Health Benefits Of Eating Mangoes During Pregnancy

   Fruit during pregnancy is a great way to ensure a healthy baby. While you may already be taking vitamin supplements, it's important to remember that getting the vitamins you need from fresh foods is always a better idea. You can consume just several fruits and you'll likely find all of the vitamins you need.

   Of all the fruits out there, sweet yellow mangoes are my favorite during this pregnancy. With my first and second pregnancies, I've love eating bananas and I still love eating them today.

My snacks this afternoon, sweet yellow mangoes paired with yummy tupig

(Tupig - also called intemtem is a popular native delicacy from Pangasinan, Philippines which is made out of ground glutinous rice and coconuts strips wrapped in banana leaves then cooked over charcoal)

   Both of these fruits are important for a healthy pregnancy. Just like bananas, mangoes provide a good dose of Vitamin B6. B6 helps the baby's brain and nervous system and allows mommy and baby to develop red blood cells. This vitamin improves brain health: The Vitamin B6 found in mangoes improves nerve functioning. Some woman also claim that B6 has helped this avoid morning sickness.

   Mangoes also have ample quantities of vitamin C and E, which provide glow to the skin and have anti-aging effects. Keep the glow during your pregnancy! Vitamin E also helps to build muscles and red blood cells. Not having enough Vitamin E can also lead to pre-eclampsia and possibly a low birth weight. 

   Aside from that it also has a good amount of Vitamin A. It is another important vitamin which can specifically target your baby's body. According to Fitness Tips For Life this Vitamin can help form the baby's bones and teeth, while also targeting their heart, ears, eyes and their immune system.

   Parents who do not get enough Vitamin A can cause vision problems in their babies. Vitamin A can also help repair the body after childbirth so it's great for both mommy and baby.

   Although there is no scientific evidence to this, mangoes should be relished in moderation during pregnancy due to following reasons:

Mangoes have high calorific value: Mangoes are rich in carbs and therefore may add unwanted weight to your already increased weight during pregnancy

Steer clear from artificially ripened mangoes: Artificially ripened mangoes can cause side effects, hence you will need to be careful not to buy and consume them. The mangoes ripened using chemicals lose their nutritional benefits and may cause stomach upset, hives, mouth ulcers, dizziness and headaches.

Mango allergy: The substances on the skin of mango and near its stalk may cause allergy when they come in contact with skin or is sucked upon.

High sugar content: The sweet, ripe mangoes can unbalance the sugar when consumed in large quantities, thus if you have gestational diabetes, you will have to avoid the fruit. Also women with high blood pressure must be careful about consuming this sweet fruit.

baby.

Other Health Benefits Of Eating Mangoes During Pregnancy

   Controlling the above factors, mangoes hold a plethora of nutritional benefits:

I love to eat the yellow ripe sweet ones only! :)

High antioxidant content: The high antioxidant content of mangoes help in increasing the immunity- which a pregnant woman needs a lot of to keep herself safe and away from infections.

Provides iron: Mangoes are rich in iron and helps women combat pregnancy anemia, which is a very common problem during the gestation period.

High mineral content: Mango is a decent source of various minerals such as potassium, magnesium and phosphorous. These minerals ensure healthy functioning of organs.

Fights constipation: Mango is diuretic in nature and aids in digestion. The rich fiber content also helps in keeping the bowel movement healthy, fighting off the most common side effect of pregnancy- constipation.

Provides energy: Get tired easily? Grab some of the yellow fruit and get instant energy. Mango is rich in carbohydrates and is great in preventing fatigue during pregnancy.

High in beta carotene: Keep your system clean by eating a few slices of the king of the fruits. Mango flushes out the toxins from the body, fights bacteria and boosts immunity

Cures acne: Mangoes help in improving skin texture and can also be applies externally to fight acne.

Healthy development of baby: Mangoes are also beneficial to the growing baby. Being rich in many vitamins and minerals, consumption of mangoes during pregnancy helps in growth of baby during pregnancy. Keeps eyes and nervous system healthy!

Satisfy your sweet cravings: Instead of grabbing a bucket of ice-cream or a big piece of cake, go for a few slices of mangoes to crave that sweet tooth of yours.

Can help in weight gain: In case you are not gaining enough weight, do have mangoes regularly and mind you – you will put on those pounds quickly!

   "Considering the above facts, mango is largely SAFE for consumption during pregnancy."

Data Sources: What To Expect.com, Being the Parent.com. Mom Junction.com

On My 14th Week of Pregnancy

Inside the Womb at 14 Weeks

Already adorable! <3

At 14 weeks 2 days today :)

Photo courtesy of BabyCenter

Photo courtesy of The Bump

Photo courtesy of Your Baby Library

Child length: approximately 3.4 inches (about the size of a peach)

Child weight: approximately 1.5 oz/42.5 grams

At this stage: Baby has almost doubled in weight since last week, and keeps on growing at super speed at week 14. Your baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. 

