Health

National Women’s Health Information Center

Toll Free: 800–994–9662
TTY: 888–220–5446 (free of charge)
Website: http://www.womenshealth.gov/pregnancy

Designed for expectant mothers, this Web site provides resources about each trimester of pregnancy, family planning, preparing for the new baby, childbirth, postnatal and postpartum care, and financial assistance.

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Weight-control Information Network

Toll Free: 877–946–4627
Website: http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/two.htm

A brochure, Fit for Two: Tips for Pregnancy is available.

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Phone: 301–443–3860
Website: http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/fas/fas.htm

A brochure, Drinking and Your Pregnancy, lists problems associated with fetal alcohol syndrome, answers questions about alcohol and drinking during pregnancy, and provides a list of resources.

MedlinePlus

Website: http://medlineplus.gov/

This Web site provides access to extensive information about specific diseases and conditions. MedlinePlus provides links to consumer health information from the National Institutes of Health, dictionaries, lists of hospitals and doctors, health information in Spanish and other languages, and information about clinical trials.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

31 Center Drive, Rm. 2A32 MSC 2425
Bethesda, MD 20892-2425
Phone: 301-496-5133
Toll Free: 301-496-7101
Website: http://www.nichd.nih.gov

This Institute's clearinghouse provides various publications on healthy pregnancy.

March of Dimes Pregnancy and Newborn Health Education Center

Toll Free: 888–663–4637
Website: http://www.modimes.org

Various publications on pregnancy and breastfeeding.

For Your Information

Taking care of your bones is important throughout life, including before, during, and after pregnancy and breastfeeding. A balanced diet with adequate calcium, regular exercise, and a healthy lifestyle are good for mothers and their babies.

Calcium. Although this important mineral is important throughout your lifetime, your body's demand for calcium is greater during pregnancy and breastfeeding because both you and your baby need it. The National Academy of Sciences recommends that women who are pregnant or breastfeeding consume 1,000 mg (milligrams) of calcium each day. For pregnant teens, the recommended intake is even higher: 1,300 mg of calcium a day.

Good sources of calcium include:

• low-fat dairy products, such as milk, yogurt, cheese, and ice cream
• dark green, leafy vegetables, such as broccoli, collard greens, and bok choy
• canned sardines and salmon with bones
• tofu, almonds, and corn tortillas
• foods fortified with calcium, such as orange juice, cereals, and breads.

In addition, your doctor probably will prescribe a vitamin and mineral supplement to take during pregnancy and breastfeeding to ensure that you get enough of this important mineral.

Exercise. Like muscles, bones respond to exercise by becoming stronger. Regular exercise, especially weight-bearing exercise that forces you to work against gravity, helps build and maintain strong bones. Examples of weight-bearing exercise include walking, climbing stairs, dancing, and weight training. Exercising during pregnancy can benefit your health in other ways, too. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, being active during pregnancy can:

• help reduce backaches, constipation, bloating, and swelling
• help prevent or treat gestational diabetes (a type of diabetes that starts during pregnancy)
• increase energy
• improve mood
• improve posture
• promote muscle tone, strength, and endurance
• help you sleep better
• help you get back in shape after your baby is born.

Before you begin or resume an exercise program, talk to your doctor about your plans.

Healthy lifestyle. Smoking is bad for your baby, bad for your bones, and bad for your heart and lungs. If you smoke, talk to your doctor about quitting. He or she can suggest resources to help you. Alcohol also is bad for pregnant and breastfeeding women and their babies, and excess alcohol is bad for bones. Be sure to follow your doctor's orders to avoid alcohol during this important time.

Breastfeeding also affects a mother's bones. Studies have shown that women often lose 3 to 5 percent of their bone mass during breastfeeding, although they recover it rapidly after weaning. This bone loss may be caused by the growing baby's increased need for calcium, which is drawn from the mother's bones. The amount of calcium the mother needs depends on the amount of breast milk produced and how long breastfeeding continues. Women also may lose bone mass during breastfeeding because they're producing less estrogen, which is the hormone that protects bones. The good news is that, like bone lost during pregnancy, bone lost during breastfeeding is usually recovered within 6 months after breastfeeding ends.