Why women eat sugar during pregnancy
The biggest problem with sugar intake during pregnancy is that it is socially acceptable, unlike drugs, alcohol or smoking. Many if not most women will quit drugs, alcohol, cigarettes and caffeine as soon as they find out they are pregnant due to social pressures and concern for their baby’s wellbeing. It is not only socially acceptable for pregnant women to eat sugar, but they are often encouraged by family members to eat more sugary treats and give in to their cravings.

Women also believe they are finally entitled to eat whatever they please as a benefit of being pregnant. While they may deny themselves Krispy Kremes and Haagen Daaz normally, during pregnancy anything goes because nobody will say anything and they plan on gaining weight anyway.

In addition to the lack of social restraint, pregnant women also experience powerful cravings for a variety of foods, and sugary treats are often on the list. The reason for these cravings is not a physiological need for sugar however, but a need for regular meals and snacks throughout the day. You have a much greater blood supply and extra hormones in your body during pregnancy and that means that you feel dips in your blood sugar more so than when you are not pregnant.

Skipping meals is a no-no for non-pregnant people because they will reach for the first candy bar or soda they can get their hands on a few hours later. This is even more true during pregnancy. It may feel like an overpowering craving but it is simply your body crying out for fuel. Regular, small meals are the answer, not a piece of chocolate cake.

Why Sugar is Worse During Pregnancy
Eating foods with refined sugar is bad for everyone. Even in healthy people, sugar causes weight gain, tooth decay, gum disease, rapid fluctuations in blood sugar that tax the body, reduced immunity, displaced minerals, elevated risk for cardiovascular disease and premature aging.

The sugar story gets worse for pregnant women. During pregnancy, sugar is rapidly absorbed into your blood and in order to regulate this sugar, your body requires larger amounts of insulin which is released by your pancreas. If you are eating excessive or even moderate amounts of sugar, your pancreas is going to have a difficult time keeping up. If your pancreas falls short of its job, then your blood sugar levels stay elevated. This is a problem even if you not develop full blown gestational diabetes (which is insulin intolerance).

Excessive sugar intake and elevated blood sugar levels will also cause you to gain excessive weight while pregnant. While you should gain a moderate amount of weight during pregnancy, it should be due to the weight of your fetus, increased blood volume and uterine contents, breast size and other pregnancy related weight, not just growing a fatter butt. When you are simply taking in more calories than you need, you are not the only one who gains excessive weight. Your baby may also grow too large.

Macrosomia is a condition where a baby grows excessively large due to a constantly high level of maternal blood sugar, generally due to gestational diabetes. This condition increases the risk of birth complications such as shoulder distocia and cesarean section. In addition, large babies of mothers with elevated blood sugar levels also have a higher risk of childhood obesity.

In addition to packing unnecessary pounds on yourself and complicating your pregnancy and birth with an overly large baby with a propensity for health problems, you will also run the additional risk of pregnancy related dental problems if you engage in excessive sugar consumption. Oral health during pregnancy is extremely important because toxins from periodontal disease have been proven to cross the placental barrier and reach your fetus, potentially causing both premature birth and birth defects. In fact, women with periodontal disease are seven times more likely to have a premature delivery than those with healthy gums.

In addition, women and society in general like to use the term “eating for two” which is actually nonsense. During your first trimester you do not require any extra calories and your body only needs an extra 300 calories during the second and third trimester, which should consist of high quality protein, vitamins and minerals because your body is literally building another human being. If you are not eating the proper nutrients to build a little human being’s bones, blood, fingernails and hair, then the necessary nutrients will be sucked out of your nutritional stores, putting you at risk for lifelong health problems, osteoporosis, postpartum depression and a number of other health conditions that are entirely avoidable by eating well before, during and after pregnancy.

In addition, it makes sense to get the sugar out of your house before your child is born. Children who regularly eat sugar experience raised adrenal levels, hyperactivity, anxiety, depression, concentration difficulties, low immunity, crankiness, sleep troubles, tooth decay, obesity and weight problems and lifelong health problems and disease. Do you think it is easier to get the sugar out of your home before they are born or when they are 10 and addicted to Fruit Loops or other such nonsense?

“It doesn’t matter what disease we are talking about, whether we are talking about a common cold or about cardiovascular disease, or cancer or osteoporosis, the root is always going to be at the cellular and molecular level, and more often than not insulin is going to have its hand in it, if not totally controlling it.” Healingdaily.com

Forms of Sugar
Sugar is more than that white stuff you put in your coffee. Sugar is everywhere and comes in a variety of shapes and sizes and it is imperative that you know the sneaky forms that sugar comes in if you plan on avoiding it. First and foremost, virtually anything in a bag, box or can has added sugar. There are a very few exceptions to that rule, such as a bag of frozen vegetables, but by and large, any pre-packaged, prepared food is going to have added sugar, period.

