One of the most important things a woman can do during her pregnancy is eat a healthy, well-balanced diet. The common misconception regarding pregnancy is it’s a free-for- all when it comes to eating. Eating for two is the very common term people use when they get pregnant and want to over-indulge in foods they love, but it’s not an excuse.
A poor diet can lead to many issues regarding the health of the baby a woman is carrying in addition to the health of the expectant mother herself. One of the most important things a woman should consume during pregnancy is calcium, and that’s where questions regarding soy milk become important.
Calcium and Pregnancy
The health and development of the fetus you’re carrying depend highly on the food its mother consumes while pregnant. What a woman eats, her baby eats. This is why it’s imperative women listen to their doctors when it comes to finding a way to eat healthy and consume foods that benefit both her and her baby. She’s not going to give up food she loves forever, but she should learn what’s not good for her, what she should only have in moderation, and what she should avoid while pregnant.
Calcium is one of the most important things a woman must have during pregnancy. It’s this that allows her baby to develop strong and healthy bones, and it’s also directly related to the growth and development of a baby’s heart, muscles, and even its nerves. Calcium is imperative every day for a pregnant woman, but it’s not always easy to consume for some.
Allergies and Health Issues
Some women cannot consume dairy products. Certain health conditions such as an intolerance to lactose are problematic before, during, and after pregnancy. Since calcium is most prevalent in dairy products, it’s not always easy for a woman to get in as much as she needs when she’s intolerant to it. This means she’s going to find a way to deal with her intolerance with alternatives. Soy milk is a nonmilk source that helps women consume the correct amount of calcium each day.
They can drink soymilk safely during pregnancy in most cases, though it’s imperative women speak with their doctors about what’s good for them and what they can consume. Not all pregnant women are the same. Some may consume it, and others may not. Never make a health decision based on anything other than doctor’s orders while pregnant, but do know soy milk is typically safe to consume when a woman is expecting.
Staying Healthy
While pregnant, women must stay healthy and active. If soy milk is part of their diet rather than dairy products, women must learn how much they must consume to get the healthy recommended dose of calcium each day. If she’s 18 or younger, she needs to consume 1,3000 mg of calcium each day. That number drops to 1,000 per day once she is older than 18.
It’s also helpful for women to exercise while pregnant. Never start a new exercise program without first consulting with a doctor, but most women can safely walk, swim, and engage in activities such as dance, prenatal yoga, and other forms of exercise. This helps both moms and babies stay healthy and experience a much more pleasant pregnancy.
Understanding Healthy Calcium Intake
If a woman cannot drink as much soy milk as she needs to get the amount of calcium she needs each day, there are other ways she can use soy milk to get calcium into her daily diet. For example, since coffee isn’t good for pregnant women, they can begin drinking lattes in the morning. These are made with a lot of milk, which is good for the body. By utilizing soy milk rather than regular milk, a woman still gets the same amount of calcium and she gets something that’s has a coffee-like flavor without the health risks.
She can also take supplements, but no pregnant woman should ever take any supplements without first talking to her doctor. Supplements can be good for a woman, but many have too many of a good thing in them, which is not always good during pregnancy or even after. It’s also important for women to remember that not all supplements rich in calcium are good for her to consume if they also have other nutrients in them that aren’t good during pregnancy.
Soy milk is safe to drink during pregnancy, but only if women haven’t any allergies. It’s also important for women to remember that using soy milk in recipes is good, but not if those recipes are unhealthy or not good for their health conditions during pregnancy. Some women suffer from high cholesterol or even gestational diabetes. If this is the case, a woman’s doctor might encourage her to change her entire diet to better suit her own health needs as well as the health of her baby.
All women carrying a baby must remember everything they consume is vital to health of their unborn child. Good food helps them grow, and bad food can cause health issues if they are not eaten in moderation. It’s not always beneficial for people to try a new diet or substitute things they’ve always consumed for new products without first discussing this with a medical professional. There’s too much at risk.
