I headed to Lolo Dad's Brasserie yesterday around lunchtime for a press conference and short discussion about pregnancy. The invitation caught my interest because having been pregnant in the past, I experienced a lot of worries and strongly believed in some traditional myths. Before the main event started, I was given 5 test questions and I only got three correct answers which means that I believed in pregnancy myths, but not until that day. This event helped me understand the real facts of pregnancy. I am sharing now to my dear readers what has been discussed yesterday, the most common pregnancy myths.
When you're pregnant, you have to eat for two.
You can't run, swim, or do yoga for the benefit of a baby's health.
Coffee can increase your risk of miscarriage.
These may sound logical; but believe it or not, these are some of the most common pregnancy myths around. Once you’ve announced your pregnancy, you’re sure to be bombarded with homespun advice from family, friends and even strangers who base their beliefs on hearsay or accepted ideologies.
So how do you distinguish fact from myth?
Listening to Wyeth ProMama’s team of Fit and Fab Mamas Amanda Griffin-Jacob, Delamar Arias and Tricia Chiongbian-Concepcion is a good place to start. The team is joined by respected pregnancy experts Dra. Christia Padolina and Dra. Angel Bandola, who are tasked to empower expectant moms against pregnancy myths and misconceptions. The road from feeling fat to being PHAT – pregnant, hot and trendy— begins now.
One big pregnancy myth
“Pregnant mothers hear things like ‘You can’t exercise’ or ‘You can’t travel because it may harm your baby.’ These are things that confuse first time moms, making them believe that there are so many ‘Can’ts’ during pregnancy,” says ProMama product manager Gino Anonuevo.
“One of the biggest pregnancy myths is that a mother’s life should take a backseat to her child’s. When a woman’s belly grows, the mom may begin to feel more like a vessel than a woman. Many give in to the mindset that beauty, youth, and energy—all those things that make up a woman’s femininity—are no longer theirs.
“This doesn’t have to be the case. Expectant mothers can say, ‘Yes!’ to a lot of things that they feel or have heard they can’t.”
The ProMama council of fit and fab moms Amanda Griffin-Jacob, Delamar Arias and Tricia Chiongbian-Concepcion are walking testaments to the fact that life is further enriched by pregnancy. Tricia, a known health enthusiast, still continues on with her fit lifestyle that includes running a couple of miles a day in spite of expecting her second child this September; Delamar who’s part of a popular radio show, doesn’t let morning sickness or hormones tone done her natural exuberance and humor in hosting her program; and finally, 2-time mom Amanda Griffin-Jacob hasn’t succumbed to what she calls the “mommy meltdown” and is still considered to be one of the most beautiful faces in Philippine showbiz.
“It’s our goal for pregnant women to live and love their pregnancy,” says Amanda. “Every pregnancy should be celebrated; women should feel nurtured by doing the things that can make them feel confident. Being fit and fab during pregnancy should be every expecting mother’s goal!”
To a fit and fab pregnancy
If there’s one thing that’s definitely not a myth, it’s the fact that pregnant women should take special care of their nutritional needs.
Wyeth Nutrition, makers of ProMama, understands this, and wants every woman to fully enjoy the journey of pregnancy. A nutritional milk drink designed to support women—and not just the unborn baby—during pregnancy. ProMama focuses on the life giver to address the needs of both mother and child.
“The fulcrum of each family is the mother. Without her, the family would fall apart—emotionally, mentally, physically, psychologically. Wyeth Nutrition fully acknowledges these values with ProMama, the milk that takes care of mothers so they can take care of their children,” says Anonuevo.
Only ProMama contains the Pro-Nutri Builders, ingredients that support the health and development of both mother and child during pregnancy. These include Maternal Immunity Enhancers like Beta Carotene, which has antioxidant and immunostimulatory properties, and Vitamins C, E and A, which also helps promote good vision and cellular growth.
Pro-Nutri Builders are also targeted for the growing baby. ProMama has Mental Enhancers like DHA, a nutrient important for a child’s visual and mental development; Folic Acid, which is essential for the development of the nervous system and in preventing neural tube defects; and Zinc, which assists in fetal neurodevelopment. ProMama’s formula also contains Bone and Muscle Builders such as Vitamin D, important for calcium metabolism and to support an unborn baby’s bone and teeth development; Protein, the building block of all tissues; and Calcium, which supports bone development.
ProMama, which is available in Vanilla Delight Flavor, has only 15 percent of calories from fat. Just two servings of ProMama daily can help promote appropriate weight gain during pregnancy.
Yes You Can
The road to dispelling the biggest pregnancy myth of them all is now on the rise – and Wyeth Nutrition hopes that expecting mothers will eventually embrace the value of putting effort into looking and feeling great during pregnancy.
“When I was pregnant, nothing stopped me from doing yoga, wearing heels, hosting my TV show, travelling and even wearing a bikini. I enjoyed life as much as I enjoyed my pregnancy and it paid off. My 2 boys are happy and healthy,” shares Amanda. There’s nothing quite like experiencing motherhood firsthand.”
“When moms are healthy and happy, so are their babies—even while they’re still in the womb. Moms should not be afraid to say 'Yes!' to form-fitting clothes, traveling to experience the world, wearing heels, and even exercising. Getting through the roadblock of feeling fat to feeling pregnant, hot and tempting aids in a healthy, beautiful pregnancy," adds Amanda.
About Wyeth Nutrition
Wyeth Nutrition, formerly Pfizer Nutrition, is part of Nestlé S.A. Wyeth Nutrition develops premium-quality nutritional products scientifically-designed to meet the needs of infants and young children, pregnant and lactating mothers, and adults. As pioneers in infant nutritional science, our mission is to provide the best nutritional support for future healthy outcomes. For nearly a century, Wyeth Nutrition has leveraged scientific research, world class manufacturing and product safety standards to drive scientifically-sound solutions that offer parents confidence, help nourish children and support their healthy futures. It employs the same level of excellence in delivering nutrient-rich products to adults.
