After You Deliver — Health Tips for Moms

     
Idaho CareLine: In Idaho, Dial 2-1-1 or 800-926-2588

 

(En Español)

After You Deliver:
Health Tips for Moms

If you want to know about other health issues, your health care professional can tell you where to find help. We hope the following information will help you and your family stay healthy after you deliver your baby.

Eat Right for Good Health

Food Guide Pyramid for Young Children 2-6 Years Old. For special diet needs, see specialized food pyramids.

• The Food Guide Pyramid at right was designed for healthy Americans two years of age or more.
• Use the Food Guide Pyramid and food labels to plan meals and snacks for you and your children.
• No one food supplies all the vitamins and minerals needed for good health.
• Eat a wide variety of foods from each of the five major food groups in the Food Guide Pyramid every day.
• Adult serving sizes are stated for the Food Guide Pyramid. Slightly smaller serving sizes are fine for preschool-age children, but they still need two cups of milk a day.
• Your local clinic or health care provider can explain the number of servings you and your children need.

What Counts as a Serving?

Eat Foods Containing Folic Acid Every Day

What Is Folic Acid?

Folic acid is:

• also called folate or folacin;
• a B-vitamin everyone needs for good health; and
• especially important for all young girls and women of child-bearing age (ages 11-45) to protect their unborn babies.

Why Is Folic Acid Important?

You need folic acid:

• throughout your child-bearing years;
• to have a healthy baby;
• at least one month before becoming pregnant;
• during the early weeks of pregnancy;
• so your unborn baby’s brain and spine will form properly; and
• to build red blood cells.

Use Food Labels To Select Foods That Contain Folic Acid

• Use the Nutrition Facts panel on food labels to find foods that contain folic acid.
• Foods that provide 10 percent or more of the Daily Value (DV) are good sources of folic acid.
• Your local clinic or health care provider can show you how to read a food label.

How Much Folic Acid Do I Need?

400 micrograms (400 mcg):

• are recommended every day for most women of child-bearing age;
• are found in many daily vitamin pills for adults; and
• are equal to 100 percent of the Daily Value (DV) for folic acid.

How Can I Get The Folic Acid I Need?

• By eating the number of servings of food in the Vegetable Group, the Fruit Group, and the Bread/Cereal/Rice/Pasta Group recommended by the Food Guide Pyramid, or
• By taking a daily vitamin pill that contains the recommend amount of folic acid.

Important Reminders

• Ask your health care provider about the need for a daily vitamin pill containing folic acid, especially if you are thinking about having a baby or become pregnant.
• Eating right, including foods that are good sources of folic acid, is still important even if you take a daily vitamin pill.

What Foods Are Important Sources of Folic Acid?

• Ready-to-eat breakfast cereals.

Choose cereals that provide at least 25 percent of the Daily Value (DV) for folic acid per serving. Cereals that provide 100 percent of the DV for folic acid (400 mcg) per serving contain as much folic acid as many daily vitamin pills.

• Enriched bread and cereal grain products. These include breads, buns/rolls, cornmeal, corn grits, flour, macaroni, noodles, and rice.
   
• Whole-grain breads and wheat germ. These include breads, bagels, and muffins made with whole wheat, rye, oat bran, or wheat germ. Also, wheat germ by itself is a good source of folic acid.
   
• Citrus and other fruits and their juices. These include oranges, orange juice, pineapple juice, avocados, honeydew melons, and mangos.
   
• Green leafy and other vegetables. These include asparagus, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, bok-choy, collar/mustard/turnip greens, cauliflower, corn, endive, green peas, parsnips, romaine lettuce, and spinach.
   
• Cooked dry beans/peas or lentils. These include baked beans, lima beans, black beans, pinto beans, split peas, and roasted soybeans.
   
• Cooked liver and giblets. These include liver from beef, pork, and poultry as well as chicken giblets.
   
• Nuts and Seeds. These include almonds, cashews, mixed nuts, peanuts, Spanish peanuts, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds.  (Note: Check with your health care provider before feeding nuts, seeds, peanut butter, and other nut/seed butters to young children, due to the risk of choking and food allergies.)
   
