One of the first things most of us women prepare to say goodbye to once we see those two pink lines on our pregnancy tests is caffeine. Many women will stop their caffeine habit cold turkey out of the sheer fear of doing some sort of damage to the new life growing inside of them. These women will swear off anything that has caffeine in it from coffee, and soda to even chocolate.  Then there are some of us who will still drink caffeine but cut back.  Instead of drinking five cups of coffee a day, we might cut back to at least one cup of coffee to get us through the day.

Our mothers and grandmothers will probably tell us that they drank the same amount of caffeine pregnant as they did when they were not pregnant and their children turned out fine.  However a lot more research has been done since their time and studies are showing that too much caffeine can cause some complications such as pre-term labor and/or low birth weight. 

So how much caffeine is too much caffeine? Doctors are telling their patients that a moderate amount of caffeine will not harm their babies.  Even though caffeine does cross the placenta, anything less than 300 milligrams a day (an 8 ounce cup of strong coffee) will not do any harm.  Anything over 300 milligrams puts your baby at risk and studies have also shown that women who drink more than 300 milligrams of caffeine a day during their first trimester have a slightly higher risk of a miscarriage.

Studies have also shown that women who had over 500 milligrams of caffeine a day had babies who had faster heart rates and faster breathing rates.  These babies also spent more time awake in their first few days of life rather than peacefully sleeping after their long journey. 

There are a number of other reasons why we women might want to cut back on the amount of caffeine we drink during pregnancy.  For starters, it has no nutritional value.  If there is ever a time for us to be aware of our nutritional needs it is when we are pregnant.  Second, caffeine is a stimulant, which will increase your heart rate and can cause insomnia and headaches, which can put some stress on your growing little one.  Third, caffeine can cause heartburn.  If you have been pregnant before you know that heartburn can be a burden to begin with, and caffeine just makes it worse.  Lastly it is a diuretic, which means it can cause you to lose fluids, which can put you at a risk of becoming dehydrated. 

While it is not necessary for you to give up all caffeine through out the duration of your pregnancy, you should learn how to drink it in moderation or don't drink it at all.  If you can not handle having only one cup of coffee a day, then you might be better off drinking no coffee at all.  Stick with caffeine free sodas and even decaf coffee.  Remember though that decaf coffee still contains small traces of caffeine so make sure you take that into consideration.  

In your third trimester, your baby was old enough to start getting a taste of the foods his or her mommy likes.   Now that your baby is here and you're breast-feeding, your baby will get an even better taste of your favorite food.   

Typically if you are nursing your baby you should produce anywhere from 23 to 27 ounces of milk a day. In order to do this, you need to increase your calorie intake by about 500 more a day. 

You also have to increase your water consumption to at least 2 1/2 to 3 quarts of water a day.  You may notice that you are thirstier during nursing session.  This is because the water you drink goes right to milk production.    Try not to drink more than 3 quarts of water a day.  Anything more than 3 quarts can reduce the amount of milk your body produces.

As stated earlier, you need to up your calorie intake. Plan to take in about 2500 calories a day or more if you are planning to nurse for longer than three months. These extra calories should not come from junk food. Junk food and sweets are just empty calories and offer no nutritional value to you or your baby. Eat more protein.  A good rule of thumb is to eat 1 gram of protein each day for every pound you weigh. If you weigh 150, aim to eat 150grams of protein a day. 

If you were not doing so during pregnancy, adopt the six meals a day program. Eat breakfast, a midday snack, lunch, a mid afternoon snack, dinner and a nighttime snack. Your body is going to be making milk continually so it is a good idea to keep it charged with calories through out the day.  

There are some foods you might want to avoid during pregnancy. Pretty much everything passes through breast milk and to the baby. This is why the first thing pediatricians advise nursing moms to do when their baby has colic is to look at what they are eating. Chocolate has been blamed in many cases of colic and can cause an upset tummy for most babies.  If you have a baby with a tummy ache think back to see if you had a candy bar or even a cookie in the hours before you nursed. The best advice is to stay away from chocolate while you are nursing. 

Stay away from greasy and spicy foods while you are breastfeeding. Greasy foods sometimes-upset adults stomachs, imagine what it would do to your baby's immature stomach?  Wait until your baby is older and no longer nursing before you start making trips back to McDonalds. 

