pregnant and worried

Share your experience, challenges and success implementing the McDougall program with family and children.

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Re: pregnant and worried

Postby Lyndzie » Sun Jan 20, 2019 9:28 pm

Congrats again, Fuzzy! Doesn't it make your mind explode a little when you think about twins? AHHHH!!!

But on a more serious note, YOU ARE DOING GREAT. We've all wondered and worried about every little thing. Feed, diaper, sleep. You've got the basics down already!
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Re: pregnant and worried

Postby t-eddy » Mon Feb 24, 2020 10:37 am

My family is concerned about my omega 3 intake (I follow the MWL program, excecpt eating whole grain bread and tofu every now and then during the pregnancy). My research about omega 3 levels in vegetables confused me because the amount differs from website to website. According to cronometer I'm not even close to the recommended amount of omega 3, even though I eat veggies every day. I'm not sure how reliable the data is that cronometer uses.
Reading through Dr McDougall's Newsletters and recommendations I only found that pregnancy doesn't change the human diet and one should be eating starches, fruits, and vegetables. He never said it is necessary to eat flax seeds in order get an appropriate amount of omega 3, but he said the flax seeds are a good provider of omega 3 if I remembered correctly.
I don't really like eating flax seeds or chia seeds, but I'm worried that the amount of vegetables is not enough in respect of omega 3 and of course I don't want to endanger my unborn. Does anyone have experience with a pregnancy that was without nuts, seeds, etc.?

Another topic that bothers me is iron. My iron level is a little bit too low and my gynecologist wants me to take iron pills that have a very high dosis. I found out that I would have to eat 400g of dry millet in order to get 30 mg of iron. That seems to be impossible. But I would love to fix my iron levels naturally. Do you have some experience with that?
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Re: pregnant and worried

Postby Lyndzie » Mon Feb 24, 2020 12:03 pm

Hi there!

I have had low iron with each of my three pregnancies. I was able to correct it with diet, but have also used supplementation. Low iron is linked to poor maternal outcomes, so it is a good idea to get it in an acceptable range. General diet advice is to avoid coffee and tea, and to combine good sources of vit C with iron sources (such as beans with salsa, for one example). Molasses is very high in iron, I like 1 tbsp on oatmeal with sliced banana. These are just ideas. Eating a bit more beans can help as well. If this doesn’t work, supplementation is worth a try.

As far as omega 3’s, that is primarily an issue for people with high omega 6 intake, if I understand correctly. Seriously, though, did our mom’s ever think about that? No. If you want to take a DHA, go ahead, but I think that’s more to ease your conscience than help the baby’s development. Humans have had babies for millennia, way before nutrition science existed.

I did not avoid nuts and seeds. I would recommend you gain the appropriate amount of weight advised by your health care provider so that you have the necessary reserves for breastfeeding (25-35 lbs for healthy weight women). Your appetite should be a good guide.

How far along are you?

Also, everything you are doing is spot on. It’s easy to get caught up in the little details, but you’re doing way more than most people. Good luck, and congrats!
Lindsey
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My pregnancy journal: Maybe a Baby 2017
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Re: pregnant and worried

Postby JeffN » Mon Feb 24, 2020 12:30 pm

t-eddy wrote:Does anyone have experience with a pregnancy that was without nuts, seeds, etc.?


While not required, nuts and seeds are only avoided on the MWL program. Outside of that, a tbsp of ground flax/day or 1/4 oz of walnuts contain 1.6 gm of Omega 3's, which, by themselves, and not counting what is in the rest of the food, easily cover (and even surpass) the recommend levels for Omega 3’s, during pregnancy, which is 1.4 gm/day.

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t-eddy

Postby t-eddy » Tue Feb 25, 2020 12:53 pm

Dear Lyndzie, dear Jeff,

Thank you very much for your quick replies and the information. They made me feel less alone with my "active mind" and this nutrition thing. And thank you Lyndzie for your warmhearted words. I'll try molasses and adding more beans to my meals. Fortunately I neither drink coffee nor tea. It is very encouraging to read that low iron levels can be corrected with diet. Maybe I can replace this high dosed iron supplement with a lower dosed supplement in addition to the changes in my diet. Do iron supplements lead to calcium deficiency? (Dr. McDougall said it might work the other way around)

If omega 3’s were an issue when omega 6 intake is high, then I probably shouldn't have to worry because eating as recommended by Dr. McDougall omega 6 intake would not be too high, right? Is the recommended amount of Omega 3’s during pregnancy 1.4 g/day or 1.4 mg/day? (1.4 mg would be great because I guess I easily surpass it :D ) Yesterday I bought, cooked and ate lots of Lacinato kale and thought cronometer would show me that I met my omega 3's requirement by eating dark leafy greens, but instead cronometer doesn't even know how much fat not to mention omega 3's is in this vegetable. You're probably right that taking a DHA supplement would not necessarily help the baby’s development. That is very good to read (I don't want to take DHA :) ). When my gynecologist did the second ultrasound she said women who are not so tall may have smaller babies, as well. After measuring the little one she said I could as well be 5"10 :shock: . So I guess the baby is not too small for now. I just hope that his/her brain can develop properly.

This is my 26th week. According to the scale of my gynecologist I've gained 13 pounds so far. I have full confidence that I will gain enough weight. There are phases where my appetite is increased followed by phases where my appetite is rather normal (I guess that's normal). My hunger drive has been very good-natured and patient lately which it barely ever was before my pregnancy. I really appreciate that :)
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Re: t-eddy

Postby JeffN » Tue Feb 25, 2020 2:38 pm

t-eddy wrote:Is the recommended amount of Omega 3’s during pregnancy 1.4 g/day or 1.4 mg/day? (1.4 mg would be great because I guess I easily surpass it)


That was a typo. It is 1.4 gm/day

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