Important Tips on Eating Right During Pregnancy

As pleasant as it may be, pregnancy places several demands on your body. Your baby is starting his life. Their needs take precedence over yours. Your baby needs a lot of nutrients to grow. If the necessary nutrients are not available in your diet, some of them will be removed from your body. Lack of nutrition during pregnancy therefore puts both you and your baby at risk. Conventional wisdom says you should “eat for two.” Well, not literally. But you need to modify your diet. Eating well during pregnancy is necessary to ensure that your baby develops in a healthy way.

The first is the first

You need a balanced diet that provides all the necessary nutrients for your baby’s growth. This includes energy, protein, vitamins, minerals, etc. You should pay attention to the following when planning your diet.

Energy. Having a child requires about 75,000 calories! You need an additional 300 calories a day during pregnancy. Avoid empty calories like butter, dressings, jelly, and jelly. Go for healthy calories like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etc.

Protein. Protein is a building block of the body. A good portion of the additional 300 calories must come from protein. Protein rich foods (lean meats, poultry, beans, peanuts) should be regularly included in your meals.

Calcium.Essential for bones and teeth. Your calcium requirement increases substantially during pregnancy. You need 1000-1300 mg of calcium a day. Low-fat dairy, tofu, green leafy vegetables, broccoli, and sardines are good sources. Consider a supplement if you are not getting enough.

Iron.Essential to ensure that you and your baby are getting enough oxygen. You need about 27 mg every day. Sources include green leafy vegetables, lean meats, and poultry.

Folic acid.This is the tricky part. You need folic acid before pregnancy and during the first month. Reduces the risk of having a baby with severe brain and spinal cord defects. While it becomes difficult to meet this requirement in an unplanned pregnancy, it is important to start early. Food sources include green leafy vegetables, beef, and legumes. Look to add a supplement if you are not getting enough (the minimum is 0.4 mg a day).

Weight gain

Weight gain during pregnancy is essential for the growth of the baby. You need to gain 25 to 30 pounds during pregnancy if you have a normal body type. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), you should gain 28 to 40 pounds if you were underweight before pregnancy and 15 to 25 pounds if you were overweight. However, gaining more than 35 to 40 pounds increases fat in you and your baby. It increases the risk of hypertension, gestational diabetes and increases the risk of long-term disease of the baby. Ideally, a steady weight gain of 2 to 4 pounds per month during the first trimester and 3 to 4 pounds per month afterward is ideal.

Tips for creating a healthy diet

The best way to get everything you need is a balanced diet. Small frequent meals are better than 2-3 large meals a day (better absorption and reduced swelling). You can build your diet plan around the following.

• Fruits and vegetables 5-9 servings – Excellent sources of vitamins, minerals (iron, calcium, etc.) and trace elements. Its soluble fiber helps maintain good digestion and prevent constipation.
• Whole grains 6-11 servings – Provides protein, energy, fiber and important minerals such as magnesium. Eat whole foods, as most of the nutrients are found in the outer layer of the grain.
• Protein foods such as meat, chicken, fish, vegetables 3 servings – Choose lean meat to limit fat intake. Include fish as it contains Omega-3 fats, essential for the baby’s brain. It also helps reduce the chances of postpartum depression.
• Low-fat dairy products. 4-5 servings – Excellent source of calcium and protein.
• Monounsaturated fats – An essential building block. Since you need to limit fat to about 30% of your daily calorie intake, stick with healthy monounsaturated fats in your diet. Walnuts are an excellent source.
• Fluids 6-8 glasses per day in colder weather, more if you exercise or lose fluids in a sweat – Your body needs to accumulate the necessary blood volume and maintain a healthy amount of amniotic fluid in addition to your daily needs. Water, juice (no added sugar), low-fat dairy products, and club soda are good ways to get them. Avoid sugary, carbonated, or caffeinated drinks.

Avoid some common problems

Your body makes various adjustments as your baby grows. Some of them are not very nice. Following the right diet plan can go a long way toward solving some common problems.

Morning sickness.Eat smaller, more frequently distributed meals throughout the day. Avoid greasy, oily, spicy, or fried foods. It will make your morning sickness worse. Snack frequently between meals. Try combining fruits / vegetables with protein (carrot with peanut butter, fruit with yogurt).

Constipation.More soluble fiber helps, hence plenty of fluids. Whole grains, fruits, and vegetables are good options.

Hypertension.A common problem in pregnancy. To avoid an outbreak, limit your salt intake. A balanced diet provides you with all the sodium you need (so you don’t need to add salt to your food). To reduce your salt intake without losing flavor, try adding black pepper or lemon juice to your food to enhance the flavor.

Diabetes.Your body’s demand for insulin increases 2-3 times during pregnancy. If the amount of insulin is not enough or the insulin is not working properly (eg, due to obesity), you probably have high blood sugar levels. Left unchecked, it can cause serious harm to your baby. Eat small, frequent meals throughout the day to maintain a stable blood sugar level. Avoid excessive sugar and sugary drinks.

Allergies

Pregnancy can exacerbate existing allergies and trigger new ones. If you suspect food is involved, watch out for items that make symptoms worse. Allergy symptoms usually appear immediately after eating, but no later than 2 hours. This makes it easier to identify the food in question. Try eliminating some of the known allergenic foods from your diet and see if it helps. The usual suspects are:

• Seafood. Particularly shellfish like crab, lobster, shrimp, etc.
• Peanut / peanut butter. One of the most allergenic foods in the world, they can also contain aflatoxins that are among the most potent carcinogens known to mankind.
• Tree nuts. Almonds, walnuts, etc.
• Tomatoes
• Fish. Fish higher up the food chain also tend to concentrate contaminants. There are several health warnings regarding high levels of mercury in tuna.
• Food additives, colorants, monosodium glutamate (MSG), preservatives. MSG can also have the added problem of being a neurotoxin. Animal studies have shown its ability to damage the nervous system of babies.
• Fruits.Strawberries and pineapples are the main candidates, in addition to tropical fruits such as melons.

Intolerance

If symptoms such as upset stomach, cramps, indigestion, diarrhea, and bloating appear more than 2 hours after eating, you probably have a food intolerance and not an allergy. The main suspects are:

• Milk and dairy products that contain lactose.Try low lactose foods like hard cheeses, yogurt, lactose-free calcium fortified milk. Tofu is also a good substitute, although you should limit the amount of soy foods you eat. They contain phytoestrogens that can be harmful to you and your baby if consumed in excess.
• Wheat and other cereals that contain gluten.
• Corn products and products that contain cornstarch.

Supplements

To make sure you get all the necessary nutrients, consider taking supplements (in particular, a good prenatal vitamin). Not all supplements are the same. Talk to your doctor about which product meets your specific needs.

Final thoughts

Pregnancy is a special and beautiful stage in your life. Following a healthy lifestyle and diet not only helps you avoid problems, it also makes for a better experience. Eat well during your pregnancy, lead a healthy lifestyle and, above all, enjoy this beautiful moment.