“If I had my life to live over, instead of wishing
away nine months of pregnancy, I’d have cherished every moment and realized
that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God
in a miracle.”
--Erma Bombeck
Thinking of getting pregnant? There are so many things to consider if you
are. One of the best things that we can
do is ensure that parents are healthy before they start thinking about making a
baby. Planning a pregnancy and making a baby means first making
a commitment to quit smoking, to exercise, eat right, and avoid alcohol and
drugs. It also means getting to a healthy
weight.
The fact is that when a girl or woman becomes
pregnant, being at an unhealthy weight increases her risk for a “high risk
pregnancy” and delivering a baby with health complications.
If you know someone who is thinking about becoming
pregnant, talk with them about the importance of getting to a healthy weight
first. According to Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, the prevalence of obesity was 39.8%, affecting 93.3 Americans in 2015-2016.
It is time we dare to get embarrassed and talk with those we love about being at a healthy weight as part of prepregnancy
planning. Raising the awareness of this
important step can help ensure that we are truly Growing Healthy Kids.
With love and gratitude,
Nancy Heinrich, MPH
Founder, Growing Healthy Kids, Inc.
