So, you are pregnant! This is a news to celebrate and start preparing for your coming addition to your family! Now that a baby is growing inside you, he/she will absorb everything that you are eating. So, if you are a breakfast skipper or devour chips for lunch, it’s time that you redeem yourself of this. You have to make modifications in your diet to keep both your baby and yourself healthy during pregnancy.
The food and beverages that you undertake daily, directly impact your growing baby. Developing good eating patterns means that you will have a healthy baby and a healthy you for years to come. Surely, you will experience craving and will need extra food, but a balanced diet is extremely important. So, let’s take a look at the nutrition tips that you need to follow during your pregnancy:
- Focus on calcium and iron rich foods
For normal development and growth, to maintain normal oxygen supply and prevent premature delivery, minerals that are found in fish, steamed spinach and turkey are really essential. Non fat milk, broccoli and leafy greens are the sources of calcium that a mum needs for a healthy pregnancy.
- Have regular breakfasts
Regular breakfast with cereals and fruits are really necessary. Starting with first trimester, you need to add 100 calories and about 300 extra calories have to be added to your regular diet. In case you are feeling sick, you can start with the whole wheat toast. And later in the morning, eat more food to make it up.
- Get enough fluids
During pregnancy, water and other fluids are important to expand the blood volume as it carries the nutrients and oxygen to both mother and the baby. So, make sure you are getting enough nourishing fluids such as water, herbal tea, infusions and coconut water. Always carry a bottle with you and drink between each of your snack and meal.
- Have healthy snacks
The additional 300 calories per day that you need to add during your pregnancy consists of some nutrient packed mini meals and snacks such as: low fat yogurt, 2 cups of unsweetened cereal, a small bagel, banana, apple, berries, grapes and a sandwich made of 2 slices of whole grain bread and 3 ounces of turkey breast meal.
- Avoid alcohol, caffeine and lunch meat
Either start drinking decaffeinated tea or coffee or simply stay away from caffeine. Avoid alcohol and soda at all costs, focus on water or seltzer. There are certain foods that contains bacteria and can potentially hurt your baby. These foods are hot dogs, lunch meats, soft cheese such as brie, feta or goat cheese and undercooked or uncooked fish and meats.
All these nutritional tips are important to follow to have a healthy pregnancy and ultimately a healthy baby and you for a long time. Ensuring that you are following a balanced diet will make this whole pregnancy time an issue free and joyful experience. And you can invest your time in buying essential things like moses basket, footmuffs, sheets, decorating the nursery and so much more to prepare for your baby’s arrival!