You may also want to stay away from garlic and onions while you are breast-feeding. Both of these can flavor the breast milk and you may find that your little one will not nurse if you have eaten these. Your little one may be just a tad too young to appreciate the taste of garlic and onions anyway. Remember it takes a few hours for the food you eat to make its way into your breast milk. You may have eaten one of these foods right before you nurse and see your baby is fine but by either the following nursing session or the one after you might find your baby having a reaction then.  

Your breast milk does not only taste like what you eat, but also what you drink. Just as with pregnancy, you should stay away from a lot of caffeine while breastfeeding. You might need some coffee or caffeine filled soda to keep you functioning and a cup or two will not hurt you or your baby, but too much could have disastrous effects. Just as we experience the jitters and shakes from too much caffeine, your baby does also. Keep your caffeine down to a minimum. 

You have made an excellent choice breastfeeding your baby.  Keep it up by making good choices as to what you eat.

Ask any pregnant woman who is in her first or third trimester how they are feeling and the answer will almost always be "tired".  One of the first clues that many women have that they may be expecting a visit from the stork is the fact that they find themselves droopy eyed in the middle of the day for no reason.

You may find that doing a simply task as walking around the block leaves your desperate for an afternoon nap. The energy you use to have is now faced with the challenge of growing a baby and your body is hard at work. You are also producing more blood, using more water and nutrients and have a higher heart rate and metabolism when you are pregnant. While the best defensive against the tiredness you will face is to get more sleep. There are also some healthy foods choices you can make that will help you get through your day if you do not have the opportunities to take naps. 

First, adjust the size of your meals.  Anyone who eats a large meal is going to feel tired afterwards regardless of if they are pregnant or not.  Being pregnant is going to make the effect of a big meal that much worse.   Most of your energy is going to be used towards digesting the meal so of course you will feel sluggish and drained.  Eat smaller meals and eat more often.  Eating six small meals a day will help you combat fatigue. 

Eating a good breakfast is the best way to start your day.  You are refueling your body after a long foodless night with a good breakfast.  A good breakfast is not a cup of coffee and a piece of toast. You want to stick to complex carbs and protein.  Whole grain cereal and a banana for example.  These foods will stay with you and keep your blood sugar and energy level up for quiet a while.

Do not skip lunch.  There are many people who skip lunch thinking they will make up for it by having a big dinner.  This is bad when you are not pregnant but it's even worse when you are pregnant. You need that midday meal to help refuel your body.  As with your breakfast, you should keep it filled with whole grains and protein.  Have a whole grain pita and stuff it with chicken salad and add a side of grapes or an apple.

Plan to eat most of your calories during the day. A pregnant woman needs an extra 300 calories a day throughout their second and third trimester.  The first trimester those are not needed yet. You should eat these extra calories through out the day in the form of healthy snacks such as nuts, cheese, veggies and dip.  Do not save your biggest meal until the end of the day.  Your body needs these calories to help you get through your day.  Steer clear of the quick sugar fixes like candy and soda.  In the end these will only make you more tired.

Lastly, make sure you are getting enough iron. Eat iron-fortified food such as spinach and lean red meat to keep your energy up.  There are times when extreme fatigue could be the symptom of an iron deficiency and you might need an iron supplement also.

Besides eating well, make sure you get plenty of rest even if this means pushing your bedtime up and giving up those late night TV talk shows.  As any parents of newborns will tell you, get your rest while you still can.

Almost every woman knows that it is important to eat well while you are pregnant. The benefit it provides you and your baby is invaluable. But, do you also know how important it is to eat well even before you get pregnant?  If you are actively trying to get pregnant you have to make sure your body is prepared to accept the challenge.  The first thing you should do before even beginning to try is to talk to your doctor to see how you measure up health wise. Does he think you need to lose a few pounds before getting pregnant or does he feel you need to gain a few? Your doctor may recommend that you change your eating habits and start exercising. 

As soon as you decide you want a baby, you should begin to get in the habit of eating healthier. Slowly begin to cut out caffeine. If you smoke, now is a good time to quit rather than waiting until you have that positive test.   Smoking can decrease your fertility and increase your risk of a miscarriage if you are still smoking when you are pregnant. 

