Tips for Healthy Bones During Pregnancy and Lactation
There
are many demands placed on your body while you are pregnant and
breastfeeding that may have an impact on your bones. Taking care
of your bones is important throughout your life, including before,
during, and after pregnancy and breastfeeding. A balanced diet
with enough calcium and vitamin D, regular exercise, and healthy
lifestyle choices are actions that you can take to promote healthy
bones for both you and your baby.
What
Do I Need to Know All About Keeping my Bones Healthy During
Pregnancy
When you are pregnant your baby needs plenty of calcium to grow and
to develop its skeleton. The calcium you need for your baby is
greatest during the last 3 months of your pregnancy. Throughout
your pregnancy it is important to get enough calcium each day.
However, it is a concern that in the United States many women
do not consume enough calcium during pregnancy.
Calcium
is so important to your baby during pregnancy that your body will
try to protect your own skeleton in several ways. To
begin with, you will absorb calcium better from food and supplements
when you are pregnant, especially at the end of your pregnancy.
In addition your body produces more estrogen during pregnancy and
this hormone will protect your bones. Also, if you do lose some
bone mass during your pregnancy it is usually restored soon after
the baby’s birth. If you bottle-feed your baby, your bone
mass will usually be restored soon after your baby’s delivery.
If you breastfeed your baby, your bone mass will usually be restored
several months after breastfeeding is stopped. If a mother of an
infant gets pregnant again quickly, bone mass lost during the first
pregnancy may not be completely restored.
What
is Transient Osteoporosis in Pregnancy?
It is rare for a woman to develop osteoporosis during pregnancy. Osteoporosis
is bone-thinning disease that can result in weaker bones. In
rare cases, women may develop osteoporosis during pregnancy.
This condition is called transient because it is usually temporary
and short-lived. In these rare cases, it is possible that the
weaker bones may be more likely to break. When this rare condition
does occur, women who develop transient osteoporosis during pregnancy
usually recover lost bone after their pregnancy ends or after
they stop breastfeeding.
Are
there Special Considerations about my Bones if I am a Pregnant Teenager?
If you become pregnant during your teenage years, unlike older women,
you are still actively building your own bones. The peak years
of bone building are between 9 and 18 years old and may continue
until your mid 20’s when peak bone mass is reached. Your
unborn baby’s need to develop its skeleton may compete
with your body’s need for calcium to build your own bones.
If you are a pregnant teenager, you should be especially careful
to get enough calcium before and after your baby is born to help
keep your own bones strong.
How
Do I keep my Bones Healthy While Breastfeeding?
The
American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding as the
best way to feed infants up to 6 months of age and supports continued
breastfeeding for the first year and beyond as long as desired
by both you and your baby. If you decide
to breastfeed, during the time that you are breastfeeding, it is
important to take actions to promote strong bones for both you
and your baby. Bone healthy actions include eating a well-balanced
diet, getting enough calcium and vitamin D, exercising regularly,
not smoking, and avoiding alcohol.
You
may lose bone mass during breastfeeding. One
reason for this may be that during breastfeeding you produce less
estrogen, the hormone that protects bones. The good news is that
like the bone lost during pregnancy, the bone that you lose during
breastfeeding is usually recovered within 6 months after breastfeeding
ends.
What
Should I Know About Calcium During Pregnancy or Lactation?
The
amount of calcium that you need each day during pregnancy or breastfeeding
depends upon your age. The National Academy of Sciences recommends
that women aged 19 and older who are pregnant or breastfeeding
consume 1,000 mg (milligrams) of calcium each day. For pregnant
teens, the recommended intake is 1,300 mg a day.
Good
sources of calcium include:
- low-fat
dairy products, such as milk, yogurt, and cheese
- certain
dark green leafy vegetables, such as collard greens, bok choy,
broccoli rabe, mustard greens, turnip greens, dandelion greens,
and kale
- canned
sardines and salmon eaten with the bones
- almonds
and soy nuts
-
foods
fortified with calcium such as orange juice, cereals, and tofu
If
you are not able to get enough calcium from foods alone, speak
to your doctor or healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider
will usually recommend that you take a calcium supplement to make
sure that you get the calcium you need.
What Should I Know About Vitamin D During Pregnancy or Lactation?
The current recommended intake of vitamin D3 during pregnancy is 400-
800 IU (international units) per day. Most prenatal and multivitamins
contain 400 IU of vitamin D3, also called cholecalciferol. In
addition, you can get 100 IU of vitamin D3 from each 8-ounce
glass of vitamin D3 fortified beverages (including all cow’s
milk, lactase-treated milks, and fortified orange juice) that
you drink.
The
current recommended intake of vitamin D for a breastfeeding mother
is 400 to 800 IU per day. To make sure that your breastfed baby
gets enough vitamin D, it is important to give your infant a 200
IU vitamin D supplement each day in the form of drops.
What
is the Role of Exercise during Pregnancy or Lactation?
It is important to talk to your doctor or medical professional about
your plans before you begin or resume an exercise program. Like
muscles, bones respond to exercise by becoming stronger. Regular
exercise, especially weight-bearing exercise that forces you
to work against gravity, helps build and maintain strong bones.
Examples of weight-bearing exercise include walking, climbing
stairs, dancing, and lifting weights. Being active and exercising
during pregnancy can benefit your health in other ways, too.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists,
it can:
- help
reduce backaches, constipation, bloating, and swelling
- help
prevent or treat gestational diabetes
- increase
energy
- improve
mood
-
improve
posture
-
promote
muscle tone, strength, and endurance
-
help
you sleep better
-
help
you get back in shape after your baby is born
Is
There Anything Bad for my Bones During Pregnancy or Lactation?
There
is nothing healthy about smoking or tobacco use. If you decide
to smoke or use tobacco products, it is important to consider that
it is bad for your baby, bad for your bones, and bad for your heart
and lungs. To obtain information about how you can quit smoking
or stop using tobacco products; call the Smoker's Quitline at 1-866-697-8487
(1-866-NY-QUITS) or visit The New York State Smoker's Quitsite http://www.nysmokefree.com. It
is important to talk to your medical professional if you are currently
using tobacco products and to discuss the resources available for
quitting.
Alcohol
is harmful for pregnant and breastfeeding women and their babies, and
excess alcohol is bad for your bones. So, for your overall health and
for strong bones, be sure to follow the recommendations of your healthcare
provider and avoid alcohol during this important time
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