scared skinny?

overweight moms are/have:

• 4 x more likely to get gestational diabetes
• 2 x as likely to have high blood pressure (increased blood clots, stoke, death)
• higher chance of C-section (18% instead of 11%)
• 
  
• babies 2 x more likely to have spina bifida,  0.3 x as much heart defects

2/3 maternal deaths in US are related to complications from obesity.

http://healthland.time.com/2012/03/12/how-moms-weight-before-pregnancy-can-affect-a-babys-brain/

While it’s not entirely clear how a woman’s weight before conception may impact her baby’s brain, Helderman says the leading theory involves inflammation. Excess weight can keep levels of potentially destructive immune cells high; these are the cells that rush to the site of trauma to clear away debris. Studies show that inflammation can adversely affect the brain, and it’s possible that an expectant mom’s heightened inflammatory response could filter through to her developing baby.

Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2012/03/12/how-moms-weight-before-pregnancy-can-affect-a-babys-brain/#ixzz2RyxIBgzs

pre-pregnancy list

- preconception checkup
     - ask about immunizations, get a flu shot
- take 400 mg of folic acid a day for one month before conception and during first trimester
- make sure that your multivitamin doesn't contain more than 770 mcg RAE (2565 IU) of vitamin A, unless it is in beta-carotene form
- don't drink during last two weeks of cycle (or at all)
- limit caffeine to 200 mg per day
- get my BMI below 24 (160lbs would be 24.3, 158lbs would be 24.0)
- don't eat: shark, swordfish, king mackerel or tilefish
- don't eat more than 6 oz per week of: chunk light (solid white and albacore are worse) it's good when it comes from skipjack and bad when it comes from yellowfin
- do eat two servings of fish a week: salmon, herring(Atlantic, jack, chub), farm-raised rainbo trout, sardines, whitefish
- floss
- call insurance about prenatal coverage, ask about deductibles, tests and procedure covered
- avoid soft cheese, cold deli meat, raw fish, unpasturized juice