If you insist on buying packaged foods, read the labels. Anything with a label is bound to have sugar anyway, but read for yourself. Look for any ingredient ending in ‘ose’. Fructose, dextrose and glucose are all sugars. Bread has sugar. Pizza has sugar. Sodas, pastries, cakes, cookies, and other goodies all have sugar. Almost everything has some form of sugar in it.

In addition, other foods such as dairy and starches will convert to sugar in your body more rapidly than high protein foods and vegetables. It is important to become familiar with the glycemix index if you wish to lower your sugar intake.

Sugar Alternatives
Ideally you will simply forgo fast food, packaged foods, drinks and baked goods while pregnant for high quality protein and raw produce but it may be very unrealistic for you to change your eating habits cold turkey especially if your family and friends tend to indulge in the foods you are trying to avoid.

White sugar is processed with chemicals and all the good nutrients are stripped from it. It is nothing short of poison and you should not touch it. Whatever you do, do not under any circumstances, substitute chemical sweeteners. They are even worse than sugar. Nutrasweet, Aspartame, Sucralose and Splenda. Poison, poison, poison. They are man made, chemical toxins. Do not dream of touching them while you are pregnant if you value your health and the health of your unborn child. They are linked to a myriad of long term, health conditions. Don’t even think about it. If the package says, “low sugar” or “sugar free”, run don’t walk the other way.

If you would like to still have a little bit of sweetness in your life go ahead, in moderation, by choosing sweeteners made by mother nature. Enjoy these options in their raw, natural forms and keep in mind that they are still high on the glycemic index and can also contribute to tooth decay. Blackstrap molasses is exceptionally healthy and will add delicious maltiness to coffee and baked goods. Raw, organic honey with propolis is also considered an amazing health food and is an excellent sugar replacement. Stevia is another natural sugar alternative but has not been tested on pregnant women, so you may wish to err on the side of caution. Even sugar itself is loaded with nutrients if it is raw, organic and untouched. If is is just a sugar fix you crave, get some high quality organic, fair trade chocolate. It will load you up with antioxidants and potentially keep your stress level down if you are a real sugar addict.

Women quit smoking when they find out they are pregnant. Women stop drinking when they find out they are pregnant and women should also stop eating sugar when they find out they are pregnant if they value their health and the health of their beautiful, unborn child.

More resources about sugar dangers:
Healingdaily.com
Pregnancy: High-Normal Blood Sugar Risky - WebMD.com
Sugar in Urine During Pregnancy - Drspock.com
Dr. Greene recommends blood test for glucose, called HgA1C

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Socioeconomic status was a factor in the incidence of postpartum depression. This factor seems to be even more significant than race in raising the risk for postpartum depression. When income was considered, low income women were significantly more likely to experience depression after the birth of a baby.

Of study participants with a household income of less than $20,000, approximately 40 percent suffered from postpartum depression. Only 13 percent of women with a household income above $80,000 per year suffered from clinical depression. Pregnancy.families.com

Many attribute the stress of money, bills and increased baby care costs with the increased risk of postpartum depression. Another possible cause that is rarely considered is the increased birth trauma that African American and low-income (read Medicaid) women often face. African American women have an absolutely appalling rate of cesarean sections and many unscrupulous doctors may take advantage of women who fail to educate themselves on the dangers of childbirth interventions, while simultaneously seeing Medicaid reimbursement as a free for all.

Invasive and dangerous childbirth interventions are damaging to the mother’s physical and psychological state. Many interventions are demeaning and degrading, while others, such as cesareans incapacitate a woman, not only inhibiting her ability to exercise and get fresh air and sunshine postpartum but also to care for and bond with her baby.

In addition, childbirth interventions regularly impede breastfeeding efforts. Breastfeeding releases a number of “feel good” hormones that help a mother bond with her baby and counter PPD.

There are many reasons other than simple money matters that can contribute to postpartum depression. The easiest way to avoid childbirth related depression is to have a gentle, loving lay-midwife assisted or unassisted homebirth. Breastfeed around the clock and wear your baby to facilitate breastfeeding. Cosleeping is also essential during the first few months to ensure successful breastfeeding. Turning lights on in the middle of the night (to go the bathroom or a nursery) is also proven to contribute to PPD. Avoid the lights and cosleep. Lastly, make sure to eat well(avoid soda, sugar and junk food) both during and after pregnancy. Take walks with your baby to get sunshine, fresh air and exercise. PPD is not a sentence that low-income women should simple accept. Take matters into your own hands to not only prevent, but overcome this crippling disorder.

