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3Tips for Your Healthiest Pregnancy -- By Becky Hand & Nicole Nichols

Protect Your Daughter from Breast Cancer

Recently, scientists studied the effects of diet on mice that were genetically modified to develop breast cancer. Once bred, they fed female mice a diet high in either omega-3 fatty acids or omega-6 fatty acids throughout pregnancy and while breastfeeding their young mice. Once weaned, the young female mice continued on either the omega-3 or omega-6 diet. All the baby mice on the omega-6 fatty acid diet showed tumor development by 6 months of age, while those on the healthy, omega-3 fatty acid diet had only 13% incidence of tumor development.

Most people’s diets are high in meat, eggs, poultry, snack crackers, chips, sweets, baked goods, vegetables oils, and margarine—foods high in omega-6 fatty acids and low in omega-3 fatty acids. This type diet may actually increase the risk for breast cancer.

BabyFit Tip: Your daughter’s risk of developing breast cancer is likely reduced when you:
eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy and lactation, and
continue to feed her a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids after weaning.

Include 2-3 servings of foods high in omega-3 fatty acids (foods such as flaxseed, flaxseed oil, canola oil, soybeans, soybean oil, walnuts, fish and shellfish) each week.

*Due to t he concern of mercury contamination during pregnancy and breastfeeding, read “Casting Your Net on Seafood Safety” for guidelines.

Take a Good Look…at Your Kids

Today so many people are overweight or obese that it is sometimes viewed as the norm. This can make it difficult for parents to recognize if their child has a weight problem. A recent study surveying the parents of almost 300 children found:

Only 25% of the parents with an overweight child recognized that the child had a weight problem.

When the child was obese, one-third of the mothers and one-half of fathers indicated that the child’s weight was "about right".

Parents who were overweight themselves were no better or worse at identifying a weight problem in their child.

BabyFit Tip: At well-child check ups, discuss weight issues with your child’s pediatrician. Seek out ways to involve the entire family in healthy eating habits and fitness routines. Check out these websites for ideas: International Food Information Council, American Heart Association, and American Academy of Pediatrics.

ZZZZZZZ...

A recent study conducted by the UCSF School of Nursing found that inadequate sleep during late pregnancy (this study took place in the ninth month) influences labor length and delivery type. Compared to women who slept on average seven or more hours each night, researchers found that:

women who averaged less than six hours of sleep per night had significantly longer labors and were 4.5 times more likely to have cesarean deliveries, and women who averaged between six and seven hours of sleep per night were 3.7 times more likely to have a cesarean delivery.

BabyFit Tip: While this is the first study of its kind, making it hard to apply these findings to all women, it’s no secret that both sleep problems and chronic fatigue have adverse effects on your physical and psychological well-being. If you have trouble meeting your sleep requirements, try:
Increasing the amount of time you spend in bed. Going to bed earlier, or merely relaxing in bed (even if you don’t feel tired) will help you fall asleep sooner.

Be sure to discuss your sleeping patterns with your healthcare provider. "Similar to advice that women should 'eat for two' when pregnant, healthcare providers should consider recommending that women also sleep for two," says study author Kathryn Lee, RN, PhD, FAAN, professor and the James and Marjorie Livingston Chair in the UCSF School of Nursing.

For more tips on relieving stress and getting better sleep, read: ”Slip Into a Steady Slumber”, ”Pregnant and Feeling Stressed”, and the ”Relaxation and Meditation Survival Guide”.