His kidneys are producing urine, which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him – a process he'll keep up until birth.

He can grasp, too, and if you're having an ultrasound soon, you may even catch him sucking his thumb. In other news: Your baby's stretching out.

His body's growing faster than his head, which now sits upon a more distinct neck. By the end of this week, his arms will have grown to a length that's in proportion to the rest of his body. (His legs still have some lengthening to do.)

Your baby is starting to develop an ultra fine, downy covering of hair, called lanugo, all over his body. Your baby's liver starts making bile this week – a sign that it's doing its job right – and his spleen starts helping produce red blood cells. Though you can't feel his tiny punches and kicks yet, your little one's hands and feet (which now measure about 1/2 inch long) are more flexible and active.

Your Body

   Welcome to the second trimester! 14 weeks pregnant marks a lot of changes. You might be feeling less nauseated, hungrier, and more energetic. That’s because you’re embarking on what’s known as the “honeymoon phase” of pregnancy.

   Starting with pregnancy week 14, the second trimester is the time to get some exercise, get some to-do’s done, and have some fun. Enjoy!

Days left to birth: 180 (36% of your pregnancy is completed)

Due date: 23 November 2017


Data Sources: Baby Center, The Bump, Due Date Calculator (YourDueDate.com)

Benefits of Eating Sardines While Pregnant

   During those early stages of pregnancy, I've lost my appetite. I am not sick, no morning sickness or anything, just have no desire to eat. At times I feel nauseous after eating anything. Added my mouth is very tasteless, that I don't even like drinking water or milk.

   But glad when I entered my 11th week, I had my appetite back! :)

   With my previous two pregnancies, I've never had experienced this and that I always had a good appetite since the start of my pregnancy.

   With this pregnancy, I have no specific cravings but one food that somehow suits my taste is eating sardines in oil. I prefer with oil than that with tomato sauce. I love to eat that one with chilli that I always put lemon on it. Usually I pair it with sweet yellow mangoes! :) 

My dinner this evening! :)

   As it's packed in the can, I was thinking if it is safe to eat while pregnant and does it provide nourishment for me and my baby?

   Sharing with you this important facts I found from my research:

   

  I have found out that it is one of the super foods pregnant women should take. This “health food in a can” is rich in omega-3’s, which are critical for a baby’s brain and eye development. 

   Omega-3, in particular, contributes to the healthy development of the brain and eyes of a fetus, the researchers told the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

   Omega-3s have been found to be essential for both neurological and early visual development of the baby 

   As part of a £5 million European Commission study into diet, Spanish researchers examined 2,000 women at the 20th week of pregnancy and again after birth.

   Women who eat fish during pregnancy are more likely to have brainy and sociable children, according to new EU-funded research.

   . 

   The report added: 'The amount of DHA transmitted to the fetus through the placenta might be crucial for fetal development."

  It contains the acid DHA which is a major component of brain cell membranes.

   Research has confirmed that adding EPA and DHA to the diet of pregnant women has a positive effect on visual and cognitive development of the baby. Studies have also shown that higher consumption of omega-3s may reduce the risk of allergies in infants.

   Omega-3s are also used after birth to make breast milk. With each subsequent pregnancy, mothers are further depleted.

   

   Those mothers-to-be who tucked into oily fish like tuna, sardines and salmon produced infants who scored better in various tests of skill and intelligence, it found.

   Unlike large ocean fish, they’re very low in mercury. 

Sardines in  sunflower oil... Yummy! :)

   So glad to know about these wonderful facts about eating sardines while pregnant and for sure I will always be including it on my pregnancy diet. :)

"The best way to keep your baby healthy is to keep yourself healthy."

Credits

American Pregnancy: http://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-health/omega-3-fish-oil/
Daily Mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2094819/Omega-3-Women-eat-fish-pregnancy-likely-brainy-sociable-children.html
SFGATE: http://blog.sfgate.com/sfmoms/2009/03/11/7-superfoods-pregnant-women-should-eat/

13 Weeks Today!

Inside the Womb at 13 Weeks

Photo courtesy of Pregnancy App

Photo courtesy of The Bump

Photo courtesy of BabyCenter

1. Your baby has fingerprints. How cool is that?! Her tiny body is 3 inches long and weighs just shy of an ounce.
2. If it's a girl ... She now has more than 2 million eggs in her ovaries.
3. The body is catching up with the head. Her head now makes up one-third of her body instead of one-half.
4. Your risk of miscarriage is now much lower. In other news, many women notice an increase in sex drive around now.

Child length: approximately 2.91 inches (about the size of a lemon)

Child weight: approximately 0.81 oz/23 grams

At this stage: At 13 weeks pregnant, you’ve grown a fetus that has vocal cords, teeth, and even fingerprints (wow!) and you’ve probably kept this incredible news (mostly) secret while wishing you could shout it from the rooftops. Around week 13 of pregnancy, many parents-to-be start spreading the word that there’s a baby on the way.

