The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children - better known as the WIC Program - serves to safeguard the health of low-income pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding women, infants, and children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk. WIC provides nutritious foods to supplement diets, information on healthy eating including breastfeeding promotion and support, and referrals to health care.
The WIC target populations are low-income, nutritionally at risk:
• Pregnant women (through pregnancy and up to 6 weeks after birth or after pregnancy ends).
• Breastfeeding women (up to infant’s 1st birthday)
• Nonbreastfeeding postpartum women (up to 6 months after the birth of an infant or after pregnancy ends)
• Infants (up to 1st birthday). WIC serves 53 percent of all infants born in the United States.
• Children up to their 5th birthday.
WIC participants have longer, healthier pregnancies and fewer premature births than those in these categories who do not participate.
If you think you or someone you know may be eligible to receive WIC services or you just want to find out more, visit the WIC website at http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/. The WIC Prescreening Tool can be used to determine if you may be eligible for WIC benefits. This Prescreening Tool is not an application for WIC, however. To apply for WIC benefits, you must make an appointment at your WIC local agency and you can find your local agency on the WIC site.
Dr. Siobhan Dolan goes food shopping to talk about the essential nutrients pregnant women need, and provides tips to maintain a healthy pregnancy diet.
Sounds odd, but some of us are so busy taking care of the small fry, not to mention the older medium and large fry and/0r work, that time flies by and we forget to eat. When I forget, I usually end up with a wicked headache. Here are some tips for healthy and quick eats for Mom.
• Hard-boiled eggs (protein’s a power house)
• Hummus scooped up with pita chips or sliced carrots, celery, peppers (keep a big bag of them in the fridge for diving into whenever the mood strikes)
• Low-fat cheese (kids love string cheese… so do I!)
• Yogurt mixed with cereal and diced fruits
• Fruit smoothies with yogurt in them
• Water, lots of water
• Whole grain crackers
• Low-fat bran muffin
• Dried fruits and nuts (I keep some in my car)
• An apple a day… what can I say? (except maybe banana)
Actually, yes, but it takes some work. The American Dietetic Association says that well-balanced, vegetarian diets can be very healthy. The trick is to make sure you take in adequate daily amounts of protein and other nutrients like vitamin B12, calcium, vitamin D, iron, and essential fatty acids.
According to the American College of Nurse-Midwives, your daily diet should include:
• 1-2 servings of dark green vegetables
• 4-5 servings of other vegetables and fruit
• 3-4 servings of bean and soy products (worried about gas?)
• 6 or more servings of whole grain products
• 1-2 servings of nuts, seeds and wheat germ
• 4 servings of vitamin B12 fortified foods
• 15 minutes of sunshine on your face and arms or 200 IU of vitamin D
• 8 servings (1200-1500 mg) of calcium-rich foods
• Iron-rich foods
• 1 tablespoon of ground flax seed or other N-3 fatty acid-rich food
There are some excellent books on vegetarian diets specifically written for pregnant women, so visit your local bookstore or look online. Talk to your health care provider about your diet before you conceive. Discuss the foods you eat, the nutrients they supply and any possible supplements your doctor may want you to take.
South Beach. Atkins. Weight Watchers. Dean Ornish. The list goes on and on. So many diets, so little time. What’s a girl to do?
Turns out, it doesn’t matter much. That’s what Harvard researchers found out when they conducted one of the best studies ever done on diets and weight loss.
They looked at three kinds of diets: low carb, low fat and reduced animal protein. (Reduced animal protein means you eat less meat, chicken and pork. You get most of your protein from other sources like tofu and nuts.)
After 2 years, each diet group lost (and regained!) about the same amount of weight.
Bottom line: If you reduce calories, you lose weight.
So if you’re trying to lose weight before you get pregnant, you’ve got lots of diet choices available to you. But some are healthier than others. Talk to your health care provider and pick a diet that works for you and your lifestyle.
If you’re already pregnant, now’s not the time to lose weight. Most women need about 300 extra calories a day during pregnancy, so they get the nutrients the baby needs.