• Other Foods. These include a slice of cheese pizza, a burrito with beans, an enchilada with beans and cheese, and chili.

Ways To Use Foods Containing Folic Acid

• Use fortified cereals and wheat germ to make breads, muffins, cookies, or meat loaf.
• Choose 100 percent citrus juice instead of soda, tea, coffee, or juice drinks.
• Eat fruits, nuts, and seeds as a snack or dessert.
• Eat raw vegetables in salads or with a dip.
• Eat vegetables steamed or baked, rather than boiled. Boiling vegetables can make them lose folic acid and other vitamins.
• Add cooked dry beans and peas or lentils to soups, salads, and casseroles.
• Add nuts and seed to salads, stir-fry dishes, baked breads, and cookies.
   

Breastfeeding Is Best

Why Is Breastfeeding Great for Babies?

Why Is Breastfeeding Great for Moms?

Because breastfeeding:

• Is something special you can do for your baby;
• Helps moms and babies bond;
• Is a time for moms to relax and enjoy their babies;
• Is cheaper and easier than bottle feeding;
• Helps a woman’s womb (uterus) return to normal size;
• May help moms lose the weight they gained during pregnancy; and
• May protect moms against breast cancer.

Most Moms Can Breastfeed, Including Those:

• Of all ages;
• With small breasts;
• Who had multiple births;
• Who had a C-section (Cesarean section); and
• Who work or go to school.

Breastfeed This Time or Next Time

• If you are breastfeeding, good for you and baby too!
• While breastfeeding is natural, you may feel unsure of yourself in the beginning. Be patient about learning this new skill.
• Your partner, family, and friends can provide loving support to help make breastfeeding a success.
• See the section on "Avoid Tobacco, Alcohol, and Other Drugs" for more information about breastfeeding.
• If you are not breastfeeding, think about it if you have another baby.
• Your local clinic or health care provider can help if you have questions about breastfeeding.

Immunize Against Disease

What Does "Immunize" Mean?

• Immunizations, vaccinations, and vaccines, including those taken by mouth, all are terms commonly used for "shots."
• Shots protect people against diseases like measles, mumps, polio, and whooping cough.
• These diseases can cause blindness, deafness, breathing problems, brain damage, or death.

Who Needs Shots?

• Shots are not just for babies. Older children, teen-agers, and adults need them, too.
• Breastfeeding helps protect babies from infections. But, breastfed babies still need their shots on time.
• Everyone needs shots on time to help protect against disease.

When Are Shots Needed?

For babies:

• Babies should get their first shots shortly after birth.
• At least three visits for shots are needed before the first birthday.

For children, teen-agers, and adults:

• One or two additional visits for shots are needed before the second birthday.
• Other shots are needed when a child starts school.
• More shots are needed by older children, teen-agers, and adults, too.
• If you want to become pregnant, be sure that your own shots and those of your children are up-to-date.

For everyone:

• Ask your health care provider or your local clinic or health care provider for a shot schedule.
• Keep a shot record for each of your children and yourself.

GENERAL SCHEDULE FOR IMMUNIZATIONS
Age	Hep B	DTaP	Hib	Polio	MMR	Td	Varicella	PCV7 5
Birth	X
2 Months	X	X	X	X				X
4 Months		X	X	X				X
6 Months	X	X	X1	X2				X
12-18 Months		X	X	X3	X		X	X
4-6 Years		X		X	X4		or
11-12 Years					X4	X	X

Footnotes:         1 - May be due depending on vaccine used.
                        2 - Due only if used oral polio vaccine (OPV) for first two doses.
                        3 - Due if used injectable polio vaccine (IPV) for the two doses.
                        4 - Can be given at 4-6 or 11-12 years of age.
                        5 - PCV7: pneumococcal conjugate vaccine protects against serious pneumococcal infections
 

Are Shots Safe?

• Yes, shots are safe. Serious reactions are very rare.
• Sometimes there are mild reactions, such as a fever or soreness, redness, or swelling where the shot was given.
• Any reactions to shots usually go away after a few hours or days.

How Much Do Shots Cost?

• Many places offer shots free or at low cost.
• Ask your local clinic or health care provider where you can save money on shots.

Where Should You Go For Shots?

