Being pregnant and becoming a mom is one of the best feelings in the world. But it also comes with the territory of being stressed especially about diet. Right nutrients are very important during prenatal term both for the baby and the mother.
The pressure is too much for first-time moms, and it gets even worse with suggestion and advice bombarded on them from relatives and friends.
It’s a hard decision to constantly decide what to eat and what not to, sometimes the things you love have to be given up as they are unhealthy for you and you need to choose the healthier option.
This article will help you in this decision, I will talk about some dos and don’ts of food that a pregnant woman should keep in mind.
The 3 must-dos for a nutritious 9 months:
- Do include Folic, vitamins, calcium, iron, zinc, and fiber in your diet
- Always include all type of minerals in your diet. It must be made of a combination of these and should not just focus on only one.
- Vitamin B is pivotal during the first six weeks of pregnancy and, hence it’s important to munch on green leafy vegetables, beans, poultry, fish and citrus fruits.
- Calcium is crucial for building the bones of your baby so make sure you eat enough of soy products, dairy products, orange juice and dark green vegetables. Do you know eating oranges daily (in winters) is the answer to most common question of how to get fair baby naturally.
- Iron and fiber is essential for your own health and must not be forgotten. Fiber is especially good for constipation. If iron is not supplied to the body through food enough, take supplements after consulting your doctor.
- Zinc helps in better delivery and curbing any fetal issues. Nuts and whole grains, meat and seafood are some of the best sources for this mineral.
- Do Choose organic food over processed products:
- It’s better to eat food grown on trees rather than processed foods. They do more harm than we can ever imagine. Also, while eating fruits and vegetable be sure to check for pesticides, and choose organic and locally grown vegetable and fruits.
This is very important as the baby’s immune system is just developing and needs pure food items for a healthy start.
- Do Choose foods that provide double nutrient:
- Your diet must contain every mineral but it’s not possible to eat 5 or 6 variety of food in one sitting. That’s why it is crucial to include food that provides more than one nutrient.
- Like yogurt, peanut butter, chicken, eggs and dairy products are rich in protein, calcium and iron, all three nutrients important for the growth of the baby.
Orange juice, spinach, and beans also are double duty foods having fiber, magnesium, zinc and vitamin B.
The 3 must don’ts for a healthy pregnancy:
- Don’t eat for two
- People will keep advising you to eat for two as you are carrying a life inside you but that’s just not true.
- Eating for two will just increase your weight, instead, eat healthy and enough to satiate your hunger and also provide you and your baby with enough nutrition.
- Don’t cut out water and don’t consume caffeine and alcohol
- Staying hydrated is extremely important for you, as a decrease in fluid levels can stimulate contraction leading to preterm labor for you. So you must at least drink up to 8 glasses or the amount of water that helps you stay hydrated.
- Alcohol drinking is a serious no for you as it can enter the baby’s body through the umbilical cord and that would dangerously harm the little life in you.
- Every doctor has a different take on caffeine, so ask your doctor, does your health allow you to drink coffee. In my opinion, it’s safe to stay away from caffeine.
- Don’t be hungry for more than three or four hours
- Being hungry for more than 3 or 4 hours will spike your blood sugar levels, and you can faint or feel light-headed which can be fatal for you and the baby. So, always keep a healthy snack with you in case of going out.
- Also, keep munching on fruits, dry fruits or some healthy food while at home.
Always remember, some of these do’s might not go for you due to your health structure so even after researching well, it’s always safe to consult a doctor for a proper diet knowledge.
