"If mama ain't happy, nobody is happy"…is an old saying about what women should eat during pregnancy and nursing. There was a time when new parents toasted in the announcement of a new arrival with champagne or martinis. In an old episode of Maude, a TV show from the 1970s, there’s even a scene where, after she learns she might be pregnant, Maude orders a drink and tells the bartender to make it a double, she’s drinking for two now.
Much has changed since then. There’s more of an understanding of how what the mother consumes impacts the fetus growing in her womb. Books, health care providers, internet sources all have advice on what to eat or not to eat; how much caffeine, sugar, or wine you can have, or if you can have any at all. In addition, as the average age of women baring children increases, so does the likelihood of a risky pregnancy. This also ups the stakes on what may or may not be consumed during pregnancy, as well as later while nursing.
But how about chocolate? Does chocolate affect pregnancy or a nursing mother’s milk? If so, how? What is it really about chocolate and pregnancy? An unofficial poll conducted of 13 women uncovered an interesting mish-mash of advice. The following data overlaps somewhat.
For eight of the mothers, chocolate was not mentioned by their provider at all. Four of them were advised to stay away from caffeine – no matter what form. Three were advised against sugar altogether for a variety of reasons. Two were advised to simply do everything in moderation. Two believed staunchly in the above saying (happy mothers mean happy babies) and ate chocolate frequently during their pregnancy. One was advised that chocolate chased away the baby blues and prevented pre-eclampsia. All of them bore relatively healthy children.
According to some sources online (website and website), there is some credence to staying away from too much chocolate in one’s diet during pregnancy. There is, after all, caffeine and sugar in chocolate. If someone has complications such as gestational diabetes or high blood pressure, or any other condition that makes the pregnancy high risk, then every little bit helps. Though there is not as much caffeine in a chocolate bar as there is a cup of coffee, it is something to watch for. In addition, it has been shown that sugar depresses the immune system after consumption while it is being digested. If a mother already has a compromised immune system, then this could be a factor she considers.
However, other studies, such as those conducted at Yale, show that besides reducing stress and making the mother feel better, the theobromine in chocolate helps reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia in pregnant women. Pre-eclampsia is a condition wherein blood pressure shoots up and protein spills into the urine. The only way to cure pre-eclampsia is to deliver the baby immediately. Theobromine has been shown to stimulate the heart, relax muscles and dilate blood vessels, thus reducing blood pressure. Theobromine could also improve circulation in the placenta itself (website and website).
The studies conducted stipulated that it is dark chocolate, which has a higher concentration of theobromine and lower concentration of sugar, that should be consumed every day by pregnant women. Women who do consume chocolate are 69% less likely to develop pre-eclampsia (website). So, how to side-step a potentially harmful condition for yourself and your child, while also dealing with gestational diabetes or other issues? Guiltless Gourmet Chocolates (http://www.guiltlessgourmetchocolates.com/about.html) has created truffles just for the health conscious chocoholic pregnant or nursing mother. Developed by a nutritionist, these chocolates are either low sugar or no sugar, made with natural ingredients, and could be considered an alternative to other chocolates out there for the discerning pregnant woman.
In the unofficial poll mentioned earlier, all three mothers who had chocolate every day during their pregnancies said specifically that both they and their children felt the better for it. In the end, however, this is the kind of issue that any pregnant woman should discuss with her healthcare provider.
