Pregnancy Diet
Diet :-
A well balanced diet is more important when you are pregnant, since what you eat has to meet your unborn baby's needs as well as your own requirements. The first three months of pregnancy is important as most of the physical and mental growth of the baby takes place during this time. The principal organs both external and internal and the nervous system of the baby form within this period. So it is important to eat well from the beginning itself even if you have discomforts like nausea etc. Like wise babies growth is rapid during the last three months of pregnancy. A nutritious diet during this period is essential for normal birth weight of the baby. A nutritious diet with enough proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins are essential during pregnancy. Your diet should consist of a variety of foods selected from the five basic food groups. Fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grain products like breads or cereals, meat, fish or other protein alternatives, milk and other diary
products etc provide a nutritious diet. Keep off canned and processed foods, spicy foods, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, sugary foods such as cakes, cookies, candies, sodas and colas and reduce your salt intake as far as possible. Eat as wide a variety of food as possible but in moderation. Too much of any one food can even be harmful if it leads to excessive gain in weight. Try to have three meals every day, or six smaller meals if you have problems with nausea or heartburn.
Pregnancy Diet : -
 
  • It is crucial that your body has the necessary chemical elements, strength and stamina to make it through pregnancy with good health. Poor diet during pregnancy can have lifelong consequences on the physical and mental health of your child.
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  • Unfortunately, for most of the women in affluent Western societies who have unlimited access to all kinds of food and no mentor to guide them through pregnancy, the trap of eating what they should not eat and at the same time of not knowing what they should eat is very likely.
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  • The ideal diet is a balanced whole foods one which gives the crucial inputs required during pregnancy.
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  • Growing a baby requires a lot more energy especially in the earlier months when cell division is most intense. Vegetarians can source these from pulses and legumes eaten in combination with whole grains such as rice, wheat ,oats, barley, rye, corn, buckwheat etc.
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  • Try to eat high protein foods for lunch when you will be able to process them more efficiently than at night.
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  • In the last months, calcium is released from the maternal bones to provide for the baby, so increased dairy, soy, greens and seaweed are useful. Raspberry leaf tea is especially useful in the last months as it softens up the cervix in preparation for birth as well as stimulates milk production.
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    The fact that a woman is pregnant is perhaps the happiest moment for her, as motherhood is the most wanted aspect of womanhood. There are a lot of guidelines that a pregnant woman ought to follow and of course intake of nutritious food is of prime importance during pregnancy.The food that the mother consumes forms the intake for the foetus as it thrives on the food intake of the mother. Hence it is necessary for the mother to consume nutritious food for the foetus to grow in a healthy manner and for herself too to make her pregnancy a healthy and enjoyable period.A good diet is inclusive of proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, fats, vitamins and good amount of water.Protein a good intake of protein in regular diet aids in cell growth and blood production. Fish, peanut, tofu, lean meat, poultry, egg whites and pulses are all rich in protein Carbohydrates Food with carbohydrates helps to produce energy that is necessary for the body. Bread, cereals, rice, potatoes, pasta, fruits and vegetables are good sources of carbohydrates.Calcium Food rich in calcium is a must during pregnancy that aid in developing strong bones and teeth. It also helps in muscle contraction and proper nerve functioning. Milk, cheese, yogurt, spinach, sardines or salmons with bones are carriers of protein. Calcium intake is very important during pregnancy, as the baby demands a high supply of calcium. So it is necessary for the mother to increase the intake of calcium to prevent the loss of calcium from her own bones.
    Some of the essential nutrients : -
     
  • Folic acid: Folic acid is the most vital nutrient pregnant women need. This is needed for the development of baby's nervous system, especially in the first few weeks. Folic acid is a B vitamin that helps prevent neural tube defects (defects of the spine, brain, or their coverings) and other birth defects like cleft lip and congenital heart disease. By consuming at least 4 milligrams (mg) of folic acid every day before getting pregnant and during the first three months of pregnancy, you can help reduce the risk of these defects. Folic acid is found in dark-green leafy vegetables (like spinach or kale), liver, yeast, beans and citrus fruits, and in fortified cereals and bread. Folic acid is easily lost while cooking, so steam green vegetables or eat them raw.
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  • Iron: Iron is needed to fuel hemoglobin production for you and your baby. Iron also helps build bones and teeth. A shortage of iron can cause a condition called anemia. If you have anemia, your doctor will give you iron supplements to take once or twice a day. You can help prevent anemia by eating more iron-rich foods like potatoes, raisins, dates, broccoli, leafy green vegetables, whole-grain breads and iron-fortified cereals.
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  • Calcium : This is vital for the healthy development of your baby's bones and teeth, which start to form at about week eight. You will need about double the quantity of calcium than is normal. At least three servings of milk, yogurt, or cheese is essential to meet expectant mother's calcium needs. Apart from diary products, good sources include leafy, green vegetables. Diary products are also high in fat, so if possible choose low fat varieties such as skim milk. The recommended daily amount of calcium during pregnancy and breast feeding increases significantly from 800-1200mg.
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  • Protein : Try to eat a variety of protein rich foods, because your needs increase during pregnancy. Vitamin B6 is needed for the proper utilization of protein. Fish, meat, nuts, peas, beans and diary foods such as milk and eggs all supply protein, but animal sources can also be high in fat, so limit your intake of these and choose lean cuts of meat whenever possible.
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  • Vitamin C : This will help to build a strong placenta, enable your body to resist infection and aid the absorption of iron. It is found in fresh fruit and vegetables and supplies of the vitamin are needed daily because it cannot be restored in the body. A lot of vitamin C is lost by prolonged storage and cooking, so eat fresh produce and steam green vegetables or eat them raw.
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  • Fiber : This should form a large part of your daily diet, since constipation and piles are common in pregnancy and fiber will help prevent it. Besides rich sources like fruits and vegetables, brown rice, nuts, cereals including oats, beans, peas and pulses etc are good sources of fiber.
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  • Water: Water plays a key role in your diet during pregnancy. It carries the nutrients from the foods you eat to your baby, and also helps prevent constipation, hemorrhoids, excessive swelling, and urinary tract or bladder infections. Most importantly, drinking enough water, especially in your last trimester, prevents you from becoming dehydrated which can then lead you to have contractions and premature, or early labor. Pregnant women should drink at least six to eight glasses of water per day. You can drink juices for fluid, but they also have a lot of calories and can cause you to gain extra weight. Coffee, soft drinks, and teas cannot count towards the total amount of fluid you need as they have caffeine which actually reduce the amount of fluid in your body.
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  • Ovulation can occur even if a menstrual period has not occurred.
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  • Some women can feel a bit of pain or aching, near the ovaries during ovulation called mittelscherz which means “middle pain” in German.
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  • If an egg is not fertilized, it disintegrates and is absorbed into the uterine lining.
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    The need for certain nutrients, such as iron and folate, is increased at this time but only a small amount of extra energy is needed.If you are pregnant, a good approach is to eat to satisfy your appetite and continue to monitor your weight. A normal weight gain over the course of a pregnancy is around 10–13kg for women who have a healthy pre-conception weight.A varied diet generally provides our bodies with enough of each vitamin and mineral each day. However, pregnant women may need supplements of particular vitamins or minerals. Be advised by your doctor before taking supplements.