If you are an expecting mother, the most critical matter for you is your pregnancy diet. Your diet during the pregnancy period will decide the health of your new born child. As a pregnant woman tends to go through bouts of nausea and vomiting and also develops diet preferences, the quality and quantity of food entering her body is affected. To make sure that all the essential nutrients are being absorbed by the body, it is important to know what to eat when carrying a child.
A to-be mother should ensure that her diet has two key components – growth components and energy components. Growth components include proteins, calcium and vitamins that directly contribute to the healthy development of the child. Energy components include iron, carbohydrates and folic acid that make sure that the mother’s body has enough supply of energy to nourish the pregnancy.
Recommended Diet Plan
To make sure that you get enough of both, it is important to make a daily pregnancy diet plan. A typical breakfast meal should include servings of whole wheat bread, a fruit bowl mixed with sprouts, an egg and a serving of milk with cereal. It is recommended to take 2-4 servings of dairy products during the day. If you have problem digesting milk, try taking yoghurt. If you are a heavy drinker of tea or coffee, consult your doctor on what should be your daily or weekly intake. Consumption of excess tea or caffeine by a pregnant woman can be harmful to the fetus.
Eat green leafy vegetables for your mid-meal and dinner, to get folic acid and iron. Supplement it with rice or bread, a daily product like yoghurt and protein rich lentils. Lentils are also a good source for folic acid which is very crucial for the development of the fetus during the first 3 months of pregnancy. A diet rich in folic acid will ensure that the baby is not born with deformities like cleft lip or neural tube defects.
Munch on fruits or salads in between meals to get those essential vitamins. For vitamin C, drink fruit juices or eat carrot, beetroot, tomato, apple, peach etc. A fruit rich diet will also ensure high-fiber intake. If you think that you are not able to get enough of these, ask your doctor to prescribe you some prenatal vitamins.
Watch Your Weight
Your diet is closely related to your weight. For every stage of pregnancy, an ideal body weight is recommended to ensure that both the mother and child are healthy. Consult your doctor periodically with your pregnancy diet and make changes accordingly to maintain ideal body weight.