Pregnant women are frequently bombarded with health drinks, foods, supplements and advice telling them what and what not to eat. This can easily get frustrating and lead to unnecessary stress.
If you find yourself in such a state, don’t worry! With the right information and some guidance, you can overcome anything. So, sit back, grab your pregnancy pillows and read on.
Essential Nutrients For A Healthy Pregnancy
According to the American College of Obstetricians, for optimal body and fetal health, pregnant women need to include more calcium, vitamin D, folic acid, protein, iron, and zinc in their diets than they did before pregnancy.Here’s why:
- Calcium
A calcium deficiency will cause the fetus to extract the mineral straight from the mother’s bones. In very rare cases, this could lead to an extreme deficiency and eventually cause osteoporosis. Hence, it is recommended that pregnant women get 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day.
Foods rich in calcium include dairy products like milk, cheese, yogurt, etc.
- Vitamin D
Foods rich in vitamin D include egg yolks, cheese, salmon, beef liver, etc.
- Folic Acid
As a result, your gynecologist may have already informed you about the importance of consuming more folic acid. Despite your efforts to ensure you get the appropriate amount, it’s difficult to achieve this via food alone.
This is why it’s absolutely essential that you start taking supplements. Women are often advised to take 400 micrograms of folic acid every day for a month before getting pregnant. This should be increased to 600 micrograms per day once they are pregnant.
Foods rich in folic acid include leafy green vegetables, pasta, bread, cereals, beans, etc.
- Protein
Foods rich in protein include nuts, meat, fish, eggs, etc.
- Iron
Iron is necessary for supplying the baby with enough blood and oxygen. An iron deficiency will lead to anemia so you’ll feel weaker and be more vulnerable to illnesses.
When consuming iron-rich foods, include a vitamin C-rich food as well, to maximize the absorption of the iron in your body.
Foods rich in iron include leafy vegetables, nuts, grains, beans, lentils, etc.
- Zinc
Foods rich in zinc include dairy products, seeds, meat, legumes, etc.
Pregnancy Weight Gain: How Much Should I Expect to Gain?
Weight gain is one of the major expected changes that accompany pregnancy. If you’re interested in all the crazy and fascinating things that no one tells you about being pregnant and other useful health related articles, check this out to have your mind blown.If you’re unsure about what weight range to stay within during your pregnancy, the Institute of Medicine, USA recommends that:
- An underweight woman who has a BMI below 18.5 should gain 28 to 40 pounds.
- A person with a normal weight who has a BMI between 18.5 to 24.9 should gain 25 to 35 pounds.
- An overweight woman who has a BMI between 25.0 to 29.9 should gain 15 to 25 pounds.
- An obese woman who has a BMI of 30+ should gain 11 to 20 pounds.
Ideal Portion Sizes For Each Food Group
When you’re pregnant, every meal should be rich in nutrients to meet your daily requirements. In a typical meal, half of your plate should be fruits and vegetables, a quarter of it should be whole grains and the remaining quarter should be a lean protein. End the meal with a glass of milk.Hence, your total daily food intake should consist of:
- Fruits and vegetables: Get at least two to four servings of fruit and four or more servings of vegetables per day, especially during your second and third trimester.
- Whole Grains: Eat six to 11 servings of whole grains per day.
- Proteins: Eat about three servings of protein per day.
- Dairy Products: Eat three to four servings of dairy per day.
Foods To Restrict
Certain foods, if consumed in high amounts, can be harmful for the baby during pregnancy.Therefore, pregnant mothers should take extra care to keep their portion sizes of these foods in check.
- Fish
- Caffeinated Foods and Beverages
Foods To Steer Clear Of
There are certain foods you must avoid at all costs as they can greatly harm your baby or worse, induce a miscarriage. These include:- Raw/Unpasteurized Animal Products
Furthermore, the mother can pass a toxoplasma infection from consuming these foods to the baby which may later cause blindness or mental disability.
- Junk Foods
This can encourage overeating and cause unnecessary weight gain. Eating plenty of junk food can cause malnutrition and negatively affect your baby’s growth.
- Alcohol
Debunking Pregnancy Diet Myths
There is a lot of misinformation floating around regarding the proper pregnancy diet. Let’s look at some common ones:
- Myth: Cure Morning Sickness by Curbing Food
Intake
Although
the exact causes of morning sickness is not known, it’s thought to be caused by
low blood sugar or hormonal changes. Instead of trying to cut down on food,
curb your morning sickness by eating smaller, more frequent portions of plain,
non-smelly food.- Myth: Giving into Food Cravings Without Further Investigation
- Myth: Overeating to Ensure Fetus Gets Sufficient Nutrients
They are, however, advised to add 200 calories to their current caloric intake for the second trimester and increase that to 300 calories for the third trimester to support the rapid growth of the baby.