Another thing you can do is to start taking prenatal or at least a multivitamin supplement that contains at least 400 micrograms of folic acid. You can also begin to add food into your diet that is rich in folic acid such as spinach and other green vegetables, peanuts, and orange juice. You can also start by taking a prenatal vitamin also.  These vitamins contain iron, folic acid, and calcium along with vitamin C, D, B and vitamins B6 and B12 also. 

Reevaluated your diet. Start to eat foods that have plenty of vitamins, minerals and fiber. Lay off the fat and excess sugar. You want to eat foods that have a high nutrient density.  Eat at least five portions a day of fruits and vegetables along with protein and iron rich foods like dried fruit, and green vegetables.  Try to steer clear of raw fish like sushi, and steer clear of undercook shellfish, meat or chicken. You also want to try to avoid fish that has high mercury content like swordfish, shark, or king mackerel.  Cut out any food that has unpasteurized milk in it including cheeses such as Brie, camembert, and some Mexican cheese.  Also cut out foods that have raw egg in it including homemade cookie dough. 

Make sure you up your water intake.  Water should always be your first beverage choice before, after and during your pregnancy.  Water helps to flush your system of toxins.  Once you've gotten your eight glasses in, you can drink fruit and vegetable juices also.

Perhaps the most important thing you can do before you get pregnant is to cut out all alcohol.  The American College of Obstetricians and gynecologists have stated that women who drink might have a harder time getting pregnant than women who do not drink.  Another reason why you should give up alcohol is that most birth defects that are caused by alcohol exposure usually occur in the first few weeks of pregnancy, usually before you even know you are pregnant.  

Getting your body prepared for pregnancy is one of the best decisions you could make.  Your body will be more prepared for the challenge of growing a baby and the experience will be a little easier on your body. 

Heartburn does not just affect those who are high stressed or love their spicy foods.  Pregnant women suffer from heartburn too.  You will find as your pregnancy progresses that antacids tend to become your best friend.   Heartburn has nothing to do with your heart.

It is when the acid from your stomach leaks up into the esophagus.  Heartburn is very common during pregnancy.  In fact one in four women experience heartburn during their pregnancy usually during the third trimester.  The reason is that your baby has grown a tremendous amount and your uterus has moved up and is now putting pressure on your stomach.  This crowds the digestive tract and allows acids to travel back up the esophagus.   There is an old wives tale that if you have bad heartburn, your baby will have a lot of hair.   Of course there is no proof in this but it is a fun thing to believe in.

There are ways you can help prevent heartburn during pregnancy.  You can start by taking your time while you eat.  Not only will you enjoy your food better but also your stomach will not have to work as hard to digest your food.  You also want to try eating early and eat at least two hours before you go to bed that night so your body has plenty of time to digest your food.

Keep your meals small. Stick with eating six small meals through out the day. Large meals tend to stuff up your stomach, which is already extra squashed thanks to your uterus.  A stuffed stomach makes it that more likely that some of the food along with stomach acid will make its way back up the esophagus. 

Also, make sure you keep your fluids and solids separate.  Too much fluid mixed with too much food can distend the stomach, which can aggravate heartburn.  You also want to eat sitting up.  Don't eat while lying down, and if you are having a bedtime snack make sure pillows prop you up.

Your weight plays a part in how much heartburn you may experience.  The heavier you are, the more pressure you are placing on your esophageal sphincter.  This is another reason why you should not gain too much more than the recommended amount. 

Find out what foods cause your heartburn.  Once you figure out what foods cause heartburn, you can cut them out of your diet.  Some foods you might want to steer clear of are highly seasoned spicy foods, soda, tomatoes sauce, chocolate, and some citrus.  Greasy foods are also a big contributor to heartburn.   Cutting out greasy, fried food is going to help with your heartburn prevention. 

When all else fails, take something for your heartburn.  Tums and Rolaids are perfectly safe to take during pregnancy.  If you are not comfortable taking any over the counter medicines try some natural ways such as eating a handful of almonds.  Almonds are a stomach settler and might help with your heartburn.  Another natural remedy is a tablespoon of honey mixed with milk is a favorite for preventing heartburn. 

