When you come to know that you are pregnant the first question raised in your mind is what I will eat? How many carbohydrates, calories, fats, vitamins, and calcium I should take during these days?
If you start thinking about this from the first day and started to implement it on your diet plan – it’s the best thing you are doing. As your healthy diet will protect your child from different illnesses and will help him to grow and develop properly both mentally and physically.
Pregnancy is a very crucial time period for both the mother and the baby. It is the time, you have to look upon your lifestyle, your eating habits as it not only protects your child for 9 months in your womb but later in his life too.
During pregnancy, your body demands extra nutrition and energy for your health and for the growing baby. A healthy diet includes knowing what you eat and how much you are eating. It is a saying that a pregnant lady should eat for two persons.
To some extent it is true but it is also a fact that you can’t eat much. Therefore, it is important to have a balanced diet with enough nutrition to meet the demand of your body and for the development of the baby.
If you are already following the healthy diet plan you don’t need to put extra effort to meet the needs during pregnancy. But if your eating habits are not good, then pregnancy is the best time to adopt the best eating habit which will not only help you during your pregnancy but also after the pregnancy you can get the benefits in the form of good health.
It is also important to keep in mind that you need the advice of a specialist doctor, midwife, or physician if you have any medical illnesses like blood pressure, diabetes, thyroid, etc. In this situation, it will be preferable for you to take the help of a dietitian to avoid any complications in the future.
It is important to have highly nutritious food to eat when you are pregnant so that you can gain the required weight. Normally, you need to put on a minimum of around 7 kg weight (15 lbs) during your pregnancy to cover the development and growth of your infant. You can gain an average of 11.5 to 12.5 kg weight during your pregnancy.
In the first half, the speed of weight gain will be slow and you will gain the most weight in the second stage of your pregnancy. This ratio of weight gain varies, if you are underweight you may require to put on more weight and if you are overweight you will gain less weight.
To maintain your weight according to your requirement some physical activities can help you in a perfect way like swimming and walking.
Remember one thing, if you are planning to do a diet during your pregnancy, you are making a mistake. It’s not the right time to do the dieting as it can damage your child’s health badly by preventing him to get proper nutrition to grow.
Essential nutrition for you and your baby during pregnancy
Protein
Protein helps to repair your tissues and muscles by providing the nutrients which your body requires during pregnancy. It also helps to develop the muscles and tissues of your baby.
Food items containing protein
- Fish
- Beef
- Chicken
- Milk
- Dairy foods
- Cheese
- Eggs
- Nuts
- Peas
- Beans
- Nut butter
- Soy products
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are an important ingredient as it is broken down into a major fuel of our body, glucose, it provides power to your body to perform all its activities. Carbohydrates are of two kinds, one is simple, and the second is complex carbohydrates.
Simple carbohydrates are dissolved and digested rapidly and provide you with a quick energy boost but are high in calories. While complex carbohydrates are based on starches and dietary fiber. Your body needs a long time as compared to simple carbohydrates to process them, therefore, it provides you long-lasting energy.
Food items including carbohydrates
- honey
- sugar
- maple syrup,
- pasta
- rice
- some fruits
- bread
- corn
- potatoes
Fats
To function properly on normal days and especially during pregnancy fats are very important for your body. Omega 3 and Omega 6 plays a significant role in developing your child’s brain and eyes. It also plays an important role in blood clotting and in the immune system.
Food items with fatty acids
- white fish
- linseed and walnut
- vegetable oils
- oily fish
- flaxseed
- chicken
- sunflower
- meat
- eggs
- pumpkin
Folic Acid
Folic Acid is an essential vitamin to start taking even before conceiving the baby and in the early 3 months of the pregnancy. A sufficient intake of this vitamin helps the child to be born healthy without any abnormalities like spina bifida and other NTD which stands for Neural Tube Defects.
The problems are related to the spine of the baby and emerged when the spine of the baby never developed properly during the early stage of the pregnancy.
