Nutri, Health and Wellness - Lab Report Example

Nutrition, health and wellness Nutrition, health and wellness The Prenatal lifecycle The lifecycle and the age in it Prenatal care is the healthcare given to women during pregnancy. It includes checkups and prenatal testing. This lifecycle begins from the time of consumption to the time of birth. The whole lifecycle is nine months before the expectant mother delivers a baby. This lifecycle needs more care of both the mother and the foetus, hence strict precaution should be followed. Prenatal care is normally done to ensure the safety of the baby. This is normally done by doctors who advice expectant mothers on the diet to feed on and also to avoid some work and habit that may lead to premature birth or bring disorders to the foetus (Marie C & McCormick, 1999). To achieve safety delivery during this lifecycle, an expectant mother is given a schedule to follow during the pregnancy period. The main aim being to check the growth of the child, and if it is not safe, correction is done and also the mother is advised on maintaining her pregnancy period. Failure to get prenatal care, there are higher chances of the baby having low weight and may increase the chance of the baby’s death. Further, the doctor may spot health problems early enough when a mother accesses health facilities regularly. In addition, the doctor will treat them at an early stage before they spread and affect the baby. Prenatal care is not only on the checkups, but the doctor also gives the mother some advice on how to give her unborn baby a healthy start to life, for example by exposing her to exercises and good nutrition that will keep the baby on good health as he/she was before birth. Nutrition challenges associated with prenatal lifecycle During this prenatal phase, nutrition is very important to the health of the mother and for the child. These nutrients enable the growth of the child and also enables prevention of diseases from attacking the foetus during pregnancy. On the other hand, poor nutrition results to some challenges to the pregnant mother and also to the child (Marie C & McCormick, 1999). The nutrition challenge associated with the pregnancy include; morning sickness. It is a common nutrition-related problem during pregnancy. It usually lasts for six months during the first trimester. It frequently helps to eat little, or have regular meals throughout the day. Morning sickness is caused by strong flavored and highly seasoned foods, hence pregnant mothers are advised to avoid strong spiced and seasoned junks. Heartburn is another common challenge during pregnancy due to the hormones released by the placenta’s relaxation in the lower esophagus sphincter, which keeps food in the digestive system and finally out of the esophagus. Such hormones permit acids to go into the esophagus and cause a blaze feeling. Heartburns can also arise, depending on the location of the newborn, if the baby is approaching up on the abdomen. To treat heartburns, small frequent meals are suggested, along with evasion of strong flavor and highly seasoned foods. Medication is also available for its treatment (Marie C & McCormick, 1999). Constipation is also the most experienced nutritional challenge for the prenatal stage during the third trimester and it result in decreased smooth muscle activity. This is caused by low level of fibers in the body, hence to overcome this challenge, a pregnant mother is recommended to increase an uptake of fiber, which is found in vegetables and seeds (Marie C & McCormick, 1999) Pica is craving no-food items, which sometimes results to nutrient deficiency but not always. Pica is more dangerous to the baby and the mother depending on the item being ingested. In this sense, women with pica are recommended to the doctor to get advised on a well-balanced diet. At times, nutrients may be needed if a deficiency is present. (Bhatia, J. 2004) Finally, gestational diabetes is also a nutrition challenge. Gestational diabetes arises when pregnancy hormones lead to fewer insulin compassion and glucose is not guaranteed for energy. It thus requires a specific diet where carbohydrates are closely monitored. A diet tailored specifically to the prenatal stage Good nutrition throughout pregnancy is very significant to the mother and the baby for growth and development. Due to this, a pregnant mother should be given a balanced diet to ensure safety of the baby’s health and also her own health. The diet recommended for the pregnant mother should contain the following components; proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and micronutrients. The table below shows nutrients, sources and percentages of each nutrient recommended for an expectant mother. Types of nutrients Sources or examples Percentage composition proteins Meat, Fish, Poultry, Beans, Nuts and Pulses 16% Fats Butter, Oils 17% Carbohydrates Maize, starch food 74% Vitamins Fish, vegetables fruits 53% Micronutrients Irons Calcium Vitamin E Vitamin D Sodium ions Mercury Iodine 0.53% 0.51% 1.20% 2.30% 0.96% 0.78% 2.10% Proteins comprises amino acids that builds the baby’s adorable face and cell bellow it. Proteins also help the development of a child, for example transformation of the child organs. During pregnancy, it is required in minimal level to keep the body of the baby and the mother healthier. It also protects pregnant women against gestational diabetes mellitus. Sources of proteins are listed above in the table. It is logical not to take more than the expected amount since too much consumption of protein will result into diseases, hence affecting the feotus. (Bhatia, 2004) Fats, for example the Omega-3 fats are essential for the whole advancement of the human brain during pregnancy, thus the fats are essential to enable development of the foetus’ brain. Apart from development of the baby’s brain, fats also provide enough energy for the pregnant mother during starvation. It also helps to prevent gestational diabetes mellitus for the pregnant mother. (Bhatia, 2004) Vitamins such as vitamin B are needed for fetal development and also blood formation during pregnancy. Vitamin D helps the body to take up valuable minerals such as calcium, iron, and magnesium, among others. Vitamins also make the foetus to grow under good conditions, since it helps the baby against diseases. A mother that do not feed on vitamins from fruits has a problem on her health and also to the health of the foetus. Micronutrients such as calcium helps the development of a child’s bones and smooth growth in her mother’s womb. Iodine also helps to protect the child from illnesses (Marie C & McCormick, 1999). Conclusion During the prenatal stage, proper precaution should be maintained for the safe delivery of the baby. This includes proper nutrients for the mother and also medical checkups and advices to the expectant mother. This will maintain the pregnancy for the period of nine months, hence safe delivery. References Bhatia, J. (2004). Perinatal Nutrition: Optimizing Infant Health & Development. CRC Press. Marie C. and McCormick, J. E. ( 1999). Prenatal Care: Effectiveness and Implementation. Cambridge University Press. Read More