   Your baby now has the ability to open and close its fists and to make sucking movements with the muscles in the mouth - it's just a matter of time before the thumb and mouth meet.

   All the organs of your baby's digestive system are developing into their final shapes including the stomach, liver, pancreas, and intestines. Even your baby's lungs are practicing breathing (but only from the amniotic fluid). The lungs won't actually breathe oxygen from the air until birth.

   The urine that your baby excretes into the amniotic fluid is not harmful and is quickly removed via the umbilical cord.

   Even at this size, it is still difficult to determine the sex on an ultrasound.

Your Body

   Your are now at the beginning of your second trimester. Morning sickness may have become a thing of the past, or it may be making a slow exit. The second trimester is known as the least symptomatic and the most energetic. As you start to feel more like yourself and get that energy surge, you’re going to want to knock a bunch of to-dos off your list.

 You may also begin to notice stretch marks on your breasts, abdomen, and even back.

   It is also possible that you may begin to feel some aches in your abdomen (round ligament pain), which is due to stretching of the ligaments that hold our uterus in place.

Days left to birth: 190 (32% of your pregnancy is completed)

Due date: 23 November 2017


Data Sources: Baby Center, The Bump, Pregnancy App, Due Date Calculator (YourDueDate.com)

12 Weeks Here I Go!

Inside the Womb at 12 Weeks

On my 12th week today! :)

My 12 weeks old bundle of joy

Ultrasound taken today (11 May 2017)

during my Down Syndrome Screening

Photo courtesy of Pregnancy App

Photo courtesy of BabyCenter

Child length: approximately 2.13 inches (about the size of a fig)

Child weight: approximately 0.49 oz

At this stage: The most dramatic development this week: reflexes. Your baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close, his toes will curl, his eye muscles will clench, and his mouth will make sucking movements. In fact, if you prod your abdomen, your baby will squirm in response, although you won't be able to feel it.

Your baby's liver and spleen are now producing blood cells, and the pancreas is beginning to release digestive enzymes. Your baby's liver accounts for 10% of the total weight, which is about half ounce by now.

The sex of your baby is becoming more pronounced and the kidneys are now producing urine from the amniotic fluid that he or she ingests.

Meanwhile, nerve cells are multiplying rapidly, and synapses are forming furiously in your baby's brain. His face looks unquestionably human: His eyes have moved from the sides to the front of his head, and his ears are right where they should be.
Because your baby won't be using the lungs to breath until birth, all the oxygen needed is coming from the placenta.

Days left to birth: 196 (30% of your pregnancy is completed)

Due date: 23 November 2017


Data Sources: Baby Center, Pregnancy App, YourDueDate.com - Due Date Calculator

Beautiful In My Eyes! (Had My Down Syndrome Screening Today)

 

Such a beautiful day today, I was able to see my precious baby. I had my Down syndrome screening test performed this afternoon. It's offered as part of the combined test, which includes the nuchal translucency scan and blood test.

   This screening test is being taken as part of my regular prenatal routine tests. To share, just had my first blood taking tests done last May 8 (Monday) for Rhesus (RH) Factor, Haemoglobin, Rubella Antibody, Venereal Disease Reactive Laboratory, Hepatitis B Antigen & HIV Testing.

   It's very heartwarming to see my new bundle of joy for the first time who is moving around a lot! :)

Hi there! I'm 12 weeks today :)

   The sonographer was so nice and friendly, I was given an ample time to have a sneak peak of my cutie. She pointed out on me every details of my baby from head to toe. She showed me that flickering heartbeat, too. That beautiful moment wishing I could stop time for a while, just amazing seeing your new blessing for the first time! After the ultrasound, I was told the baby is normal. 

   Thanks be to GOD, I feel so happy and grateful!

"Happiness is... the first pregnancy ultrasound."

11 Weeks Today!

Inside the Womb at 11 Weeks

Photo courtesy of Pregnancy App

Photo courtesy of BabyCenter

Child length: approximately 1.61 inches (about the size of a fig)

Child weight: approximately 0.25 oz

At this stage: This week is the beginning of a three-week period when your baby will double in length and will go through a growth spurt. 

Your baby is busy moving inside your uterus, looks more human now than ever before with a visible neck, straighter back and thicker skin. The head is almost as big as the rest of your baby's body. If you could touch the little fingers you could feel that tiny fingernails are beginning to form.

The risk of congenital defects becomes less now as the vital organs are fully formed and are less likely to be affected by outside influences. At some point during this week, blood will begin circulating between the uterus and fetus and the placenta will start functioning.

Days left to birth: 203 (28% of your pregnancy is completed)

Due date: 23 November 2017


Data Sources: Baby Center, Pregnancy App, YourDueDate.com - Due Date Calculator