Nutritional Diet for Pregnant Women

As a woman, pregnancy is the most floundering and the most blessed phase in your life. Some get miscarriages which are super devastating, some give healthy birth to their babies, some face several complications during pregnancy. However, to accomplish a successful and healthy pregnancy, you will have to manage nicely while going through a lot of vicissitudes physically and mentally.

Your body during pregnancy undergoes various types of changes in your hormones. Pregnancy is a huge task so you need to muster yourself up. You need to take care of your body in several ways because the growth of the baby inside your belly is dependent exactly on how you take care of yourself. From diet to lifestyle, you will have to switch to a healthier lifestyle.

As a part of a healthy lifestyle, you need to grab a variety of nutrients from different types of food. Food plays a vital role in achieving a healthy pregnancy because the food you eat is a main source of nourishment to your baby inside which will help it to grow healthy. Having a balanced diet is not at all arduous, you can grab it all by preparing a well-planned menu for you which also covers some delicious options that can fulfill your cravings even.

What proportion of nutrients are essential during pregnancy?

You need to eat well, that doesn’t mean you have to eat for two or in an enormous amount. You should eat the way that covers all the essential nutrients. A pregnant woman need not to change her diet during the first trimester but should consume 340 extra calories in the second trimester and should elevate 450 more during the third trimester than she used to consume before pregnancy.  Just in case, you are Mommie-to-be of twins, then you need to consume 600 calories.

You should avoid eating too much processed food and junk food, steer clear of addictions such as alcohol, caffeine, smoking, drugs etc. But of course, yes! you can order pizza, tacos and other things in a long while.

You need to add macronutrients as well as micronutrients in your diet. Micronutrients like vitamins and minerals while macronutrients such as fat, carbohydrate, protein, are required in large quantities. Vegetables, fruits and vitamin-iron-folate rich food become paramount during pregnancy.

Vitamins:

Don’t miss any essential vitamins during pregnancy, below is the checklist of important vitamins you should not avoid.

Vitamin A is pretty good for healthy eyesight, skin, and strong bone’s growth. It is present in green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, milk, eggs etc. Vitamin B6 and B12 helps in the formation of the Red Blood Cell, it strengthens your nervous system, supports your body to use protein, carbohydrate and fat in a right way. Bananas, milk, whole grain cereals, beef, and poultry are good sources of these vitamins. Vitamin D helps your body to absorb calcium to strengthen the baby’s bone and teeth. Exposure to sunlight is the best source of this vitamin. Vitamin C helps your body to absorb iron which is present in citrus fruits, strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli etc.

Folic Acid (Folate):

Folic acid works well if you begin taking it before pregnancy or during the first trimester. It helps in reducing the neural tube defect i.e., birth defect of brain and spinal cord in the baby. At least, every day, a pregnant woman needs 400 micrograms of folic acid.  You can get folic acid from leafy vegetables, some vitamin supplements, fortified cereals, cauliflower, nuts etc.

Protein:

Protein ensures the growth of the baby while developing the tissues and organs correctly. It also helps in increasing the supply of blood to various organs. Each trimester, your body will require an increase in protein consumption. Per day, at least your body will require 70-100 g. lean beef and pork, milk, yogurt, chicken, salmon, nuts, peanut butter, cottage cheese, beans etc. are pretty rich sources of protein.

Iron:

Consumption of iron during pregnancy is essential for the formation of hemoglobin. Iron works well in conjunction with potassium, sodium and water to elevate the flow of blood. Therefore, RBC carries the oxygen and supplies it to you and your tot inside. Women during pregnancy, at least consume 27 microgram iron per day. Iron is present in dark leafy vegetables such as spinach, citrus food, eggs, beef, poultry, breads, cereals, dried fruits, seafood etc.

Calcium:

A pregnant woman should consume 1000mg calcium a day. It is pretty important to build the bones of the baby strong and also to use the fluids the right way. Calcium helps in reducing the potential risk of gestational outcomes and risk of hypertension also. It is present in milk, vitamin supplements, yogurt, cheese, tofu, leafy vegetables etc. you can have it in two portions of 500-500 mg.

Besides healthy diet, you also need to consider various other things such as healthy lifestyle. Also to avoid alcohol, smoking, drugs and other unwanted medication, try to reduce stress, stay positive, mild exercise, meditation etc. works amazing for pregnant women. No matter what, Sneh Hospital offers prenatal, antenatal, and post-antenatal care for all pregnant ladies! We are just a call away!