A. Why is protein so important? Protein is important because tissue growth and repair depend on its presence.

B. Does it realty matter what I eat if I take my vitamins? Yes. Vitamins are intended to be supplementary sources of nutrients and many of these nutrients are wasted if your diet is inadequate. For example, a fat soluble vitamin will be unable to be used by your body if there is a lack of fat in the diet. Additionally, vitamin pills contain only some of the nutrients that are needed each day and a rounded diet will contain most to all from a variety of easily assimilated sources. The best sources of nutrients come from a diet that is composed of many different kinds of nutritious foods mainly whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables.

C. Why do I need more protein just because I am pregnant? To grow a healthy baby. The additional caloric requirements per day for a pregnant woman are about 300 calories. This translates into an increased protein need of about 30 grams per day. Since the non-pregnant woman needs about 46 grams of protein per day, the pregnant woman needs 76 or more grams of protein each day.

D. What can I do about heartburn and indigestion? Do not take Turns or other antacids. Instead eat small meals frequently, chew your food a lot, do not drink with meals, avoid foods which bring on the problem, avoid coffee, Stay upright after eating, drink anise or fennel seed tea after meals, chew on organic orange peel or papaya after meals, sip yogurt, cream or milk, sit tailor-style on the floor and raise and lower your arms up over your head and to your back, chew raw almonds slowly, take Slippery Elm lozenges.

E. What can I do about morning sickness ?
Keep your blood sugar high by eating small meals frequently and snacking on protein foods; get exercise; increase your iron and vitamin B complex (B-1 through B-6 are most critical) - sometimes taking supplements of 10-20 mg each day will eliminate nausea; eat before getting out of bed, avoid spicey/greasy foods; move slowly in the morning; drink anise or fennel seed tea upon rising; drink a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a cup of warm water in the morning. Go outside; drink raspberry leaf tea; try Ipecac 30x, Nux vomica 6x, Cannabis 30x; sip peppermint or spearmint infusion in the morning; take Ginger root tea or capsules; take sips of Wild Yam root infusion throughout the day.

F. How much weight should I gain? Neeson says 25-30 pounds for all pregnant women regardless of their prior weight. Many other sources, such as Brewer, however, are more generous and suggest that good nutrition is more important than specific weight gains. Anne Frye believes that each woman needs to gain whatever is right for her and that as long as she follows a nutritious diet she will gain only what she needs. This is especially true for a woman who is overweight to start. If her diet improves (out with the junk food, in with good food) she may even lose weight as she ceases intake of nutrition-empty high calorie foods.

G. Does it really matter if I eat well during the week as long as I make up for it on the weekend?

It does matter how you eat each day as the baby is growing even during the week and cannot wait for weekends. Additionally, your own body has daily dietary needs which need to be met or your body is at risk of becoming unhealthy and then putting your baby at risk. Dr. Thomas Brewer has shown through repeated studies that women who maintain optimal nutrition during pregnancy (adequate protein intake, etc.) have almost no chance of developing metabolic toxemia of late pregnancy, a life-threatening disease for mom and baby.

H. If I don't have time for breakfast and just grab a quick lunch, can I make up for it with a good dinner? No. Your body and your baby's need constant sources of energy and ignoring this need is to put yourself and your baby at risk of nutrition-related problems. A better solution is to prepare a breakfast the night before so it is ready for your in the morning. Ditto the lunch. Then eat that nutritious dinner too! When you let your stomach go empty overnight until nearly dinner the next day, you make your body break down your protein reserves to give energy to the cells. This process stresses the kidneys, liver and other organs and deprives your baby of the best nutrition.

J. What is the WIC program?

WIC stands for Women, Infants and Children and is a federal food program for pregnant women and children under the age of 5. WIC uses low income as well as nutritional risk as criterion in determining eligibility. In my county, in order to participate in WIC, a woman must also 1) apply for and maintain a good standing with Illinois Public Aid Medicaid Program, 2) attend 6 prenatal classes provided by the health department, 3) keep ALL appointments with the assigned doctor, and 4) attend all food education classes provided by WIC to get the food coupons. The program will pay for doctor care and any testing that is needed. They offer free birthing classes, prenatal vitamins and home visits before and after the birth. The coupons WIC provides to mothers lets them trade for various products, such as cheese, milk, juice, cereal and baby formula. The program tests children for lead levels.

