Pregnancy, Breastfeeding and Bone Health!
Ladies!
Ladies! Hope you all are doing fine. Well, today we are going to talk about
Pregnancy, Breastfeeding and Bone Health! And as we all know that Motherhood is
one of the best things that a women can experience but it is also as painful as
beautiful it is and all of this can only be understood by a women who has been
through it. Motherhood changes the life of a women totally, right from the
feelings, to the body to mental health and so on.
But
what’s the harm in knowing about the things that can affect a woman’s body
during pregnancy, right. And that is the reason why we shall tell you things
that you need to know about Pregnancy, Breastfeeding and your Bone Health.
“Being a mom has made me so tired. And so happy.”
—Tina Fey
Both
pregnancy and breastfeeding are revolutionary, and they place additional
demands on women. Some of these may affect their bones. The good news is that
most women do not have orthopaedic problems during pregnancy and lactation. And
when their bones get damaged during these times, the problem is usually easily
fixed. However, orthopaedic care is especially important during pregnancy and
lactation, for the health of the mother and her baby.
Pregnancy and orthopaedic health:
During
pregnancy, the developing foetus needs a lot of calcium to develop its skeletal
structure. This need is especially great during the last 3 months of pregnancy.
If the mother does not get enough calcium, her baby will get what it needs from
the mother's bones. Therefore, it is puzzling that many women of childbearing
age do not have the habit of getting enough calcium. Fortunately, pregnancy
seems to help protect many women's calcium reserves in a number of ways:
·
Pregnant women absorb
more calcium from foods and supplements than non-pregnant women. This is
especially true during the latter part of pregnancy, when the baby is growing
fast and has a high need for calcium.
·
During pregnancy, women
produce more estrogen, a hormone that protects the bones.
·
Any bone lost during
pregnancy is usually restored within a few months after the baby is born (or a
few months after breastfeeding is stopped).
Some
studies suggest that pregnancy may be good for general bone health. Other
evidence suggests that the more frequent a woman is pregnant (at least 28
weeks), the more likely her bones are to be tight and reduce the risk of
fractures.
In
some cases, women develop osteoporosis during pregnancy or lactation, although
this is rare. Osteoporosis bone loss is so severe that it can cause weak bones
and an increased risk of fractures.
In
most cases, women who develop osteoporosis during pregnancy or breastfeeding
will find lost bone after birth or after stopping breastfeeding. It is unclear
whether young mothers can recover from their bones and continue growing their
bones.
Teen pregnancy and bone health
- Young mothers may be at greater risk for bone loss during pregnancy and for
arthritis later in life. Unlike older women, teenage mothers are still building
their own bones. The foetus' need to develop a bone marrow transplant may
compete with the young mother's need for calcium to build up her own bones,
compromising her ability to gain full bone mass that will protect her from
further bone loss later in life. To reduce any bone loss, pregnant teens should
be especially careful about getting enough calcium during pregnancy and
lactation.
Breastfeeding and bone health:
Breastfeeding
also affects the mother's bones. Studies have shown that women often lose 3 to
5 percent of their bones during breastfeeding, although they recover quickly
after weaning. This loss of bone may be due to an increase in the baby's need
for calcium, which is released from the mother's bones. The amount of calcium a
mother needs depends on the amount of breast milk produced and how long breastfeeding
lasts. Women may also lose weight during breastfeeding because they produce
less estrogen, a hormone that protects the bones. The good news is that, like
the bone that was lost during pregnancy, the bone that was lost during
breastfeeding usually recovers within a few months after the end of
breastfeeding.
Although,
one can’t do much so that they are never affected by this the moment you start experiencing
motherhood, these things come as a bonus, so what we can do instead have good
healthy food and fit. So, what are the things that can be done in order to keep
your bones healthy during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
A
nutritious diet with enough calcium, regular exercise, and a healthy lifestyle
for mothers and their babies.
Calcium
- Although this mineral is important throughout your life, your body's need for
calcium is great during pregnancy and breastfeeding because both you and your
baby need it. The National Academy of Sciences recommends that pregnant or
breastfeeding women consume 1,000 mg (milligrams) of calcium each day. For new
pregnant women, the recommended diet is even higher: 1,300 mg of calcium per
day.
Good
sources of calcium include:
·
Low fat dairy products,
such as milk, yoghurt, cheese and ice cream.
·
Dark green leafy
vegetables, such as broccoli, collard greens, and bok choy.
·
Canned sardines and bone
marrow - salmon.
·
Tofu, almonds, and corn
tortillas.
·
Calcium-enriched food and
fruits such as orange juice, cereals, and breads.
In
addition, your doctor will probably give you a vitamin and mineral supplement
that you can take during pregnancy and breastfeeding to ensure you get enough
of this important mineral.
Exercise
- Like muscle, bones respond to strength training. Regular exercise, especially
weight-bearing and resistance exercises, is essential. Examples of
weight-bearing exercises include walking, climbing stairs, and dancing.
Exercise - such as lifting weights - can also strengthen bones. Exercise during
pregnancy can benefit your health in other ways, too. According to the American
College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, working during pregnancy can:
·
It will help reduce back
pain, constipation, constipation, and inflammation.
·
Help prevent or treat
gestational diabetes (a type of diabetes that starts during pregnancy).
·
Increase strength.
·
Improve heart rate.
·
Improve posture.
·
Improve muscle tone,
strength, and endurance.
·
Please sleep better.
·
Help you get back on
track after your baby is born.
·
Before you start or
restart an exercise program, talk to your doctor about your plans.
A
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 may suggest resources that will help you. Alcohol is also bad for pregnant
and breastfeeding women and their babies, and too much alcohol is bad for the
bones. Be sure to follow your doctor's instructions to avoid alcohol during
this important time.
Thus,
the above mentioned things are really important for one to know when it
concerns about Pregnancy, Breastfeeding and Bone Health. My dear ladies,
pregnancy or motherhood is the gift of life and a woman loves to experience
this feeling at least once in life but as we all know and also told earlier
that some thigs are not in our control and become a part of our lives
unwantedly just like weak bone health when one is pregnant but we can do is
that we can take care of ourselves by having healthy food and staying fit by
exercising daily.