Pregnancy in general is an uncomplicated process and results in the birth of a normal and healthy baby if the pregnant women take proper and healthy diet. During the pregnancy period, the woman needs extra calories and nutrients to support the growth of her child. Therefore, it is important to know what a healthy pregnancy diet is and what should it contain.Proper and healthy pregnancy diet is essential and important since it will help the pregnant woman gain the required amount of weight. The amount of weight gain required to ensure proper growth of the baby generally depends on the pregnant woman's weight before her pregnancy. A healthy diet during pregnancy will also reduced the possibility of birth defects, low birth weight, and many other problems in the newborn baby.
The amount of calories and nutrients required by a pregnant woman depend on her daily activity schedule and her weight before pregnancy. Generally a pregnant woman gains around 8-12 KGs if she is taking a healthy and adequate pregnancy diet, which is full of minerals and vitamins.
The calorie and nutrient requirements of a pregnant woman are also determined by the stage of her pregnancy. Generally, the calorie requirements during the first trimester of a pregnancy are normal and a pregnant woman does not need to take additional calories and minerals. However, she needs to ensure that whatever diet she is taking is healthy and adequate to fulfill her body requirements. It is in the second and the third trimesters of her pregnancy that a woman needs to take additional calories and nutrients, since it is during this time when the baby's real growth takes place.
Apart from taking a healthy diet, a pregnant woman needs to avoid certain foods that can harm her or her baby's health. Consumption of alcohol, caffeine, and foods containing high amounts of mercury should be avoided during pregnancy to ensure its smooth passage. Raw, undercooked, and un-pasteurized food items should also be avoided.
Since Fruits and Vegetables are the best source of vitamins, proteins and minerals, a pregnant woman should have adequate amount of these items to ensure the smooth passage of her pregnancy and the delivery of a healthy baby. Dairy products have high amount of calcium and constitute a very important item in a nutritious pregnancy diet.
Consumption of adequate amount of water is also essential for a pregnant woman. Again, adequate amount of folic acid, iron, and calcium is important for the growth of the baby. A pregnant woman generally needs to take some iron or calcium supplements to ensure the proper growth of her baby. A doctor generally recommends consumption of natural sources of iron and calcium. However, some supplements are also recommended as part of a pregnancy diet to ensure that there is no shortfall.
Another important point that needs to be noted is that a pregnant woman's diet comprises of fresh cooked and hygienic food items. Therefore, a healthy pregnancy diet can play an important role in delivering a healthy baby.
If you are pregnant, or planning on becoming pregnant, a healthy pregnancy diet is essential if you are serious about the health of your baby. A healthy pregnancy diet that is full of all the nutrients required ensures normal fetal growth and development, as well as maintaining hormonal balances and energy levels in the mother's body.
The general rule of thumb is that the mother's diet needs to increase by approximately 300 calories per day while pregnant to account for the extra demands on her body. During pregnancy the mother's body will increase in size by 40 - 60% but this is natural! It is evidence of a healthy growing fetus. However too much weight gain can be detrimental to both mother and baby, as can minimal weight gain, so it's important to eat properly and be monitored regularly by a physician.
A healthy pregnancy diet will generally consist of a balance of vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats, carbohydrates and fatty acids, all sourced from natural wholesome foods and complimented by prenatal vitamins that will be prescribed by the mother's physician. This diet, along with plenty of fluids and exercise, will ensure that the usual physical symptoms like constipation, heartburn and nausea associated with being pregnant, will be significantly reduced or even avoided altogether. Other symptoms associated with being pregnant such as mood swings and depression may also be reduced, and the mother will have more energy to go about her daily routine and will have more strength for the pending birth.
So if a healthy pregnancy diet recommends wholesome natural foods, then it stands to reason that foods such as fast foods, processed foods, sweets, junk food, soft drinks and food out of boxes are all to be avoided!. These foods are high in artificial preservatives, trans fats, sugars and chemicals, all which have the potential to slow down or harm the natural development of your baby. Also remember that when you are eating these "bad" foods, that they are of very little nutritional value, so even if there is no harmful chemical or fat in what you are eating, your baby is still starving for proper nutrients. For the baby, mortality and increased risk of pregnancy disorders are the main risks of poor pregnancy nutrition, as the baby is more susceptible to degenerative diseases and cognitive and neural disorders.
The importance of all the necessary elements cannot be over emphasised. Calcium is necessary for the healthy development of the teeth and bones. Proteins are the essential building blocks of life and are necessary for cell wall development and ultimately the healthy growth of tissues and organs. Vitamin C is necessary for the development of the baby's immune system, as well as teeth and bones. Vitamin D is required for proper tooth formation, insulin production, increased mineral absorption and fetal brain and organ development, while iron is necessary for haemoglobin production, as the mother needs to produce more blood as the fetus grows.
A healthy pregnancy diet has to be every mother's first priority once she decides that she wants to become pregnant, or realises that she is pregnant. A healthy pregnancy diet only takes none months, but can have life-lasting implications, both for mother and child. Pregnancy is a very sensitive period in every woman's life. This is because she has to take care of herself and the baby inside her. Because the baby takes the nutrients it needs from the mother, it is important for the pregnant woman to ensure that she eats right for her health and her baby's as well. That's why the health pregnancy diet is recommended for every pregnant woman.
You shouldn't worry that your diet will be changed drastically because you are now required to adopt a healthy pregnancy diet. In fact, the foods are not that different, they are only healthier. So, if you are adopting a poor diet, it's time that you make some changes for the better. Specifically, pregnant women should follow a balanced diet where all the food groups are represented well.
The first thing that you should remember is that the healthy pregnancy diet suggests a maximum of 4 servings of dairy products daily because these offer vitamin D and calcium. Cheese, low fat or skim milk and yogurt belong to dairy and you can opt for soy options if you have issues with dairy products. Aside from dairy products, another recommendation is protein, which should be two servings every day. Sources of protein range from beef, chicken, lamb, fish, seafood to pork. But, because you are pregnant, you need to be choosy especially when you eat seafoods as some contain mercury, which is bad for the baby.
For pregnant women who love vegetables, the healthy pregnancy diet recommends one to two servings of fresh green leafy vegetables, including cabbage, spinach, lettuce, mustard greens and collard greens. Whole grains are also part of this healthy diet and 5 servings are advised for pregnant women because these provide minerals, vitamins and fiber. Most women would prefer whole wheat bread, but they have to check whether they are eating bread tagged with "100% whole wheat" because some are only enriched wheat and these are not whole grain.
Fruits are present in every diet plan and the healthy pregnancy diet plan is no exception. These are rich in vitamin C, which is needed by our body. Some of the recommended fruits are grapefruit, orange and tomato. Two eggs are also suggested to be part of your diet daily because these contain protein, minerals and vitamins.
If you think that caffeine will be banned if you are pregnant, then you should not worry too much because you can consume a healthy amount of coffee, soda and tea even if you follow the healthy pregnancy diet. Experts and physicians recommend the daily intake of 6-8 ounces of these beverages on a daily basis. You can also opt to drink a decaffeinated coffee if you crave for more. Of course, let's not forget water and its important role in keeping us hydrated all day long.
When the craving for sweets tend to overpower you, just always remember that you're doing this not for yourself alone, but for the baby. And you don't want to compromise the baby's health, I'm sure so you need to exercise restraint.
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