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.
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