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“Do you dissolve into tears at the slightest provocation? Is your husband starting to call you “Mariah Scary”? Do your friends say you’re a “diva” and you know they don’t mean the operatic kind?” – You Know You are Hormonal When…… An I Village Top Ten

Author: Belinda Johnson
Finding out that you are pregnant is usually a very emotional experience - you are either delighted, terrified, or somewhere in between. However you felt when hearing that you were pregnant, the chances are that you were not surprised to be a bit emotional about it. Such things are to be “expected”. What does surprise many women -and their partners- on the other hand is the ongoing emotional changes which may occur during the course of the pregnancy. This is perfectly normal, but understanding what to expect, and why, will help both you and your partner get the most enjoyment out of this amazing experience.

Hormones
During your pregnancy your body is going to undergo some tremendous changes in hormone levels. Mood swings are very common because of these hormone changes - it is not something you have much control over. Nearly all pregnant women are prone to emotional ups and downs. Common “side effects” include bouts of feeling unsure and panicky, extreme reactions to minor things and even crying.

The important thing to realize is that all of this is perfectly normal, and has nothing to do with you as a person. As soon as you and your partner accept this, the low points become so much easier to deal with. Some women suffer from terrible guilt or feelings of inadequacy because of these mood swings, which just makes it harder for your “moods” to pass. There is no need for you to feel guilty at all! Accept that you will feel down from time to time, make sure your partner knows this, and look forward to the “up” part of the mood swings.

Self Image
As your body shape and size changes during your pregnancy, you may begin to feel very strange about yourself. At times you may even feel that you are trapped in someone else’s body, or worry that you are getting “fat” and unattractive. We live in a very image conscious world, so these concerns are natural. However, pregnant women are in fact extremely sensuous, and there is no more potent symbol of womanhood than being pregnant. You should feel proud of the obvious signs of your fertility! You should remember, too, that pregnancy gives you some advantages from a looks point of view. The increased blood flow normally improves your skin and gives you that healthy “glow” that pregnant women have.

Your image of yourself while you are pregnant is very important. If you feel good about being pregnant, you will probably look good too.

“Anxiety in regard to how a woman may feel about herself and the way her body is changing is normal, and her concerns regarding her own health and the health of the fetus are paramount. Anticipation of the new role of being a mother and the changes a new baby will bring to the family may be overwhelming. The pregnant woman should be encouraged and supported by her spouse, family, and health care providers in all her concerns.” Expectantmothersguide.com

Anxiety about the baby
It is normal for pregnant couples, but especially the mother, to spend a lot of time worrying about the health of their baby: What if there is something wrong? Will he or she be “normal”? Keeping up to date with all your checkups and visits to your health care provider will help calm you. Making sure that you follow a decent diet plan and keep yourself physically well will also be reassuring.

If this is your first pregnancy you will probably feel a bit of anxiety about how good a parent you will be, and whether or not you will cope with the strain of caring for your newborn child. Again, this is perfectly normal - most women worry about accidentally harming the baby or not being able to deal with the day to day baby care. Having a good support network (partner and family) in place before the birth will go a long way towards making you feel confident that you can do it, so make sure you discuss your fears and worries with them. Try and learn as much as you can about caring for a newborn baby, and speak to other mothers that you know. Having this knowledge will make you feel more equipped to “do the right things” when the time comes.

You may find yourself having bad dreams or nightmares about your baby. This is just your subconscious dealing with the fears you are probably trying hard not to think about while awake. It’s important to remember that no matter how disturbing these dreams are, they are not reality. Try and think of them as your subconscious mind blowing off steam.

Concerns about Labor
Almost all women worry about childbirth and how they will handle it. Fear about the pain and worries about whether or not you will embarrass yourself are common. You will find yourself thinking of this more and more as your pregnancy comes closer to full term. Learning about labor and childbirth, and practicing your exercises and breathing techniques will go a long way towards making you feel confident about the birth process. You will be more aware of what is going on around you, and you will likely feel less pain too.

Final Words
Although it might sound like your pregnancy is going to be nothing but a long string of emotional crises, this is not the case for most women. You will have various ups and downs, but for the most part this will be perfectly manageable, especially if you have a supportive and involved partner. Just remember that all the emotions you experience are felt by most pregnant women, they are perfectly normal and you shouldn’t allow yourself to be stressed by them. Pregnancy is a wonderful experience, so don’t allow normal emotional changes to ruin that experience for you!