• Local health departments or clinics
• Most doctor’s offices
• Some health fairs
• Call the Idaho CareLine for a referral (2-1-1 or 208-926-2588).

Avoid Tobacco, Alcohol, and Other Drugs

• Tobacco is smoked in cigarettes, cigars, and pipes. Second-hand smoke is tobacco smoke in the air.
• Snuff is a form of smokeless or spit tobacco that is chewed, sniffed, or "dipped."
• Alcohol use includes drinking liquor, mixed drinks, beer, wines, and wine coolers.
• Street (illegal) drugs have many names and forms, and are used in different ways. Examples of street drugs are cocaine/crack, heroin, marijuana, and LSD.
• Common household products, such as cleaning fluids, aerosol (spray) cans, and glues, can be harmful drugs if they are sniffed, inhaled, or drunk.
• Medicines (both those prescribed by a health care provider and store-bought drugs, such as sleeping, pain, and diet pills) also can be harmful drugs when not used as directed.

Why Is Using Drugs Harmful?

Tobacco

• Smoking tobacco increases your risk of lung disease, stroke, heart attack, cancer, and early wrinkled skin.
• Using smokeless or spit tobacco increases your risk of gum disease, mouth sores, cancer, and high blood pressure.
• Breathing second-hand smoke is called "passive" smoking. It is harmful to everyone, especially young children. It increases one’s risk of lung problems, cancer, and respiratory tract infections.

Alcohol

• Alcohol is harmful if used too often or in large amounts. It can damage your liver and other organs of your body.

Other Drugs

• Using street drugs even once can harm your body and brain and possibly kill you.
• Sniffing, inhaling, or drinking common household cleaning products even once also can be fatal.
• Using medicines other than as directed can be harmful or fatal.

All Drugs

• Using tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs can cause you to become "hooked" or dependent on them for life.
• If you are thinking about having a baby or become pregnant, using tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs, including some medicines, can harm your unborn baby.
• If you are breastfeeding, using tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs, including some medicines, can affect your breast milk and harm your baby.

Protect Yourself From Drugs

• Reducing or stopping your use of tobacco, alcohol, or other drugs is best. Your local clinic or health care provider can tell you where to get help.
• Ask your family and friends to support your decision not to use tobacco, alcohol, or other drugs.
• Check your local phone book for listings of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA). Also, under the "smoking" listings of your local phone book, you may find contacts on how to stop smoking or call the Idaho CareLine at 2-1-1 or 1-800-926-2588 for a referral to a program in your area.

Protect Your Children From Drugs

• If you are breastfeeding and use tobacco, alcohol, or medicines, check with your health care provider about how to safely breastfeed your baby.
• If you are thinking about having a baby or become pregnant, do not use tobacco, alcohol, or other drugs. Check with your health care provider before using any medicine.
• Set a good example for your children by not using tobacco, alcohol, or other drugs.
• Sit with your children in non-smoking areas in restaurants and other buildings.
• Make "no smoking" a rule inside your home for family and friends.
• Ask others not to smoke around you or your children.
• Store household cleaning products and medicines out of the reach of your children.
• Talk to your children at a young age about why using tobacco, alcohol, or other drugs is harmful.
• Be aware that persons who use tobacco, alcohol, or other drugs place children in their care at risk of accidents, injury, and violence.

Final Note to Mom

• The health tips in this article may help you now or in the future.
• Your local clinic or health care provider also can refer you to other persons or places for additional help or more information.

Having a new baby is a very special event. Now you should relax and enjoy being a mom.

Article from a brochure prepared by the USDA, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, Program Aid No. 1602, December 1997. Information on folic acid in the booklet was adapted from materials produced by the Bureau of Women and Children Texas Department of Health.  Information on immunization in the booklet was adapted from materials produced by the National Immunization Campaign and the New York State Immunization Campaign.  

 

Additional Resources

(Note: You'll find these articles at different web sites. Use the "back" button when you're done to return to this page.)

Folic Acid Reduces Birth Defects

Immunization Topic Area

Nutrition / Breastfeeding Topic Area

Perinatal Substance Abuse - Is she at risk?

Is it really important to completely quit drinking or smoking during pregnancy? Isn't moderation the answer?

---

---