Nutrition intake during pregnancy

Motherhood is a blessing to every woman’s life. But it holds several responsibilities both before and after bearing a child. When a woman is pregnant, she goes through various physical and hormonal changes, and for that, she needs to have a balanced amount of food and water to get energy and ensure the healthy growth of the offspring.

The adage for a pregnant woman - ‘Eat for two’ is not real. She should eat only ‘enough’ food for fulfilling the body requirements of the mother and the child. 300 extra calories daily are said to be the ideal requirement for any women, which will include a balanced meal full of essential nutrients.

Here is a list of nutrition-enriched food that will add the correct proportions of nutrients in your diet. The Dos and Don’ts of a mother-to-be’s diet include:   

What to eat?

●       Fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins and iron such as carrots, spinach, and bananas, oranges, mangoes.

●       Dairy products such as milk, yogurt, and leafy vegetables which are the main source for Calcium. This will help in building the child’s bones and will ensure the regulation of body fluids.

●       Protein-rich food such as chicken, pork, nuts, which will help the baby’s organs and tissues to develop.

●       Food rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and Choline which contributes to the child’s brain development (soy products, flaxseed).

●       Eating eggs, lentils, and beans containing folic acid which will reduce risks of neural tube defects (birth-defects related to fetus’s brain and spine causing paralysis). 

●       Cereals and whole grains

●       Pre-natal vitamins

●       Drinking plenty of water (8-12 glasses daily)

What to avoid?

●       Caffeine consumption (limits fetal growth).

●       High-mercury fish like Shark, Tuna.

●       Alcohol (increases the risks of miscarriage and lower birth-weight).

●       Raw uncooked food (containing harmful bacteria).

Enjoy the phase of motherhood by eating right and eating healthy.