What to Expect after Delivering your baby

What to expect after delivering your baby

Giving birth after the 9months journey is such a great relieve. But wait this is the beginning to motherhood. Your body has undergone a lot of changes in accommodating a baby, therefore you will experience some changes as the baby is no longer inside you. Here are some changes you will experience;
Bloody Discharge
You will have blood coming from your vagina for about 7 weeks. The first 10 days will come as heavy period n remaining weeks will come lighter. The discharge is red in colour then becomes brownish and then yellowish white

Nutritious Food to boost Nutritional status before, during and after Pregnancy

"Red Red" one of the many names of Beans and Fried Plantain in Ghana is very nutritious.

Beans contain protein which is needed for body building important for pregnant women because the amino acids that make up protein are the building blocks of your body's cells – and of your baby's body as well. It's important to get enough protein throughout your pregnancy, but especially during the second and third trimesters, when your baby is growing the fastest and your breasts and organs are getting bigger to accommodate the needs of your growing baby.

Don't forget to take an orange afterwards it contains Vitamin C which helps absorb iron in the beans. Iron is important for Blood formation and prevent Anaemia. In pregnancy iron is needed for expansion of Red Blood Cell mass, fetal iron, Placenta iron and to replace Blood loss during delivery.

These are some nutrient not all component and their estimated amounts:

Cooked beans (per 1 cup size) - Calories: 331, Fat: 14.9g, Carbohydrate: 36.94, Protein: 14.05g, Iron: 2.3mg

Fried Plantain (per 1 slice) - Calories: 68, Fat: 3.58g, Carbohydrate: 9.74g, Protein: 0.4g

Cooked Fish (per 28g) - Calories: 36, Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 16mg, Carbohydrate: 0g, Protein: 7g

Losing Weight after Pregnancy

If you are considering getting pregnant but worried about weight issues......... Don't be.... Your tools are;

1. Eating nutritious healthy variety of foods

2. Enjoying an active lifestyle

3. Being patient to lose the extra weight slowly..........

Weight gain during pregnancy is normal but the good thing is you can get your desired shape back after delivery. Pregnancy should not change your body forever. Getting back to how much you weighed before pregnancy is important for your health. The longer  that extra weight is on, the greater the risk for not losing it and becoming overweight or obese.

Diet's an essential part of losing weight after a baby just as it is in pregnancy. Restrictive dieting can deprive your body of nutrients you need and can leave you feeling tired and stressed.

Here are a few tips:

>>Eat breakfast

Losing weight is not skipping meals, skipping breakfast makes the body hungry and increase the likelihood of overeating. Starving the body for long hours can cause the body to change its insulin response, causing you to gain weight and hold onto fat. Depriving yourself of necessary daily calories puts you in physical "starvation mode." Your body will think that there isn't enough food available and that you're starving. When you go off your diet, your body will store even more fat in reserve against future lean periods. You'll also be more likely to overeat during this period.

>>>Include fruits and vegetables in your diet (orange,apple, etc)

 They supply vitamins and minerals necessary for optimal bodily functioning warding off conditions and diseases such as high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, diverticulitis and some cancers.They help you lose weight because they are low in calories, high in volume and high in critically important nutrients. That is they fill you up, providing you with important minerals and vitamins, without loading you up with fat and calories.

>>>>Your choice of carbohydrate should include fiber rich foods such as oats, grains(corn, rice etc or foods made with it- banku, kenkey) 

 Eating healthy high-fiber foods makes you feel full, so you can resist eating more food than you need. Fibrous foods also can take longer to chew, giving your brain time to get the signal that you have had enough to eat.

>>>>> Reduce intake of fried foods, takeaways which are high in fat and confectionery, cakes, fizzy drinks which are high in sugar.

Losing weight is cutting off calories and you don't want to increase your caloric intake. Fatty and sugary foods are high in calories and must be reduced to reduce your caloric intake.

>>>>>>Do not overeat, eat smaller portions and reduce number of snacks you take in between meals. Go for healthy snacks eg. apple instead of biscuits

 >>>>>>>Drink plenty of water and stay active not strenuous exercises but regular physical activities. Taking a walk with your baby regularly will do.