Pregnancy: Diet and Physical Health

UPDATE: NPR has now posted an article on the relationship between a pregnant woman's choices and the health of their baby based on some new scientific study. It can be read here.
 
I recently read this passage from the Baha'i Writings on the importance of the role of the mother, even before the birth of the baby:

The great importance attached to the mother’s role derives from the fact that she is the first educator of the child. Her attitude, her prayers, even what she eats and her physical condition have a great influence on the child when it is still in the womb. (1)

It stood out to me because it emphasizes the importance of nutrition and physical condition during during pregnancy which we often see neglected by women. There is a popular belief by women that pregnancy provides an excuse to eat whatever you want, as much as you want of it and whenever you want. It's as if pregnancy provides an excuse for gluttony (one of the seven deadly sins) and not just over-eating, but indulging in whatever unhealthy food that is available such as foods high in fat and sugar, simple carbohydrates and fried. 

Time and again we see this destructive pattern around us, so much so that it eventually becomes normal and acceptable, but the truth is that it's not. Not taking care of your body at any time of your life is simply not acceptable and it is especially important during the time in which you are growing a human being who will become responsible for carrying forward the human race. Eating poorly and over-eating causes many diseases such as heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. During pregnancy, it can lead to some dangerous and, at times, lethal conditions such as metabolic toxemia of late pregnancy, also known as preeclampsia, eclampsia, or HELLP syndrome as well as various anemias and infections.

We must remember that our child will be nourished through the food we eat, not the food that we do not eat. If we are eating a diet full of fat, sugar, caffeine and processed chemicals, but lacking in protein, vitamins, folic acid, calcium and iron, how will the baby receive those essential vitamins and nutrients? If we don't supply our body with these nutrients through our diet, then these nutrients are not available for our baby and this increases the chances for us of having a high risk pregnancy and an unhealthy baby.

This passage also considers the aspect of the women's physical condition. To me this refers to the health and strength of the body. It seems to me that if there is ever an excuse to take care of your body, the time is during pregnancy. Pregnancy places a lot of stress on the women's body as it is going through many changes - hormonal, emotional, physical - in order to produce new life. The body labors endlessly over the course of nine months, not even breaking during sleep and the woman often feels very tired and experiences morning sickness, back aches and pains and pinched nerves, has difficulty getting comfortable and sleeping well, to name a few common discomforts. One way to reduce, if not entirely prevent, these symptoms is through regular exercise. This is one way to stay healthy, increase energy and feel good throughout pregnancy (and life in general).

It just seems obvious that taking care of our physical health, both through diet and exercise, are some of the most important factors in having a healthy pregnancy and producing a healthy baby; I find it fascinating that the Baha'i Writings address this issue as well (of course, let's not forget attitude & prayer). If we really love our children and desire what is best for them, it makes sense that we would make efforts to be as healthy as possible while they are growing within us.