Introduction
Pregnancy is an exciting time for you, but sometimes you probably feel overwhelmed. There are so many new sensations and unfamiliar feelings inside you. Even with all of the Facebook groups and guides available online, there are still many things to think about, especially when it comes to making sure you and your baby are as healthy as possible. You want to do the best for your child nutritionally. You want him to be smart, healthy, strong, and not prone to allergies, learning disabilities or autism. You want her to be beautiful, intelligent, and able to learn anything so nothing can hold her back from reaching her potential. Have you considered fish oil? Fish oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Fish oil is brain food. Fish oil can help deliver some of the outcomes you want. In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of fish oil during pregnancy and how it can help you and your little blessing to thrive.
Fish Oil for Smart, Sharp, Intelligent Kids
One of the biggest benefits of fish oil during pregnancy is how it helps your baby’s brain and eyes develop. Like I said above, fish oil is brain food. Omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA, are critical for your baby’s brain growth and the development of their eyes. DHA is a key building block for the brain, and it’s especially important during the third trimester when your baby’s brain is growing super fast. Research has shown that babies whose moms took fish oil while pregnant often have better brain development and might even score higher on intelligence tests later on. Results are hard to get, as many controlled studies used very small doses of DHA or fish oil, and generally did not check blood levels of EPA and DHA to see if they were giving enough fish oil to make a difference. But still, these results are encouraging.
Fish oil is brain food. Omega-3 fatty acids are critical for your baby’s brain growth and the development of their eyes. DHA is a key building block for the brain, and it’s especially important during the third trimester when your baby’s brain is growing super fast.
Benefits of Fish Oil in Reducing Postpartum Depression
Taking care of your emotional health during and after pregnancy is just as important as taking care of your physical health. Fish oil can help with that too! Omega-3s, especially DHA, have been linked to better mood regulation and may reduce the risk of postpartum depression. Many new moms experience mood swings and even depression after giving birth, but studies suggest that getting enough omega-3s during pregnancy can help stabilize your mood and make it easier for you to enjoy your baby after she is born.
Fish Oil for Longer Pregnancy and Reducing the Risk of Preterm Birth
Another interesting benefit of fish oil is that it can help extend your pregnancy by a few days. This might not seem like much, but every extra day your baby spends in the womb can be really important. A longer pregnancy gives your baby more time to grow and develop, which means they’re more likely to be born at a healthy weight and with fully developed organs. Of course, at the end you just want the baby to be born, but you can console yourself a little bit knowing that those few extra days are adding some beneficial chub (healthy fat) to your baby’s brain and body.
Fish Oil for Normal Blood Pressure and Avoiding Pre-Eclampsia
Fish oil can also help keep your blood pressure in the normal range during pregnancy. High blood pressure can lead to complications like pre-eclampsia, but omega-3s are known to help relax blood vessels and lower inflammation, which can keep your blood pressure in a healthier range. This is good news for both you and your baby, as keeping your blood pressure stable can help you have a smooth, calm pregnancy and delivery.
Magnesium is Great for Normal Blood Pressure
But don’t forget magnesium. Magnesium is also critical for maintaining normal blood pressure. It is more critical than fish oil. Magnesium sulfate given intravenously to pregnant moms with pre-eclampsia reduced the risk of eclampsia by 50 percent. So, don’t forget to get lots of magnesium rich foods while pregnant and consider a supplement if you have any tendencies towards elevated blood pressure. Pre-eclampsia can develop into a life-threatening condition, so pay attention.
Fish Oil Might Help Blood Glucose Control During Pregnancy
There’s also some evidence that fish oil might help with blood sugar control. During pregnancy, your body goes through a lot of changes, and sometimes that can make it harder to keep your blood sugar levels stable. Omega-3s may help improve insulin sensitivity, which means your body can manage blood sugar better. This can be especially helpful for moms who are at risk of gestational diabetes.
Avoiding sugar-sweetened beverages, staying away from ultra-processed foods, eating fiber-rich foods like vegetables and beans, legumes, and whole grains will also help you maintain normal blood sugar levels.
Risk of Allergies and Asthma in Infants Lowered by Fish Oil
Did you know that taking fish oil during pregnancy might help protect your baby from allergies and asthma? Some studies suggest that babies whose moms took omega-3 supplements are less likely to develop conditions like eczema, food allergies, or asthma. Omega-3s help reduce inflammation and may influence your baby’s developing immune system in a positive way, which could mean fewer allergies and breathing issues down the road.
Benefits of Fish Oil for Immune Function in Mother and Baby
Omega-3s are great for your immune system too! Fish oil has immune-boosting properties that help keep both you and your baby healthy. It can reduce inflammation and help your body’s immune response work more efficiently. This means you might feel better overall during your pregnancy, even while helping your baby’s developing immune system get a healthy start.
Healthy Birth Weight Promoted by Fish Oil
Fish oil can also help make sure your baby is born at a healthy weight. Getting enough omega-3s helps improve the flow of nutrients to your baby, which supports their growth. Babies born at a healthy weight are less likely to face complications, and fish oil might be one simple way to help make sure your baby gets everything they need to grow strong.
Fish Oil for Achy Joints and Pregnancy Discomforts
Pregnancy can come with its fair share of aches and pains, and fish oil might help with that too. Omega-3 fats have powerful anti-inflammatory effects, which can help your joints be less painful and swollen, which some women experience, especially towards the end of their pregnancy. By reducing inflammation, fish oil can help make you more comfortable and help you deal with the discomforts of a baby inside of you (no woman is truly comfortable at the end) as your due date gets closer.
Fish Oil: It Does a Pregnant Woman Good
Fish oil is full of benefits for both you and your baby. From helping your baby’s brain and eyes develop, making him or her more intelligent, to supporting your mood during pregnancy and after the birth, keeping your blood pressure healthy, and even reducing the risk of allergies and asthma in your child, omega-3s are a powerful ally during pregnancy. Check with your midwife or OB-GYN doctor to see if there is any particular reason for you not to take fish oil. And then consider adding fish oil to your supplement list. It could make it easier for you to enjoy your precious blessing from God.
How My Family Benefited from Fish Oil
I learned about the benefits of fish oil for pregnancy back in about 1997 and my wife took fish oil during her pregnancies after that with great results. Fish oil has been a staple supplement for my family over the years since then.
Fish oil seemed to work well for my kids. We don’t have any learning disabilities or autistic tendencies in any of our 14 children, though such examples are rampant in my nieces and nephews. Some of them don’t like math too much, but none of them had serious struggles with it. Of course, there are a lot of confounding factors, like avoiding vaccines, so our success isn’t all due to fish oil.
My wife Angela only struggled once with postpartum depression, after the birth of her second set of twins. The two twin pregnancies took a lot out of her, even with aggressive supplementation of fish oil. Otherwise, she was quite stable after births and could really enjoy her newborn baby or babies in the case of the twins.
My wife didn’t have trouble with preterm births or low birth weights. The fish oil does seem to help babies get to full term, including twins. The first set was born at about 40 weeks gestation and the second set at 38 weeks, both natural births.
My children generally don’t have food allergies. Only a couple of minor things. No asthma or eczema. They don’t all have perfect skin. Some have their mother’s great skin and some have mine. That just makes it harder for some and easier for others, as nurture trumps nature, even for skin conditions like acne.
I know that fish oil was an important part of my wife’s pregnancies and I work at making sure my married daughter and daughter-in-law get their fish oil, too. And the 5 grandchildren so far are so cute, bright, sharp and healthy. Of course, there are a lot of details to growing healthy children, so don’t neglect the rest of the details and rely on any single factor.
