What are the problems faced by women after pregnancy?

Your body has been through quite the ordeal to give birth to your baby, and you will need adequate time to recover. With a normal, vaginal birth you will bleed for a few weeks following birth as well as feel pain in the genital area (especially if you tore during delivery). You may also experience hemorrhoids (due to pushing), and lower back pain for about 3 months following delivery. A cesarean section, on the other hand, will have additional itching and scarring to deal with for at least 4-weeks. Incision pain can last up to 8 weeks. (baby weight chart) You will also have to refrain from sex and halt any exercise for at least 10 weeks.
1. Breastfeeding is a very unique thing women feel especially for the first time mums.
2. You will start to feel hair loss.
3. Body changes are quite common in pregnancy.
4. Skin discoloration happens with some percentage of women.
5. Belly size increases.
6. Your breast size increases.

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Which is the correct month for intake of folic acid during pregnancy?

Folic acid is a B vitamin that has been shown to reduce the risk of spina bifida. 1 mg (1000 micrograms) is recommended during the month prior to pregnancy and for the first 2 months after conception to reduce this risk.

More folic acid may be recommended if you have a personal or family history of spina bifida including a prior affected child. A prenatal vitamin is a general multivitamin with 800-1000 micrograms of folic acid, as well as calcium and iron. Most women continue their vitamins after the second month to help reduce anemia and make up for any imperfections in the diet. If you are not anemic and eat a well-balanced diet, stopping prenatal vitamins at 2 months of pregnancy is acceptable.

After 12 weeks the baby begins to make bone and will draw the necessary calcium from your bones. To prevent bone loss 1000-1500 mg of calcium is recommended. This equates to 4-5 servings of milk, yogurt or dairy. Since this is difficult to consume, take a calcium supplement (usually 500-600 mg) to make up the difference. Don’t take calcium and iron (in the multivitamin) at the same time as they can offset each other’s absorption. While calcium citrate (“Citracal”) is the best absorbed, other types of calcium such as fruit flavored “Tums” and “Viactiv” (chocolate flavored) may be more appealing.

 If you eat fish 3 times weekly you are getting plenty of Omega-3 fatty acids, or Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs). If not, take a supplement containing 200mg of DHA (from fish oil or flax seed oil). There is a growing body of evidence that EFA deficiency may contribute to a number of pregnancy complications including preterm labor and pre-eclampsia. EFAs may help fetal eye and brain development, may improve mom’s skin, hair, and nails and are also passed into breast milk. Prenatal vitamins are vital in the wake of the increased demands of pregnancy. Growing a new person isn’t easy on your body, and you will require additional vitamins and minerals in your diet—like folic acid, calcium, and iron—for a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. Rather than just selecting a prenatal vitamin yourself, talk to your doctor or midwife about if you need a special formulation (i.e., in cases of anemia or nutritional deficiencies), and if a tablet, capsule, or liquid prenatal vitamin will work most efficiently.

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