linoleate, and
Retinyl palmitate
are other ingredients to look out for.

Benzoyl Peroxide – A main ingredient in many anti-acne products, from facial washes to creams.  Be warned that certain hair dyes also contain benzoyl peroxide, so it’s best to skip the coloring until after you give birth.

Salycilic Acid – This is another popular anti-acne ingredient that can be found in combination with many organic herbal products, so don’t be deceived. Like retinoids, the oral form of salicylic acid (SA), in high doses, has been shown to cause birth defects. However, the small amounts we are exposed to in skin cleaners and lotions are generally considered safe. But experts advise to err on the side of caution and hold off until post-pregnancy.

If by chance you used any of these products not knowing you were pregnant, you need not worry. In small concentrations and with limited exposure, it’s likely your baby is unaffected. But stop using them immediately, and consult your dermatologist for safer alternatives.

Oh no… can we really handle another one?

My second daughter came to us sooner than expected. My son had not even reached his second birthday… and surprise! …we were pregnant again. Maybe the hormones were also to blame, but while the “good news” made my husband ecstatic it made me cry and panic. Apparently, my reaction is not unusual. If you’re feeling overwhelmed about that new baby on the way, I offer some comforting words.

True, taking care of two versus one is more complicated. There’s a transition phase that will entail some struggle and a few mistakes here and there. But that transition phase will eventually pass.

It hit me the moment I saw my son playing with his sister and her finding joy in being with her big brother. Eventually, I realized I was no longer at my son’s beck and call for entertainment. Now they have their own games and language that mom and dad are not part of… and it melts my heart when I see them relishing each other’s company.

There are fights of course. But what’s great about that is, I let them settle things on their own as much as possible. In the end, they’re better at dealing with other people in general.

Another upside of adding to your family: You’re an expert now, and you can kiss all that constant questioning good-bye. You’ve already raised one baby so you know what’s coming with sleep, feeding, and setting limits. In my experience, nursing the second time around was so much easier.

Transition Smoothly

With two kids you will definitely need to streamline your life. Set a systematic schedule for chores, shopping and errands. I really can’t imagine how a laissez faire approach can work.

When it comes to kids, you’ll find that setting and sticking to routines is key. As soon as you can, get your new baby on a regular nap and bedtime schedule; everyone will be in a better mood. Eventually, both kids will go to bed around the same time and eat regular meals together, which will make your life a lot easier.

A few more important tips:

Spend one-on-one time with each child. Set aside time for just hanging out with one kid at a time. This was especially helpful with my older son. He hardly felt like his sister was taking his mom away from him.

Indulge in date night. One night a week mom and dad deserve to spend some time together without the kids. It’s good for your marriage and sanity. You’ll take better care of your kids if you’re happy.

I laugh at myself now recalling those panic-stricken tear-filled days when I was surprised to find out baby number two was on it’s way. Today I consider my baby girl to be the best surprise ever.

Be a savvy shopper and save hundreds off your monthly grocery bill.

Times are tough and we could all benefit from saving money anywhere we can. You can’t do much about your mortgage or rent, but you can squeeze extra savings from your grocery bill. We share shopping tricks that can work wonders on cost-cutting.

Shop when you’re full and shop alone. I noticed, if you’re not hungry there’s less chance of snapping-up an extra bag of snacks or a grocery special that’s very tempting. Sounds silly? Try it. Leaving the kids and even my husband at home also lessens chances of curiosity buys or impulse purchases. Add those up at the end of the month and you could see hundreds of dollars in unneeded purchases!

Have a shopping list. Now… it does not end at having all your grocery needs jotted down. Have a shopping plan and stick to it. Walk towards all the items you really need and avoid browsing through the distractions.

Stores use sneaky tactics. Those diapers and milk are at the back of the store for a reason — so you will have to pass all those shelves of tempting distractions before getting to what you really need.

Be store savvy. Avoid buying the items displayed by the register. The magazines at the checkout stand cost much more per issue than they would if you had a subscription, and food items in those little packages cost more than a from a box. Almost everything near the register is there to tempt you to buy on impulse, not to save you money.

Extra tip: lessen trips to the store so you have less chance of adding those impulse buys. This is another reason why those grocery lists and some extra planning can really save you money.