K. Do / have to drink milk?
NO. Many women cannot drink milk due to allergy or intolerance and others simply have eliminated it from their diet. What is important is to supplement your diet with the nutritional equivalent of the daily milk allowance. This may mean eating more yogurt, cheese or soybean products as well as dark leafy greens for their calcium and protein. All the pregnant women who lived at The Farm were strict vegetarians who never drank milk. They substituted soybean products.
L. What is wrong with white bread? White bread is made from wheat that has had the outer layer removed. This outer layer contains the most nutritious part of the wheat. The wheat is then bleached and nutrients added to approximate what was removed. Unfortunately, not all the nutrition that was removed is added. White bread is a poor approximation of the whole wheat bread it could have been. Pregnant women need to make every calorie count and whole grain bread is a better nutritional product.

L. What is wrong with white bread? White bread is made from wheat that has had the outer layer removed. This outer layer contains the most nutritious part of the wheat. The wheat is then bleached and nutrients added to approximate what was removed. Unfortunately, not all the nutrition that was removed is added. White bread is a poor approximation of the whole wheat bread it could have been. Pregnant women need to make every calorie count and whole grain bread is a better nutritional product.

M Is it true that you should not eat potatoes while pregnant because of blight? The myth began at the turn of the century with the Irish potato famine when people were eating potatoes that were toxic because they were infected with blight. I believe it caused deaths in Ireland. This is unlikely to occur today because the vast majority of our produce is mass produced, inspected and sold through retailers. However, do not eat sprouted potatoes that are green from exposure to light or potatoes frost-bitten ones that are watery and have a black ring under the skin-these are poisonous. Potatoes are great sources of potassium, B, C and G vitamins and other minerals as well as protein.

N. My Doctor told me never to eat pork while pregnant; what do you think? I think that if he has a religious objection to eating pork and thought you shared that belief it was an appropriate comment to make. If not, it was inappropriate. What you need to know is that pork needs to be well cooked before being eaten to kill off parasites (trichinosis) and bacteria that could infect you. To cook pork thoroughly cook till the inside temperature is at least 137 degrees. Most recipes will suggest an internal temperature of 170-185 degrees. Slow cooking is preferred, about 30 to 45 minutes per pound. There must not be even a hint of pink in the meat and the juices should run clear. Never taste any raw pork including bacon or ham. After touching raw pork, wash your hands carefully and clean the tools and surfaces it may have touched.

O. How much coffee and tea can I drink safely? Since no drug has been proven safe in any dosage for the unborn baby, the safest course of action is to completely eliminate these beverages from the diet when planning a pregnancy.

Yvonne Cryns graduated law school and passed the bar exam in Illinois but she is not officially a lawyer. Yvonne is a researcher and writer. Contact Yvonne for her professional research and writing services at wahmwed@yahoo.com

Don't be Afraid

I was alone when I went into labour. My husband was at work and our two children were asleep. I called Christiane who came and explained the hospital would probably send me home because I wasn't very far along.I enjoyed the privacy of a bath without little kids saying, "How come you get it so deep and we don't?" Then I wondered if we should call someone, and my husband tried to help me get my housecoat on, and we left in the truck with me leaning on the window, perched on my knees.Christiane was beside me, telling me I was fine.

I was listening to my body, inhaling through my nose and exhaling out my mouth, with my voice low and mouth open.

I did not push. Eva was born in our truck with the amniotic sac intact. I was safe between my husband and Christiane, who could care for the baby. Eva's head came out on Summit Avenue, and that's a pretty place at 2:00 a.m. with the view of the harbour. We didn't stop. The rest of her slid out under the eaves of the emergency entrance.Chris wrapped Eva in my discarded housecoat to warm her, while my husband rang the bell. The emergency nurse got in a flap and let the hospital door close behind her and we were all locked out until a security guard heard her banging on the door.

It was a fabulous birth. I will never forget our doula saying, "Your baby's fine," or my husband touching Eva with his gentle, loving manner. The doctor arrived ten minutes later and laughed.The truck was the place for this perfect birth. I was secure, safe, and calm. My body opened. The best advice is: Don't be afraid. I wasn't; I am exhilarated when I think of the birth of Eva.Irish friends said because she was born in the sac, she will have a lucky life. Scottish friends told us she will never drown.

By Kathleen Palm, Prince Rupert, British Columbia

We Fell Into Rapture

Her breathing became accelerated, light chest breathing at the peak of the contraction, and back to deep by the end. She was groaning, moaning, and not really crying out but singing out loudly with many of these. This is a very intense part of labour, approaching full dilation. The baby moves strongly down with these huge contractions.

I had been applying oil and warm cloths; at 11:20 Kitty began to really push with the sensations.
Rob maintained intense physical contact for every contraction. I watched as the baby's head crowned slowly, maintaining a fine pink colour, receding slightly the first two times. Kitty felt the baby. Another long contraction got the baby's head out to the forehead; I poured oil and put counter pressure on her perineum, and watched it stretch.