Like with some pregnancy discomforts, heartburn is one that can be avoided as long as you take the steps and eat properly.  Even without suffering from a lot of heartburn, your baby still could be born with a full head of hair. 

Congratulations and welcome to parenthood.  Your body has gone through a lot these past nine months and it still has a while to go before it is back to normal.  The next few months are going to give you and your body a whole new set of challenges especially if you are a first time parent.  Recovering from childbirth is exhausting and when you throw a new baby who has no concept of time into the mix and you might find your head spinning.  Eating well during this time is almost as important as eating well during your pregnancy.  

Your body has just been through a traumatic ordeal.  If you gave birth vaginally, you mind find yourself recovering from tears and what not.  If you gave birth via c-section, you are recovering from major surgery.   The first thing most hospitals and doctors like to make sure is that your plumbing and waste systems are working.   

Eating high fiber food and drinking lots of water after your delivery will help make that first bowel movement a lot less painful.  This can be a little hard for women who delivery via c-section because they are usually on a liquid diet for the first 24 hours. You may find you need a little help from either stool softeners or prune juice to make that first trip a little easier.  

Once you are home from the hospital, you are going to need your energy to take care of the baby.   Gone are the nights where you were able to get a full 8 hours of sleep.  You might not see that again for at least three months, though ask any parent and they will tell you that getting 8 hours of sleep a night will not happen until your kids are grown and married. Sleep deprivation can wreak havoc on you and it is important that you eat healthy to maintain a decent amount of energy.

The postpartum period is usually where most women find themselves downing countless amounts of coffee or sugary foods to give them a quick fix. This is not healthy because once you come down from that high, you are going to be even more exhausted than you were before hand.  Make sure all of your meals are balanced meals and stock up on quick and healthy snacks such as celery sticks, baby carrots and lots of fruit to get you through the day.  

Eating healthy can also help you fight the baby blues those first few weeks.  Nearly 80% of all women suffer from baby blues.  These usually kick in between the 4th and 5th day after delivery and can last for 10 days to 2 weeks.  You may find yourself emotional for no reason and you may start to cry for no reason.

Some women report a feeling of sadness that they are no longer pregnant and others report a feeling of helplessness when it comes to dealing with their new baby.  Your hormone levels going back to normal cause the baby blues.  By maintaining your healthy habits that you practiced during your pregnancy could help you handle your changing emotions a little better.

Pregnancy is tough and the post partum period is just as tough.  Make sure you take the best care of yourself as possible during this time.  Eat right and continue to take your prenatal vitamin to make sure your baby is going to get the best care you are capable of.

Eating healthy throughout your pregnancy is the greatest gift you could give your unborn baby, but there are also a lot of rewards in it for you to.  It's common for many moms to be to forget that they also benefit in eating healthy through out their pregnancy.  What you eat has a direct effect as to how well your body copes and recovers from all the physical changes it goes through.  It also helps with the physical and emotional challenge of carrying and delivering a baby.

The truth is, most pregnant women rarely walk around all nine months with that rosy glow everyone talks about.   The first three months some of us walk around a nasty shade of green and in a hazy fog thanks to the tiredness we feel those first three months.  The second three months are a little better, and we are no longer green but we deal with other issues such as varicose veins and leg cramps.

The third trimester, we are back to the hazy fog again and have other issues such as swelling and heartburn just to name a few.  Some of these can be avoided with a good diet.  Eating foods that have some complex carbs can help reduce your tiredness and staying away from fatty foods will help with the heartburn.  

Research has shown that pregnant women who eat healthy throughout their pregnancy usually have a safe and uncomplicated pregnancy.  Studies have shown that some pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia or high blood pressure can be directly related to deficiencies in a pregnant woman's diet.  High amounts of sugar and polyunsaturated fats increase this risk as well as having a low intake of vitamin c, e and magnesium.  

Perhaps for some women one of the biggest benefits of eating healthy during their pregnancy is that it could help you during labor and delivery.  A well-balanced pregnancy diet has been said to help prevent pre-term labor, which is labor before 37 weeks.  A good diet can also help you cope with labor and delivery better.  Any woman who has given birth knows how much energy it takes to endure hours of contractions and sometimes hours of pushing.   Eating healthy will ensure that you have the energy and the stamina to get through your little one's delivery.