Go generic. The less-costly house brands are often so similar to national brands that you wouldn’t be able to tell them apart without the packaging. Read labels to compare nutritional value and you’ll quickly see how little difference (if any) there is.

Also, keep in mind that meat and dairy products all have to meet government standards, so store brands should be just as wholesome and nutritious as national brands.

Buy in bulk. Buy big volume to get big discounts on non-perishable items such as toiletries. Frozen foods can be divided into smaller packs before stocking them in your home freezer.

Can we really suffer from pregnancy brain?

Since I delivered my children with epidural anesthesia, I call it epidural brain. Others call it momnesia. Some say pregnancy brain. A new Australian study says, physical changes of pregnancy and motherhood do not cause women to have memory lapses or other cognitive problems.

”When focused on a task, women who are pregnant or new mothers do not have ‘cognitive deficits,’ and perform as well as their non-pregnant contemporaries,” says the study’s lead author Dr. Helen Christensen, PhD, a researcher at The Australian National University in Canberra. Her study is published in The British Journal of Psychiatry.

The momnesia theory is so widely accepted that many pregnancy guides even warn women about the possibility of short-term memory problems during pregnancy.

Dr. Christensen point out that biologically, there is nothing that happens to a woman’s brain when she’s pregnant or after giving birth to mess with her faculties. It’s just that, new mothers may exhibit lapses in memory or some absent-mindednes because they are focused on the new child or an upcoming major life change that is giving birth.

Well, of course! Makes complete common sense. It wasn’t my epidural, it was me focusing all my attention on my kids. It’s good to know my brain has not suffered any physical degradation! Here’s how Dr. Christensen’s team figured out their contention that mommy brain is a myth:

Researchers evaluated women who had joined the Personality and Total Health (PATH) Through Life Project, a large community-based study in 1999 that focused on health and well-being. She compared the women and their cognitive test results at four-year intervals, in 2003 and 2007.

Christensen tested 1,241 women (age 20-24) at the start, in 1999, to provide a baseline result. Over the eight years of the study, after subtracting dropouts, 76 women were pregnant at follow-up interviews, either in 2003 or 2007; 188 became moms but were not pregnant at the time of the interview. Another 542 didn’t become pregnant. Only first-time moms and women pregnant for the first time were included.

No significant differences were found in those who were pregnant or new moms and those who weren’t.

Late pregnancy was associated with poorer performance on a test of mental speed, the researchers found. But overall, no substantial differences were found.

”We will continue to follow the sample, with 542 non-mothers, and an age range of 28 to 32 now,” Dr. Christensen says.

Another good point against momnesia was raised by Dr. Ros Crawley PhD at the University of Sunderland, UK. They had a 2008 study that produced the same results — pregnant and non-pregnant women fared equally in cognitive tests.

”We have suggested that it may be that pregnant women have internalized a societal stereotype that suggests they will become more forgetful and absentminded,” according to Crawley. If you believe the myth, you can make it real. So pregnant women and new moms… your brains are fine. Believe that!

Parents can cultivate excellence, no matter what genetic blueprint.

Many parents ask themselves at one point, what can I do for my child to achieve greatness? Author David Shenk dares to answer this loaded question with his new book The Genius in All of Us: Why everything you have been told about genetics, talent and IQ is wrong. Shenk asserts that genius can be ignited. His book discusses how the nature versus nurture debate has been missing the point all these years. His book shows evidence on how human achievements are the outcome of the nuanced interplay between genes and environment.

If anybody can be a genius, why are there so few Mozarts, Eisnteins or Tiger Woods among us? Citing the latest in human development research, Shenk underscores that genius is nothing without extraordinary dedication and persistence. Yes, we all know that. But there still seems to be a strong belief that people either have it or they don’t, and that’s that.

Just think… all those high achievers we had mentioned, from Mozart to Woods, all had started nurturing their talents young and put in so many hours honing their skills. Einstein has been quoted to say, “It’s not that I’m so smart. It’s just that I stay with problems longer.”

Einstein may have been over-dramatic with that statement. Of course he was very smart. His point is, we tend to forget that he had to work very hard for his achievements.

What this tells me is that as parents we should make an extra effort to cultivate persistence — extraordinary persistence. Apparently, years of research can show us how to cultivate persistence and tenacity. I’d like to see what new science has to say about this so I’m going out to get David Shenk’s book. If you have kids or have a baby on your way, the book could be worth checking out.