Food items with a huge amount of folic acid
- green beans
- broccoli
- peas
- spinach
- cauliflower
- lettuce
- fortified cereals
- cabbage
- fruits like orange.
- avocado
- legumes
- fortified bread
- and cereal
If you are folic acid deficient then it is important and advised to you to take it in the form of an oral supplement of 400 micrograms daily after consulting your doctor.
Iron & Vitamin C
Iron is another important nutrition that must be included in your diet especially during your pregnancy as it helps you to make extra red blood cells for your baby and for yourself. Iron provides you assistance to take oxygen in your blood and provide it to your baby requires oxygen and iron to grow its mind and body.
Iron deficiency can lead your baby towards anemia which is an alarming situation. Besides Iron, you also need Vitamin C as it provides assistance to your body to consume the iron from your diet in a perfect way.
Iron-rich food
- red meat (for example fish, lamb, beef, chicken),
- dried fruits (like apricots, prunes)
- Green vegetables (like spinach, broccoli), egg, etc.
- seafood
- clams
- cereal
- bread
- pasta
If you don’t like red meat then no worries you can intake iron from a non-meat source but combine it with food rich in Vitamin C.
Food rich in Vitamin C
- Berries
- oranges
- Kiwis
- Green vegetables
- Potatoes
- Tomatoes
- Peppers
- fruit juices with a huge amount of Vitamin C like Orange juice.
- strawberries
- Brussels
- sprouts
- citrus
- mango
To overcome iron deficiency, you can use iron tablets on your doctor’s advice. If you are a coffee or tea lover you have to give a small sacrifice, as these come in the list of the food items which minimize the ability of your body to utilize the iron.
Try to avoid taking these items especially at the same time after taking any item containing iron like an iron tablet.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is an essential element of your diet, especially during your pregnancy. It is important to make your bones and teeth strong and healthy. To get Vitamin D sunlight exposure is a major source, therefore, try to go and sit outdoor so that your skin can get sunlight exposure. You can also get vitamin D from specific food items.
Food items containing Vitamin D
- Egg yolk
- fortified margarine
- oily fish
- butter
- mushrooms
- vitamin D fortified milk and cereal
if you live in a northern country and you can not get sunlight exposure, no need to worry. You can consult your doctor he will prescribe you the vitamin D supplement in the form of a tablet to avoid vitamin D deficiency.
Calcium
Calcium is a main and major source for the healthy and strong teeth and bones of the mother and the baby. It also helps to develop the muscles of the baby and his nerve and heart function. It also requires to control fluids.
Food items containing calcium
- milk
- dairy products
- yogurt
- cheese
- nuts
- kale
- broccoli
- tofu
Substances that may damage your baby
There are some substances that may affect your baby badly and you need to restrict yourself during your pregnancy to avoid any complications.
Fish
Fish provides important nutrients like iron, protein, and fatty acids. But few types of fish have mercury at a high level like tilefish, swordfish, orange roughy, etc. so, you have to avoid adding these fish to your diet.
Alcohol
Alcohol’s toxic effects can lead to the mental and physical health problems of the baby. It is essential to avoid alcohol especially in the first three months of the pregnancy.
Smoking
Smoking is injurious on normal days and its seriousness increases during pregnancy. It is important to leave or if you cannot leave at least to reduce it. Smoking has vast devastating effects on your child including complications in growth and development of the child, premature birth, or miscarriage.
Coffee
Caffeine available in tea and coffee damages your ability to absorb the iron from your diet. Tea and soft drinks have about a similar amount of caffeine while on the other side coffee contains a double amount of caffeine. Therefore, it is important to reduce your coffee intake.
Medication
Many medications are prohibited for pregnant women. Therefore, before taking any medicine you must consult your doctor first.
Word from Us
Healthy nutrition not only will help you develop a more healthy child but also support your health! Moreover, healthy nutrition can provide you a fantastic mood and extra energy which you can spend with your lovely family.
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