During pregnancy, there are several recommendations for a healthy lifestyle that pregnant women are advised to follow. Diet and nutrition during pregnancy are a complicated subject. In this article, we will discuss diet and nutrition during pregnancy, as well as what to eat and not to eat.
A healthy and well-balanced diet is essential for both the mother and the developing fetus since what a mother consumes during pregnancy is the baby’s primary source of nourishment. In addition, health professionals recommend that for a successful pregnancy, healthy foods are essential since they provide vital nutrients for a child’s growth and development.
What to eat
During pregnancy, the body of a mother undergoes a variety of physical and hormonal changes. To maintain your good health as well as replenish that of your growing baby. You will need to make good choices of what you eat from different sources. In this period, you require both micronutrients and macronutrients.
Macronutrients includes mainly nutrients that provide energy and calories, which are carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. At the same time, micronutrients are nutrients such as minerals and vitamins needed in meagre amounts. Below are some of the sources for these nutrients.
Fruits -examples of fruits recommended are: bananas, oranges, apricots, mangoes, cantaloupes, prunes, and pink or red grapefruits. These are essential because they give vitamin A and potassium, both necessary for a baby’s development.
Some recommended vegetables are spinach, cooked greens, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, and red sweet peppers. These vegetables provide potassium and vitamin A vital for a child’s growth.
Grains– this includes cooked cereals and ready-to-eat cereals. They are essential as they provide iron and folic acids necessary for a baby’s nourishment during pregnancy. In addition, folic acid helps prevent congenital disabilities of the spinal cord and the brain. The neural defects can lead to intellectual disability and paralysis. This means that folic acid is beneficial during the first month of conception, a period where most congenital disabilities, in addition to, folic may occur. More sources of folic acids are liver, dried beans and lentils, eggs, nuts, and peanut butter.
Irons – good sources for this mineral include citrus fruits, eggs, lean beef and poultry, bread and cereals, and green leafy vegetables. Iron is essential in the body as it works with water, potassium, and sodium to boost blood flow, ensuring that enough oxygen is supplied to the body. When getting iron along, vitamin C increases its absorption into the blood.
Dairy products– include soymilk, skimmed milk, and low-fat yogurt or fat-free yogurt. Thi dairy products provide vitamin A and D, calcium, and potassium for a developing fetus. Calcium harps in bone development and regulates fluid by usage.
Proteins – examples of some of the recommended proteins are: pork, lamb, lean beef, peas and beans, peanut butter, salmon, trout, sardines, and herring. Proteins are essential as they help grow a baby’s organs and tissues, including brain development. For a mother, it helps in uterine tissue growth and also breasts. They also play a significant role in allowing for blood supply to a baby.
Water-it is very important for any human being to stay hydrated, especially pregnant women. By taking a lot of water, the blood volume increases. The body of a pregnant woman channels hydration to the unborn baby. An increased water intake will minimize the risk of urinary tract infections and help in constipation. When the water intake is low, a mother will experience tiredness, anxiety, headaches, and, folic some cases, memory loss.
A good planned vegan diet protects the mothers and their unborn babies from various complications related to pregnancy. In case you are a vegan, you should consult a nutrition professional for alternative supplements.
What not to eat
Certain foods are not recommended for a pregnant woman as they may harm the baby or cause harm to the mother. The following is what to avoid during pregnancy.
Avoid raw or partially cooked eggs. It was suitable to ensure that your egg is thoroughly cooked to avoid food poisoning.
There is a type of cheese that contains a bacterium known as listeria that can cause harm to the unborn baby. Avoid mold-ripened cheese. Liver products should be avoided since they contain vitamin A in plenty. Too much vitamin A can cause a lot of harm to an unborn baby.
Fish is recommended during pregnancy since they contain proteins and fatty acids; however, some types of fish have high mercury levels, affecting the nervous system of an unborn child. Avoid eating raw seafood such as sushi as it may contain listeria bacteria. If you have to drink milk, it’s advisable to drink long-life milk or pasteurized milk. Raw unpasteurized milk should be boiled first.
A pregnant woman is advised to avoid alcohol entirely. Even for breastfeeding mothers, it is greatly discouraged. Alcohol may harm your unborn baby. Large amounts of caffeine intake contribute to children being born with low weight. Difficulties during birth and miscarriage. Therefore, energy drinks are also discouraged.
Pregnancy cravings and food aversion
During pregnancies, most women experience aversion to certain foods either due to their taste or smell. You may also experience cravings for a particular type of food. It is not clear why this happens, but most assume it to be hormonal imbalances in the body. This is very normal for pregnant women. It is okay if you crave foods that are recommended for a healthy diet. However, you should avoid taking too many unhealthy diets, i.e., processed and junk foods.
Aversion of food that is essential for a baby’s development can be a great disaster. In case of such, you should consult your doctor for other supplements alternatives.
Importance of proper nutrition during pregnancy
A healthy diet is essential for both the mother and the baby. What a mother consumes during pregnancy is the baby’s primary source of feeding. This determines the growth and development of a baby.
A healthy diet will reduce the risk of illnesses and other problems related to pregnancy, such as morning sickness and fatigue. Disease for a pregnant woman can lead to stillbirth, severe illness for the unborn child, or even miscarriage.
A healthy diet will reduce the risk of congenital disabilities for a baby brought by unhealthy foods, as noted above.
Conclusion
Pregnancy is a significant time, and this is when we see the growth and development of a fetus to a fully grown baby. The top priority during this time is a healthy diet and proper nutrition. At the same time, many foods can be good when not pregnant but can cause damages to a baby. Therefore, an expectant mother needs to follow the above recommendation for good health for her baby. A mother is advised in case of any concerns with their diet to find more for they are attending physicians.