Diet for a pregnant woman, There is no joy in a women’s life than knowing she is pregnant. A feeling of immense happiness and a journey of becoming a mother is beyond words to describe. The next 9 months of a women’s life witnesses the miracle of life and the changes a human body is capable of undergoing.
While your body nurture’s the little one, you must take care of your body. The most important part of a healthy pregnancy is the diet and how you complement your body’s growing needs. To all the expecting mothers we are here to help and guide you with Diet For a Pregnant Woman & what should be your focus in the next 9 months when it comes to your diet.
How important is it to eat healthy during pregnancy?
We all have heard about the pregnancy cravings and hiding behind the hilarious excuse ‘Oh, the baby wants it. It’s obvious to overindulge in a few specific foods that we take guilty pleasure in eating. But a healthy diet is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle at any time, especially vital when pregnant or planning a pregnancy.
Healthy eating keeps you active and gives your baby the essential nutrients they need in the womb. What you eat during pregnancy affects not only your health and wellbeing but also impacts the development of your baby. There is substantial evidence that eating healthy during pregnancy can have a lasting impact on the health and wellbeing of your child later in life.
7 Diet Essentials for every mom to be (Diet for a pregnant woman)
Make Folic acid your friend
Folic acid is essential for everyone, but it becomes of greater value when pregnant. The reason is that folic acid or folate helps in fetal growth and development & prevents birth defects. The recommended intake of folic acid is 400 to 1,000 micrograms/day while expecting.
Sources- Green leafy vegetables, dried beans, citrus fruits, fortified cereals & peas are rich in folic acid.
You Can with Calcium
Calcium is again one of the most important components for both fetal development and maternal wellbeing. The additional calcium needed helps in baby’s development of bones, teeth, and organs like the heart. Calcium also reduced the risk of hypertension in expecting mothers. The daily recommended amount of calcium is around 1,000 milligrams to 1,300 milligrams a day for a pregnant woman.
Sources- Dairy products are a rich source of calcium. Other non-dairy products like breakfast cereals, fruit juices, broccoli & kale are also great sources of calcium.
Do it with Vitamin D
Vitamin D plays a vital role in strengthening the immune system, healthy bone development, and promoting cell division. Naturally, Vitamin D can be taken by exposing yourself to sunlight, you should aim for at least 10 to 30 mins of daily sunlight exposure.
Sources– Fatty fish like salmon, milk, nuts, tuna, and egg yolks are rich in vitamin D.
Pick up more Protein
The most essential macronutrient during pregnancy is protein. While mothers’ body is undergoing the expected changes during pregnancy right amounts of proteins help in that repair. For the right development of baby’s muscles, hairs, nails, skin & overall development protein is needed.
Sources- Animal products provide a rich source of protein like eggs, lean meat, poultry & fish. On the other hand, plant-based protein-rich sources are soy products, beans, legumes, beans, nuts, and peas.
I for Iron
Iron deficiency during pregnancy can be of great risk to both mothers and the baby. While pregnant the iron needs are doubled to meet the requirements of the body. The Daily recommended amount of iron is 27 milligrams during pregnancy.
Sources- Iron-fortified breakfast cereals, green leafy vegetables, beans, and figs. High iron is also found in animal products like red meat, fish, chicken liver, poultry, etc.
Build it up with Iodine
Not much is talked about iodine but it’s an important component for growth and development for the baby. Iodine is an essential component of maternal and fetal thyroid hormones. The hormone in turn helps in fetal brain and nervous system development.
Sources- Iodized salt is the most readily available source. It’s also important to be careful of the salt intake as it can increase the risk of hypertension in pregnant women.
Boost immunity with Vitamin C
Vitamin C is known to boost immunity and while pregnant it helps in forming Collagen. Collagen is an essential component for the baby’s bones, tendons, and skin. Vitamin C also supports the maternal body in iron absorption and protects from infections.
Source- The best source is all the citrus fruits- Lemon, oranges and sweet lime. Other than that Brussel sprouts, broccoli, red peppers, green peppers are also rich sources of Vitamin C. You also find Vitamin C in Spinach, cabbage, turnips, sweet potatoes, tomatoes & winter squash.
Quick Tips for mom to be
- Have plenty of water and fluids & maintain a healthy diet
- Avoid fast food, carbonated beverages, high-fat foods, alcohol or alcohol-based drinks, high mercury foods.
- Have easily digestible food and freshly cooked food & keep a meal gap of 3 hours
- Stay active, do walking, light yoga under an expert’s guidelines.
- Do listen to good music, read good novels, keep yourself engaged and happy.
- Track your weight gain and sugar level simultaneously.
- Avoid outside food as much as possible & stay away from high preservative added foods
- Over-the-counter medications or herbal remedies without medical consultation are a big NO while pregnant
- Take doctor’s advice for any kind of supplements.
How QurBook can support expecting mothers?
There is no question that pregnancy is an exciting phase, but it can also be quite overwhelming for the mother and the father. Frequent doctor visits, lab works, dilemmas around what to eat, and making sure all your body parameters are in check. Well, QurBook can make a difference by making sure all aspects of your pregnancy are under check. A dedicated trained healthcare staff to guide you at every step of your pregnancy, each trimester-specific care plans to keep your health at its best while pregnant. Diet plans & dietitian consultations at fingertips. Each diet plan is designed to make sure the body is supplemented with the right kind of nutrition. Choose from the range of care plans QurBook Offers its users and make your pregnancy journey memorable with care and love. This blog post about Diet for a pregnant woman is aimed at helping you.