PregnancyAndChildCare.org

During pregnancy, many people might have advised you to avoid the consumption of any kind of alcohol. Studies have shown that women who drink red wine or alcohol are putting their unborn child to suffer from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome ( FAS ).Those baby’s suffering from this syndrome have problems related to central nervous system, facial deformities and poor growth, which can occur before and after the birth of the baby.
The problems include permanent damage, that can never be cured with treatment. This is why pregnant women are told not to consume red wine or any other alcoholic beverages. FAS occurs in those women who consume large amounts of alcohol, but if a woman takes in a moderately, then they do not cause any harm to the babies.

Drinking Red Wine During Pregnancy
There is no proper research study to claim that consuming red wine or alcohol during pregnancy can cause damage to the unborn baby. Drinking in large amounts can however have its harmful effects. Drinking red wine in a very mild manner like having 2-3 glasses in a week is found that it does not cause any harm to the baby. There are many women who drank red wine very lightly during their pregnancy and who have given birth to healthy and normal babies.
Many women have a question whether red wine is good for health, but this is found to be very controversial because it varies from place to place. In America, pregnant women are told not to have red wine, but in France, women are advised to drink red wine.

What are the Health Benefits of Red Wine

• Studies have shown that children born to those mothers who consume red wine during pregnancy, have less cognitive defects or any behavioral problems, when compared to those women who abstained from alcohol completely.
• Drinking red wine has also found to be of great help in the development of a child.
• Girls born to mothers who consume red wine are more emotionally stable when compared to those born to mothers who have not consumed red wine.
• Children born to these mothers are able to identify letters, colors, shapes, numbers etc.
• It is also seen that when a woman experiences preterm contractions, when they drink red wine, it helps in reducing the contractions.
• Children who are born prematurely have greater chances of survival if born to mothers who drink this red wine.

If red wine is taken moderately, then it has certain benefits, but that does not mean that you start drinking even when you are not used to drinking. If you were drinking before conceiving, then you may not be able to stop suddenly. Stop it slowly and if you have any doubt regarding the consumption of red wine, you can ask your gynecologist. However, never drink more than 2 glasses every day as it can cause mental damage to the unborn baby. Try to limit the take after consulting you doctor.

Pregnancy

This article was written by referring to Yahoo Answers.

Many pregnant women are concerning about their pregnancy. A question has been brought up in a discussion :

I’ve been eating cheese and yogurt… and that seems to be fine to eat.
but milk and ice cream kill me!!!
Do I have to make myself drink it for the baby?

Here are the comments and suggestions :

1. If you are lactose intolerant, you can buy soy milk, etc. I also hated milk, not because of intolerance, but just didn’t like it. My Dr. said a quart a day–my solution was to buy something like Nestles Quick and put in my milk. The chocolate taste made it taste good enough for me to drink. It is important for you to get enough calcium while you are pregnant because the baby will take what he/she needs and you could come up short to protect your own bones, teeth, etc. You can also check with your OB/GYN to see if he has any suggestions like taking a calcium supplement, etc.
2. No. You can get calcium from other sources. The reason that cheese and yogurt sit better is because they have enzymes in them that aid in digestion. Pasturized milk and ice cream do not. There are over the counter products that temporarily give you those enzymes and will help you if you want to eat ice cream or drink milk.
   There are some good natural supplements that give you way more calcium than milk. Look up spirulina…it’s an awesome source of calcium!
   P.S. Chocolate and caffiene interfere with your body’s ability to absorb calcium, so if you’re concerned about not getting enough, avoid those.
3. Don’t force yourself to drink milk if you’re lactose intolerant. The yogurt and cheese will help as sources of calcium. You can check with your pracitioner to see if you’re getting enough calcium or not. If not, he/she can prescribe a calcium supplement for you. The biggest problem with too much cheese is constipation.
   Also, Natrel makes a lactose free milk in homo, 1 and 2 percent and skim milk if you’re very concerned about your milk intake.
4. I am lactose intolerant…. you can get lactose free milk if you like it, that being said, I couldn’t even take milk in my TEA (decaf) when I was pregnant – the dairy killed me – lactose intolerance aside, it made me completely nauseous. Go for other calcium rich foods, some vegetables and fruits are loaded with it, and when all else failed (and I could eat again) mac & cheese or grilled cheese sandwiches or yogurt with granola all stood in for milk in a rather large way…
5. No, of course you don’t have to drink milk. (There are many cultures in which animal milk isn’t used at all. Vegans never drink milk.) Making yourself sick by eating a food you can’t tolerate doesn’t help your baby in any way.
   Eat a balanced diet. Include in it whatever dairy products you CAN tolerate (yogurt is usually good for LI folks). If you like milk, you can drink the lactose free type, or take the lactaid pills. But if you don’t like it, a varied diet and your prenatal vitamins will cover all your bases.
   (And, just to clear up one myth, the fact that you are LI doesn’t mean that your baby will be. Infants are never lactose intolerant, so if baby has difficulty with your breastmilk, or with a standard formula, don’t let anyone try to tell you that it’s becuase he’s LI. )
6. No, you don’t. What baby (and you) need is what is found in the milk and ice cream, not the products themselves. Calcium is important for building strong bones in both your quickly growing little one and yourself, but you certainly don’t need to make yourself sick in order to make sure you get enough. Aside from yogurt and cheese (both excellent sources of Calcium), you can take a Calcium supplement. Just be sure to O.K. it with your doctor first. Congratulations on your baby!
7. I’m 36 weeks pregnant and haven’t had cow’s milk for a loooong time =) I do eat cheese and when i can, ice-cream, but i’m a little sensitive to Lactose.. Baby is growing fine and i’ve had no problems at all. I guess the only thing is the calcium. You can get Calcium enriched Soymilk which is what i drink, otherwise i’d say take suppliment pills because your bones/teeth get really weak while pregnant >.< Good luck!
8. Don’t eat something that you have an intolerance to! Stressing your body is the worst possible thing you can do for the baby!
   I would speak to your doctor and maybe have an allergy test. It might be that goats milk works for you. But really, all you need to eat is your normal healthy diet.
9. Cheese and yogurt are a great addition to support your growing fetus. Instead of milk try drinking soy milk. It taste better and it has just about if more nutrients like calcium and vitamin D. Most importantly its great for lactose and tolerant people.
10. You can get calcium from plenty of other sources. Cheese, yogurt, fortified soy milk, fortified tofu, broccoli, dark green leafy vegetables and fortified orange juice all have enough calcium.

Baby Nutrition Care