Once you have delivered your little one, it is still important to continue your good habit of healthy eating especially in the postpartum period.  Your body needs a lot of resources to recover from all the stretching, blood loss and not mention sleep deprivation and still take care of a newborn.  It is just as important in the months following your delivery to continue to eat well.  As my doctor put it, it is essential to eat as though you were pregnant for at least three months after delivery. 

A final added bonus to eating healthy throughout your pregnancy is that you may never stop eating healthy.  This is setting up the groundwork for a lifetime of eating healthy for not only you but for your children.  If you continue to eat healthy you are setting a prime example for your children.

Congratulations, you are pregnant!  The next nine months are going to be an exciting time, not just for you but also for your growing baby!  Think of all the things a baby has to accomplish in only nine (ten) short months.  They start as a single cell and then divide at an enormous rate.  Their organs develop; the heart forms and starts beating and all five senses form.

Basically your baby goes from a little blob that can't be seen with the human eye into a seven, eight, nine or even ten-pound adorable newborn baby.  In order for your baby to develop as healthy as possible, your diet should play a big part.  This is because your diet is how your baby is going to receive all the vitamins, minerals, protein and fluids that he or she needs to grow and develop.  The best thing you and any other pregnant mother can do for your growing baby is to eat as healthy as you possibly can.  Let us look at all the benefits eating well can do for your baby.

First, eating right is going to help your baby's organ development.  Your baby only has a short time to develop vital organs such as their heart, liver, lungs, and kidneys.  Eating a diet that lacks vitamin D or calcium can interfere with your baby's bone and tooth growth. 

Next eating too lightly through out pregnancy might stop your baby from growing, as it should in your uterus.   You might find yourself measuring behind for where you should be in your pregnancy.  Small babies are at a greater risk for healthy problems once they are born.  On the other hand, eating too much can cause your baby to grow too big to fast.  Babies who are measuring ahead are at a greater risk for delivery complications.  Babies who are too big usually cannot be delivered vaginally without the assistance of instruments such as forceps or a vacuum.  Some women are forced to have a cesarean section because they cannot deliver their baby vaginally. 

Some research has been done that shows what you eat during pregnancy can affect your baby's eating habits down the line.  Babies can taste and get use to the flavors from food that makes its way into the amniotic fluid.    It is quiet possible that your baby will have a preference for certain foods before they even take that first spoonful of solids.  By making sure your diet contains a lot of vegetables and fruit can help ensure that your baby will enjoy eating that went he time comes. 

Also, as hard to believe as it is, some studies have shown that what you are eating can contribute to your baby's personality.  Research has shown that babies born to mothers who were under-nourished tend to smile less and are drowsier compared to those who at healthy.  Also, studies have shown that moms who consumed enough omega-3 acids during their final trimester have babies who showed healthier sleep patterns than other babies.  

Lastly, your baby's brain needs you to eat healthy especially during the last trimester.  Unlike the rest of your baby's organs, the brain has its greatest growth spurt during the third trimester.  This is the best time to eat protein, calories and omega-3 fatty acids.  These ensure optimum brain development. 

There has never been a more important time to eat healthy than pregnancy.  Eating healthy while pregnant is the best gift you can give your child to be.

There are a few women out there in this world who sail through their pregnancy without so much of glimpse of queasiness.  The rest of us have no such luck.  Chances are you are the type of women who the mere smell of what use to be your favorite food sends you running to the nearest toilet.  The mere sight of steak can send you heaving and just thinking about eating that salad turns you greener than the romaine lettuce it contains.   You probably curse the silly fool who named it "morning sickness" when all pregnant women know it is more like all day sickness.

There are different degrees of morning sickness.  Each woman and each pregnancy is different.  I spent the first three months of my first pregnancy over a toilet and unable to look at any sort of vegetable or meat.  However I made it through my second pregnancy with only a few spurts to the bathroom and hardly any aversions.  The good news is though, this is usually only temporary.  Most women start feeling better between their 12th and 14th week of pregnancy.  Even better news is that your baby is handling this much better than you are. As hard as it is to eat healthy during this period there are some things you can do to help ease your discomfort. 