Finally, remember that one of the main tasks for you during the nine months of your pregnancy is to mentally prepare yourself for motherhood. Your future planning and lifestyle are going to have to include this new human being. For most people, these are big changes. You might even find yourself having second thoughts at some stage during your pregnancy. Having these thoughts does not make you a poor mother, or a bad person. If you are to successfully prepare yourself for becoming a mother (or father), you and your partner need to be completely honest about these feelings. Very often just talking abut your concerns will make them easier to deal with.

Sheryl’s comment:
If stress in your life is contributing to your rollercoaster of emotions during pregnancy, then try to take every opportunity to relax. Take a walk each and every day to tone and strengthen your body for childbirth. Sign up for a prenatal yoga class or get a DVD. Drink chamomile, raspberry or nettle leaf tea which can help you relax while providing many fertility and pregnancy benefits.

(Learn more about herbs for pregnancy
Pregnancy Calendars

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Isn’t learning that a woman is pregnant with an unborn baby one of life’s most beautiful events? Pregnancy is a time when mom and dad share a marvelous task to bring their child into the world feeling appreciated and wanted. And this miracle starts even before conception begins.

Yes, before conception begins. Prior to the sperm cell and egg cell joining each other for a life long journey that commences in the mom’s womb. An infant’s right to life is born when parents start thinking about having a child.

A famous cellular biologist, Dr. Bruce Lipton, Ph.D, wrote an evolutionary volume, “The Biology of Belief.” In his book, Dr. Lipton contends that the parents’ love and intention before “the twinkle danced in mom’s eye” affect the well being of an unborn infant.

This is how. Researchers discovered a link between a fetus’s health and the support well being, and mood of its parents. After conception, a fetus develops and grows. The degree to which the baby develops is related to the attitudes of the parents. Positive loving attitudes - positive infant growth. Fearful, unhappy attitudes - sickly child.

An unborn baby senses the feelings, thoughts, and actions of its mother. Since a baby’s father can affect the baby’s mother through his actions, feelings and thoughts, the dad also affects how a baby develops. Scientists have shown how a baby absorb steroids like cortisol from its mother, when mom experiences high levels of fear and anxiety.

When stressful times occur, the stress hormones in the mother’s bloodstream pass right through the unborn infant. This has a negative change upon the developing body of the baby. Italian researchers observed a fetus jump inside its mother, when an argument between parents used harsh, loud words.

Every human being grows and develops the same way. An umbilical cord in the mother’s uterus connects the baby to its mom like a lifeline. Oxygen, blood, nutrients, vitamins and everything needed to grow and be healthy flow to the baby through that cord. The umbilical cord consists of three strands - two arteries and a vein, surrounded by Wharton’s jelly. Second by second, every minute, day after day for nine months, the line line of the umbilical cord connects mom and baby with health and life.

A pro life way for moms and dads to bring emotional and spiritual health to their baby is through the three strands of faith, hope and love. These virtues are a lifeline for the unborn baby’s healthy development. The three strands of hope, love and faith help parents relate to each other better.

Faith is the first strand of the spiritual life line. Mom and dad receive the gift of faith from God. Parents unwrap this gift when they believe and trust each other and that God is present to them and their unborn infant.

Dads and moms use the second strand — hope - when they persevere and endure the nine, long months of pregnancy. Parents envision and hope their child as healthy and growing up to contribute positively to life.

The third and most important strand is love. When the parents draw upon God’s love for them, they can love each other and pass their love to their child.

Pregnancy has its difficult moments: body pain, uncertainty, changes in moods and habits. Moms and dads can work through those times by being kind to each other, finding joy in the present moment, witnessing the miracle of new life forming within them and trusting that everything will turn out well.

Moms and dads deliver the three strands of virtue to their unborn baby through a spiritual umbilical cord. The right to life of the unborn infant is healthy in emotion, mind and body. The life line of three strands of faith, hope and love connect parents and child to God and each other.

About the author:
Married for more than 24 years, Dave Pipitone advocates the use of encouragement, kindness and love in lasting and meaningful relationships. To learn more about how to care for an unborn baby’s welfare, visit www.my3strands.com.

Sheryl’s comment:
I am spiritual but not religious so I do not necessarily agree with the God aspect of this article, but I could replace the word God with Mother Earth or higher power and it would provide the original impact without offending.

