Question: I am trying to maintain a healthy weight when pregnant, can I take sugar substitutes like aspartame and saccharin?
Answer
You will find sweeteners in many diet ready meals, snacks, drinks and also in chewable vitamin supplements. Although research indicates that sweeteners are safe, some research on sugar substitutes is inconclusive and many Mindful Mum’s avoid the use of artificial sweeteners completely during pregnancy. In the UK the use of sweeteners is controlled by the Food Standards Agency which allow five licensed artifiical sweeteners:
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Iron is an important nutrient for you during pregnancy because it is essential for the developing blood supply of your baby and for your own expanding blood supply. It’s easy for pregnant women to become deficient in iron during pregnancy so its important to eat plenty of iron rich food. Mindful Mum lists sources of iron for a healthy diet during pregnancy in the cut out list below.
Continue reading “Best Vegetarian Sources of Iron for Pregnancy” →
Question: When is the best time to paint the nursery? My sister says the fumes could harm the baby if I strip paint in my first trimester?
Answer
Pregnant women should be banned from the decorating. Many parents want to make their baby’s room safe and beautiful, they rush around in the last weeks stripping wall paper, sanding and painting. However, mums-to-be should stay away during decorating because pregnant women and their fetuses are vulnerable to toxins from plaster, old paint (which may contain lead) as well as VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) fumes from new paint.
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Whether you are pregnant, breast feeding, starting the weaning process or hiding vegetables in your toddlers meals, fruit and vegetables are paramount to raising a healthy child. In the UK we are advised to eat 5 portions a day from a wide range of fruit and vegetables, but should we be buying organic?
Mindful Mum has created the following guide to picking and choosing organic fruit and vegetables. The guide is based on ‘buying organic’ when the pesticide residues in a particular food are high. There is no need to go organic when the food does not contain high levels of pesticides.
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Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a nutrient you should consume every day if you are pregnant because your body cannot store it. A good rule of thumb is to aim for at least 3 servings of vitamin C each day. If you are a fan of fruit this shouldn’t be a problem. Mindful Mum provides a list of Vitamin C food below and highlights why its such a great nutrient for you and your growing baby.
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Mindful Mum explains the benefits, research required, midwife reaction and a downloadable birth plan for a normal birth with minimal intervention used successfully by a Mindful Mum to deliver her first baby.
Continue reading “How to Write a Good Birth Plan” →
Perfume is a popular pampering gift for a Mum to be, yet scientific research studies across the globe suggest that women should avoid perfume during pregnancy. Based on Mindful Mum’s experience of hunting for a safe perfume during pregnancy, this article looks at the research, perfumes with low toxicity rating (according to the cosmetic safety database) and phthalate free perfumes available in the UK.
Continue reading “How to Find Perfume for a Pregnant Women” →
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