Pregnant women advised against overeating

A nutritionist, Nike Oshinowo of Gbagada General Hospital, Lagos, said that excessive eating during pregnancy could lead to overweight babies.
Oshinowo, who stated this during interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos, said it could make child delivery difficult.
She said: “Women should be mindful of how they eat during pregnancy to avoid having overweight babies.
“A large baby can cause problems during delivery, especially if it is a vaginal delivery.
“The sheer size of a baby alone can make labour more painful for the mother.
“Sometimes, if a baby is too large, it also increases the chances of having a caesarean section.”
Oshinowo also said that overeating by pregnant women could also cause gestational diabetes.
She said: “Every pregnant woman should realise that overeating is not healthy, not only for them, but also for their unborn babies.
“They should know that overeating may result in their babies being overweight and this increases the risk of developing gestational diabetes, which can cause many medical complications.
“This will also lead to having an overweight baby.
“The ideal weight of a newborn is between 2.5kg and 3.5kg.
“In the long run, the baby may end up being obese and this increases the risk of the baby developing diabetes later in life.”
Oshinowo advised pregnant women to control their food crave and should also not go with the notion that they are “eating for two”.
She said the first thing a woman should realise during pregnancy is that she is not eating for two.
She added: “Pregnancy does not mean you have to consume all the foods you can, but rather a pregnant woman should try to eat a balanced diet in the right proportion.
“She should seek help at the antenatal clinic in getting a meal plan that works for her and the baby and be disciplined in eating.
“Pregnant women should try to stay away from sugary foods and take lot of water on a daily basis and exercise regularly to maintain a healthy weight.”
Also, a General Physician, Dr. Emeka Amaechi, said that overeating during pregnancy could result in overweight babies who might become obese and have increased risk of developing diabetes later in life.
Amaechi said: “Overweight babies are more likely to stay overweight throughout their lives.
“These babies have increased risk of developing medical conditions like obesity, diabetes and asthma.
“Apart from having an overweight baby, a woman should also be wary of overeating to limit the risk of developing gestational diabetes.
“Gestational diabetes has been linked to cause problems like premature birth, stillbirth, miscarriage, breathing problems and jaundice in the unborn baby.”
Amaechi added that eating too much also makes the pregnant woman to gain excessive weight, which might take long to lose after delivery.
He said: “Excessive weight gained during pregnancy is difficult to lose and can also affect the way a woman perceive herself after delivery.
“This can affect the mother emotionally and lead to postpartum depression.”
PPD, also called postnatal depression, is a type of clinical depression which can affect women after childbirth.