For starters, eat often.  It has been shown that an empty stomach tends to make your morning sickness even worse.  This is why so many of us feel so bad when we first wake up.  We've had nothing in our system which means our stomach acids are going crazy since nothing is there to soak them up.  The trick to this is to eat often.  Try eating six mini meals a days and make sure you have plenty of snacks.  Make sure you eat often in bed.  Before you go to bed for the night have a snack that is high in protein and in carbs such as nuts and raisins, yogurt and bread stick or a cheese and crackers.   Keep a stash of crackers or ginger cookies by your bed and make sure you have one before you even think about getting out of bed in the morning. 

You will always want to eat mainly carbs and protein.  Stick with crackers or fruit to give you some comfort during those first few months.  Other good snacks are pretzels, saltines and whole grain toast.  For fruits stick with melons and bananas.  For your protein add a little cheese or some nuts to your snacks or any time you are feeling a little green.  Yogurt is also an excellent choice when fighting morning sickness also.

Make sure you drink your water.  If you are vomiting it is essential that you stay hydrated.  Making sure you stay hydrated is probably more important that making sure you eat those first few months.  Becoming dehydrated can cause a problem for you and your little one so make sure you drink at least 8 glasses of water or juice through out the day.  You can also suck on ice chips or fruit juice popsicles if you are having problems keeping liquids down.

The most important thing to keep in mind those first three months is not to beat yourself up if you cannot eat as healthy as you would like to.  You will still have plenty of time to make up for it after you get through this storm.   Just make smart choices when it comes to what you eat and snack on and that will pave the way for when you can eat as a normal person. 

For some women the thought of exercise during pregnancy is as appealing as a root canal without novacane.  In their minds they have a nine-month pass to keeping up with their gym routine.   The first three months they are battling morning sickness and exhaustion.  The next three months they are beginning to show.  The last three months are so uncomfortable that walking ten feet to the bathroom is pure torture, so there is no way they will be able to walk on a treadmill for ten minutes. 

On the other side of the coin, there are some women who do not let something as little as creating a life stand in their way of exercise.  These are the women we might see actually teaching a class at the gym, or speed walking throughout our neighborhood with their protruding bellies. 

Most of us however fall somewhere in the middle and that is just how their doctors like it.  Exercise comes highly recommended when pregnant.  Not only does it help control weight gain, but some women swear it helps with delivery also.  There are some things to keep in mind in order to protect yourself and your growing little one. 

For starters you need to keep an eye on your heart rate as you are working out.  Letting your heart rate rise to high could be dangerous to your little one especially in your first trimester.  You want to maintain a steady heart rate and should do the talk test throughout your workout to make sure you are at a safe level.  The talk test is when you talk during your workout.  If you are having a hard time talking and wind up huffy and puffing more than getting out actual words, then you are working too hard and need to take it down.  Most doctors recommend that you work at a pace where talking is challenging but still doable.

Pregnancy is not the time to try out new exercise routines.  This means that you should not try the new spinning class that your gym offers.  Stick with the routine you have already been doing and that your body is use to.  You may find that you have to make some modifications to some of your exercises as your pregnancy progresses.   If you are a runner, a modified low impact jog through out your first trimester is fine but once you enter your second trimester and begin to show, your jog has to be brought down to a walk.  For those of you who love sit ups, crunches and floor pushups, you can continue to do these up until you hit about 14 weeks or so. After that time period no floor exercises are recommending.

If you do not have any sort of exercise routine in place before you get pregnant, this still does not give you a free pass.  Almost every doctor will tell you that walking is a great exercise for any pregnant women who are not high risk.  Walking at least thirty minutes, three times a week is a safe way for a pregnant woman to stay active.

Walking is something you can do through out all three trimesters though you might find yourself moving at a slower pace by your third trimester.   Another great plus to walking, especially as you approach your due date, is that walking can actually bring on labor.  Many doctors will advise their patients to walk, walk and walk some more in the weeks leading up to their due dates to get things rolling.   Some women who have walked throughout their entire pregnancy have an easier delivery and recovery period.

The days of pregnant women kicking their feet up and not moving from the couch for nine months are days of the past.    While strenuous exercise is a no no pregnancy is no longer a good excuse to stop moving.