Now that you are a mom-to-be, you need to fine tune your eating habits. You must have a healthy diet during pregnancy. Your meals should be nutritious and well balanced. The number of meals in a day should be increased but the quantities should be decreased.
Everyone that you meet will advise you to eat for two, but the truth is that a pregnant woman needs only 200 to 300 extra calories per day. That is equivalent to two chapattis, a medium bowl of pulses and any dry vegetable along with it. Although because of nausea and vomiting, it is difficult to maintain a healthy diet in the beginning, try to eat a well balanced diet. Also don’t forget to take your prenatal vitamins and minerals, specially Folic Acid and Iron. Here are some recommendations to keep you and your baby healthy.
Choose Your Food Wisely
Your daily diet should include a variety of foods from different food groups.
• Milk And Dairy Products: Skimmed milk, butter milk, yogurt and cottage cheese are rich in calcium, amino acids and vitamin B-12. Don’t forget to consult your doctor if you are lactose sensitive. You should have at least four servings of calcium per day.
• Cereals, Whole Grains, Dals And Pulses: These are a good source of protein. Have at least three servings per day.
• Vegetables: These provide vitamins, minerals and fiber. You must have at least four or more servings of veggies per day.
• Fruits: Have fresh fruits and avoid canned or processed fruits. Have at least two to four servings per day.
• Meat/Fish/Poultry: These provide essential animal proteins. Vegetarians should have at least 1.5 ounces of nuts and 2/3rd cup of legumes for proteins. Have at least three servings per day.
• Fluids: Drink lots of fluids, especially water and fresh fruit juices. Most diseases are caused by water, so make sure that you drink clean and filtered water at home as well as outside.
Some Foods Are A Strict No-No
You Should Avoid The Following During Pregnancy:
• Raw seafood, such as oysters or uncooked sushi.
• Cheese such as Brie and Camembert, and blue veined cheese like Stilton.
• Cow or Buffalo milk.
• Smoking and drinking can cause physical defects in children.
• More than 300mg of caffeine per day can increase the risk of miscarriage.
• Uncooked meat, poultry and eggs.
• Liver and liver products like sausages may contain a large amount of retinol form of Vitamin A, which could be bad for your developing baby.
Food Cravings
During Pregnancy, your taste for certain foods might change. You may suddenly start disliking foods that you were fond of before conceiving. In addition to this, some women feel strong urges to eat non-food items like clay, chalk, ashes or paint chips. This is called as Pica. It may be associated with an iron deficiency such as Anemia. Tell your doctor if you have these non-food cravings.
If you have any problems in having a balanced diet and gaining weight properly, ask your health care provider for advice. Dietitians and nutrition experts are available to help you follow a nutritious diet throughout pregnancy.