Chapter 4: Helping women stay healthy
Talking to women about food
Talk to women about the food they eat. The earlier women start eating healthier
foods, the better chance they have to stay healthy, to have normal births, and to
have healthy babies.
To find out whether a woman is
eating well, ask her what she
usually eats, and how much. For
example: “What did you eat
yesterday?” Be sure to tell her what
is healthy about what she eats.
Then make a suggestion for how
I eat cassava
every day, and I
usually have
some fish — or
beans cooked
with onions and
tomatoes, and I
drink soda pop.
That sounds good.
Cassava gives energy.
Beans and fish give
strength. If you drink
fruit juice instead of
soda pop, and you also
eat some green
vegetables, you will
get more vitamins.
she could eat better.
Even if a woman knows the best
foods for health, she may not eat them. Many
families cannot afford to buy enough food or a
wide variety of foods. Other women simply may
not like the taste of some foods. To help a
woman eat better, suggest healthy foods that she can and will choose to eat.
Eat more food
Pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding need to eat more than usual.
The extra food gives them enough energy and strength, and helps their babies grow.
Some pregnant women feel nauseated and do not want to eat. But pregnant
women need to eat enough — even when they do not feel well. Simple foods like
chapatis, tortillas, or rice can be easier for these women to eat.
Eat a variety of foods
It is important for pregnant
women (like everyone else)
to eat different kinds of
food: main foods
(carbohydrates),
grow foods (proteins),
glow foods (vitamins
and minerals), and
go foods (fats, oils,
and sugar), along with
plenty of fluids.
For a healthier body,
eat many kinds of foods.
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A Book for Midwives (2010)