Then one more, the baby was born, beautiful and pink and large, no cord problem.A small rest, while the next push, a big sustained effort on Kitty's part, got him out to his waistline where his arms had been pinned. Out the arms flew. Oh freedom! What a big chest, a large handsome boy! Kitty began to laugh and cry and pulled him up to her breast to have a first look."You're here! I've waited so long!" The joy is almost beyond description.

The relief of physical and emotional energy is magnificent. The birth was joyous. We all fell into rapture for hours.Kitty stood up and delivered her placenta in ten minutes, then moved to her bedroom to be with her new son in peace and quiet. He nursed very well. The rest of us cleaned up the living room.

Every birth has its own flavour, personality, unique beauty, humour, human-ness and utter magnificence.

With gratitude, Zoe, Midwife,
Nanaimo, British Columbia

You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests that you think she's pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment.
~Dave Barry

Life is tough enough without having someone kick you from the inside.
~Rita Rudner

Think of stretch marks as pregnancy service stripes.
~Joyce Armor

If men were equally at risk from this condition - if they knew their bellies might swell as if they were suffering from end-stage cirrhosis, that they would have to go nearly a year without a stiff drink, a cigarette, or even an aspirin, that they would be subject to fainting spells and unable to fight their way onto commuter trains - then I am sure that pregnancy would be classified as a sexually transmitted disease and abortions would be no more controversial than emergency appendectomies. ~Barbara Ehrenreich

After the first miscarriage, I tried to take the attitude that it was my body's way of telling me that this pregnancy wasn't meant to be.
~Christie Brinkley

If pregnancy were a book they would cut the last two chapters.
~Nora Ephron

I felt I'd done quite a bit for the film. It was like how a woman must feel all through her pregnancy and the birth. The fear, the pain, the excitement, the confusion, all of it was there.
~Sunny Deol

The most important thing was the Pill. It freed woman up, all of a sudden women weren't dogged by the fear of pregnancy. It was a fact women were unemployable once they were married, now you get maternity leave.
~Colleen McCullough

In the pregnancy process I have come to realize how much of the burden is on the female partner. She's got a construction zone going on in her belly.
~Al Roker

Contraceptives have a proven track record of enhancing the health of women and children, preventing unintended pregnancy, and reducing the need for abortion.
~Louise Slaughter

Pregnancy is a kind of miracle. Especially so in that it proves that a man and woman can conspire to force God to create a new soul.
~Robert Anton Wilson

Here are some tips on dealing with nausea:

* Small frequent meals
* Protein snack before bed
* Dry toast or crackers before you get out of bed
* Mint teas
* Avoid strong smells (For some this may be everything!)
* Sea Bands (Acupressure points stimulated)
* Smelling ground ginger
* Increase iron rich foods in your diet
* Aromatherapy (Lavender or Chamomile)
http://pregnancy.about.com/library/old.newsletter/blissue5.htm

Don't Touch Me (pregnancy rant)
Date: 2006-07-24, 9:40AM PDT

You heard me, don't touch me. That means you. I do not want you touching my belly. Yes, I know, "it's a miracle" and "it's so interesting" but it's my body; not yours. Move away from my belly. If you are so tempted to touch, ASK FIRST and when, if, I tell you "NO", respect my answer. Do not attempt to change my mind. Do not ask incredulously, "Why not?" Do not tell me that I'm not being fair. Do not pout and do not ask again. You wouldn't expect to touch a non-pregnant woman's belly; do not expect to touch mine. I don't care to share my "miracle" with you. That is something for my husband and me.

And while you are at it, stop wagging your finger at me if I have a glass of wine. Don't tell me I shouldn't eat tuna or sushi or anything else for that matter. I am a grown woman and intelligent human being (likely more intelligent and educated than you) and I have consulted my doctor regarding all consumables that I have any desire to consume. If I'm drinking my one-a-week glass of wine, I'd like to enjoy it without your hysterical reaction. Europeans have no issue with a glass and thousands of women before me have indulged much more than I. If I'm having sushi, I don't need your eyeballs falling out because you "can't believe I would risk it". Like the wine, my doctor okayed sushi and any number of other foods you may not approve.

Unless you are my doctor or my husband, you may keep your opinions to yourself; I'm not interested.

In fact, I'm probably less interested in your opinion than you are of hearing my opinions on your beliefs on abortion (pregnancy has made me more pro-choice than ever), your scoundrel of an ill-behaved child and thus, your rearing techniques, your likely lack of intelligence and/or common sense, not to mention decorum and tact, your hairstyle or the sludge you find acceptable to eat.

btw, to the idiot that says it's a little late to be saying 'no touching' now that I'm knocked up - if you read the first paragraph of my post, it's pretty clear that I don't have a problem with my husband touching me ("That is something for my husband and me."). My husband has privileges with me that you and everyone else do NOT have, just as he had before I became pregnant.