The FDA warns food companies to be honest with their marketing claims.

Don’t take that food label as truth. U.S. health regulators have warned units of Nestle and more than a dozen other foodmakers over nutritional claims made for baby food, nuts and other products on food labels and product websites, according to letters made public last week. The warnings came as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is set to push for new package labeling geared toward making it easier for consumers to understand the nutritional content of the foods they eat.

The FDA plans to soon issue draft guidelines for nutritional labeling, but also plans to work with the food industry to design a new labeling system. FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg said last week that the examples cited in the warnings were not indicative of labeling practices in the food industry as a whole.

In one of the warning letters, issued February this year to baby food maker Gerber, a unit of Nestle, the FDA cited issues with Gerber 2nd Foods Carrot and Graduates Fruit Puffs products saying their “labeling includes unauthorized nutrient content claims.”

The foods make claims that they are “Healthy as Fresh,” an “Excellent Source … of Vitamin A” and “No Added Sugar,” according to the FDA letter. “These regulations do not allow the claim for products specifically intended for children under two years of age,” the FDA wrote.

The FDA issued a similar warning to Beech-Nut, a unit of Swiss company Hero Group, the same day. The agency also warned Nestle, Gerber and other companies about similar nutritional claims made on company websites.

Others receiving warning letters include snack food company Diamond Foods Inc – relating to the health claims for the omega-3 fatty acids in the company’s walnuts – and Spectrum Organic Products Inc., a unit of Hain Celestial Group, over labeling for its vegetable shortening.

Nestle’s Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream unit was warned over labeling of certain products. A Nestle spokesman said the company was cooperating with the FDA but does not comment on pending regulatory inquiries.

Hain, Beech-Nut and Diamond have yet to release statements regarding the FDA letters. The letters call for the companies to immediately correct the products’ labeling and respond to the agency within 15 days from the day of the letter.

Keep your baby away from nursery hazards.

It’s exciting to plan a nursery — just imagine all the cuteness in one room! Don’t forget though, you should also plan around safety measures. Experts remind us of basic safety issues to make sure your baby won’t fall prey to nursery hazards. Safe Kids Worldwide reports, home accidents send almost two million children to emergency rooms every year. Don’t let your baby be part of that statistic.

Crib Notes

Choose a crib that adheres to government safety standards. Slats should not be more than 2 and 3/8 inches apart — so your child can’t get her head stuck between them. Avoid cribs with cutout designs on some panels. Consider going the chic, minimalist look. Simple cribs without decorative knobs are safer. Those decorated corner posts can snag clothing and lead to injuries — including strangulation.

There should only be two things in your baby’s crib: a firm, tight-fitting mattress and a crib sheet. It’s tempting to make it look cute and cozy with lots of blankets, stuffed animals, and pillows, but these are all suffocation hazards for kids under 1 year old. Nix bumper pads too. The Journal of Pediatrics found that suffocation risks outweigh a bumper pad’s benefits.

Safe Decor

Art work is great for sprucing up a room and adding punches of color. If you want to hang some in the nursery, stick to lightweight canvases. At all cost, avoid heavy picture frames or mirrors that can injure your baby in case they fall. Another option is to paint on the nursery walls themselves. A wall-painted mural can definitely add some character to the room, with no fear of it falling on to your baby. Just make sure the paint used is lead-free and contains no volatile organic compounds or VOC.

No Furniture Tip-Overs

Install braces or anchors to secure tall or heavy pieces of furniture to the wall. No matter how stable a piece of furniture can be, a young child wandering around near it can pose serious danger. Young curious explorers can use dresser drawers as “ladders” to climb up and if it does topple over your child can be seriously injured. So consider installing safety latches on low drawers to prevent this.

Be Cord-and-Outlet-Cautious

Arrange the nursery so that the crib, playpen, and other low-standing pieces of furniture are away from the windows. If they’re too close, your baby could reach the window cords — a major strangulation hazard. He could also climb up to the window and fall through the screen.

As for electrical outlets, use plug protectors so your child can’t poke things into them. Use the kind that covers the entire outlet plate. My determined toddler was once able to wiggle out those individual protectors. Keep electrical cords out of your little one’s reach by tucking them behind furniture or investing in cord shorteners.