Needless to say, this article hit home for me because I was in a physically violent marriage when I became pregnant. My husband pretty much fell off the deep end when I became pregnant and while I am not psychic, lets just say that I would not be surprised at all if I had become another Lacy Peterson if I had stayed with him. Staying with him was not an option.

I now know that pregnancy is oddly enough an incentive for murder. Murder is the leading cause of death for pregnant women. Laci was not an anomaly. She just made the news. I just cant wrap my brain around what makes a man want to murder his own offspring and mate, but apparently it is part and parcel of an abusive, sociopathic personality.

Leaving my husband was, hands down, the most difficult thing I had ever done in my life. It is still difficult, years later. As dysfunctional as it sounds, I believed that loved him with my whole heart and like many battered women had lost everything to his manipulative tactics. My self esteem was in the toilet and I finally left him when I was three months pregnant from a city I adored, to hostile family members (not all of them) and had to move, penniless to the middle American suburbs that I had hoped I left forever.

Needless to say, I knew - almost instinctively - the importance of having a calm, peaceful, loving pregnancy. While growing inside me, my daughter had no clue that I was destitute or heartbroken. I tried to replace my heartache and stress with thoughts of love for her.

I just can’t imagine how different she would be today if she had been subjected to nine months of sleepless nights, screaming fights and physical abuse, not to mention how different her life would have been after she was born. Leaving that jackass was not only the best thing I have done for myself but the greatest gift I could have ever given my beautiful, innocent girl.

Domestic Violence Links and Resources - Where to seek help
National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
www.866uswomen.org is the wonderful organization that saved me and my daughter from my husband

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Recent studies have shown that the use of Paxil during pregnancy increases the chances of birth defects. In December 2005, the Food and Drug Administration moved Paxil from a class C drug to a class D drug. A class C drug is one that has been proven to harm animals; and a class D drug is one that has been proven to harm the human fetus. According to the FDA, a Swedish study was done which proved that women who took Paxil in the first trimester (first twelve weeks) of the pregnancy had two times higher risk in having a baby with some form of birth defect than other women who took another form of antidepressant or no antidepressant medication. Some of the harms or birth defects caused by the use of Paxil before or during pregnancy include potential infant heart defects and persistent pulmonary hypertension in newborn babies. During the first trimester of a pregnancy, the babies heart develops. According to medical experts, the most crucial time is during weeks three through seven because this is when the heart is taking the form of four separate chambers.

In addition to infant heart defects, there are several other potential defects that can result from taking Paxil during a pregnancy. For example, a 2005 research study showed the women who took Paxil during a pregnancy, especially during the first trimester, were more like to have an omphalocele; a birth defect which is a malformation where the abdominal contents protrude into the base of the umbilical cord. A condition known as craniosynostosis; another birth defect which is an early closing of one or more of the sutures of an infant’s head, causing a malformation of the skull is another potential defect that can result from the use of Paxil during a pregnancy.

Lung disorders are yet another birth defect that can be directly linked to the use of Paxil during a pregnancy. In 2006, the FDA issued an advisory notice saying that infants had problems with adjusting to breathing air when they first came out of the womb, which required them to have some sort of mechanical ventilation to assist with breathing. They claim that this birth defect can also be linked back to the use of Paxil during the pregnancy.

In conclusion, the FDA has said and proven that there are several birth defects that can be related to taking Paxil medication during the pregnancy. These include birth defects affecting the heart, lungs, and overall development. Women have a higher risk of birth defects, if the Paxil is taken before or during the pregnancy. Many lawsuits are now being initiated because of birth defects which could possibly be the result of taking Paxil medication during the pregnancy. If you have been taking or are currently taking Paxil and you are pregnant, then you should discontinue its use, contact your doctor and seek legal advice right away.

About the author:
Nick Johnson is a personal injury attorney and lead counsel with Johnson Law Group, a personal injury law firm with principal offices located in Houston, Texas. Mr. Johnson represents injured people in injury cases and matters involving the drug Paxil. For a free case evaluation, contact Johnson Law Group and its Paxil attorneys at 1-888-311-5522 or visit http://www.johnsonlawgroup.com for more information.

Sheryl’s comment:
Drugs and babies just do not mix. Even prescription drugs. Please never assume that something is safe just because your doctor prescribed it for you. Even a Tylenol affects your baby. Everything you eat, drink or put on your skin affects your baby. Be especially wary of anything manufactured in a lab and sold in a package or box. This is not meant to scare you but to alert you to potential dangers. It is better to know while pregnant than to wonder why no one warned you after the fact.

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