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Nutrition

Dietary Requirements - During Pregnancy

Did you know that being pregnant doesn't necessarily mean that you should eat for two?
By boosting your nutrient intake and not your kilojoule intake, it'll be sufficient to maintain a healthy pregnancy! During pregnancy, a woman's requirement for several crucial minerals increases! These minerals include folate (Vitamin B), iron, iodine and Vitamin A.

The better health website contains more information on a healthy diet during pregnancy.

8926583158-a4013d7fee-o Picture Image via Flickr

The Importance of Breastfeeding

Here is a list of reasons why you should breastfeed your baby:

Breast feeding ensures your baby has the best start to life
Vital nutrients contained in breast milk are crucial for brain development
Antibodies from breast milk help to give a boost to your baby's immune system straight after birth
Breast milk reduces the risk of obesity and the development of diabetes later in life

For more information on the importance of breast feeding visit the website "Thousand Days".

Not only does breastfeeding benefit your baby, it also benefits you! Here's how:

Breast feeding helps you to lose pregnancy weight by burning off extra calories
Helps to reduce uterine bleeding after pregnancy
Reduces the risks of breast and ovarian cancer
Reduces the risk of developing osteoporosis

Katie Hinde - What we don't know about mother's milk