Pregnancy: The 9-Month Marathon

Nursery décor.  Daycare. The just-right designer stroller.

When you’re pregnant, there’s no shortage of decisions.

But what about  the myriad of other health choices pregnant women make, almostunconsciously? Whether to reach for that second slice of pizza, or try an apple instead? If  they should take a post-dinner walk around the neighborhood, or camp out on the couch (with a book of baby names)? Late night TV, or a solid eight hours of sleep?

And of course, we’ve all heard the phrase “eating for two,” but what does that really mean? Is pregnancy really cart blanche to pound your way through a nightly pint of Haagan-Daz? Or does it, perhaps, suggest something more powerful – that expecting women have a unique responsibility to make health choices for not only themselves, but, by default, for their babies?

Sure, noshing on a nutrient-rich diet when you’re nauseated – or when you’re only craving french fries and pickles – isn’t easy. Neither is working out when you’re exhausted from growing a human.

Still, these healthy habits are incredibly important. In the clip below, we asked maternal fetal medicine expert Dr. Loralei Thornburg to explain why.

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Craving Social Support for Your Pregnancy?

Researchers from the University of Rochester and Cornell University have teamed up to launch a major study, “eMoms Rochester,” that will assess how effectively electronic and web-based strategies can promote healthy behaviors in women both during pregnancy and immediately after their babies are born.

This innovative research effort is the first of its kind and part of a broader federal initiative to evaluate how technologies, such as cell phones, can be employed to improve health.  Women who participate will not only receive information on how to be healthy during and after their pregnancies, but could also receive up to $140 in gift cards as a small “thank you.”

Want more information about the “eMoms Rochester” study? Just visit www.emomsroc.orgor call (585) 273-3090.

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*  The above story is adapted from materials provided by University of Rochester Medical Center

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