Here are some March of Dimes resources that can help:
The FDA announced yesterday that Ther-Rx Corporation and ETHEX Corporation, both subsidiaries of KV Pharmaceutical Company, have issued voluntary nationwide recalls of prescription prenatal vitamin products and prescription iron supplement products. The companies are taking this action as a precautionary measure, “because the products may have been manufactured under conditions that did not sufficiently comply with current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP).”
The FDA says that patients who may have these products in their possession should continue to take them in accordance with their prescriptions, as the risk of suddenly stopping needed medication may place patients at risk. “Patients should contact their healthcare provider if they have experienced any problems that may be related to taking or using these products, or to obtain replacement medication or prescriptions.”
Shortly after I found out I was pregnant my appetite started to change. It has definitely improved, but there are still certain things that gross me out! Most notably beef, chicken and fish. I have no desire to prepare these foods. The idea of touching them raw makes my skin crawl. I’ve tried gloves and I ask my husband for help, but still. Yuck. I don’t even want to look at them in the grocery store. Do you know what I mean? Is there anything you just can’t stand the sight of?
I told my midwife about this aversion and she asked where I was getting my protein from. Good question. She rummaged through her filing cabinet and pulled out a fact sheet on healthy, high-protein snacks. She raved about beans, peas, nuts and seeds not only as good sources of protein, but as foods unlikely to activate my gag reflex. She was right.
Here are some of the snacks from the handout she gave me.
I’m so glad to be back at work today. I usually love long, holiday weekends, but I’m exhausted and I ate horribly the entire time. Saturday we celebrated my niece’s birthday with burgers and ice cream cake. Sunday night my husband and I rented a movie and ordered a pizza. For Labor Day we went to my sister-in-law’s. We spent the day on the beach (I didn’t drink enough water) and went to a seafood place for dinner. Every single thing on the menu was deep fried.
I have a headache and my tummy feels awful. My midwife would not be happy. Her practice is very nutrition-centered and I usually try to be, too. I’m chugging water and can’t wait to go to my Yoga class tonight. I had a small apple and multi-grain toast for breakfast. I’m planning to have a big green salad for lunch. I don’t know about dinner yet, but I’m thinking a light soup. I brought two snacks with me: low-fat yogurt and carrot sticks. I need to get back on track.
It’s amazing how food impacts the way I feel. Do you know what I mean?
Don’t U Dare is a short video about a young woman’s unique journey through self-discovery and positive behavior change. The goal is to heighten awareness about physical fitness, good nutrition, and multivitamin use among women between the ages of 18-24.
Our main character, Bella, is nominated to appear on a reality TV show by her roommate. The show’s host, Danielle, spots our healthy makeover nominee as she sits at her favorite coffee place, gulping down a huge caramel coffee topped with whipped cream. Then Danielle and the March of Dimes crew strike!
Danielle explains to Bella that she’s been busted for practicing some particularly unhealthy habits. Enough is enough and it’s time for a change! Danielle analyzes everything—from Bella’s schedule to her refrigerator— and gives suggestions for getting it together. Not ever realizing that she was making so many mindless decisions in the first place, Bella reluctantly agrees to give it a shot. The journey begins… Click here to watch, Don\’t U Dare
To watch the video in Spanish, click here Ni Te Atrevas
Sounds odd, but some of us are so busy taking care of the small fry, not to mention the older medium and large fry and/0r work, that time flies by and we forget to eat. When I forget, I usually end up with a wicked headache. Here are some tips for healthy and quick eats for Mom.
Actually, yes, but it takes some work. The American Dietetic Association says that well-balanced, vegetarian diets can be very healthy. The trick is to make sure you take in adequate daily amounts of protein and 
South Beach. Atkins. Weight Watchers. Dean Ornish. The list goes on and on. So many diets, so little time. What’s a girl to do?
The FDA announced yesterday that Ther-Rx Corporation and ETHEX Corporation, both subsidiaries of KV Pharmaceutical Company, have issued voluntary nationwide recalls of prescription prenatal vitamin products and prescription iron supplement products. The companies are taking this action as a precautionary measure, “because the products may have been manufactured under conditions that did not sufficiently comply with current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP).”
