Remember to Pregnancy

For Pregnancy

Throughout your pregnancy baby is dependent on you for all its dietary need. This means that you should pay special attention to what you eat. A poor diet during pregnancy will not only take its toll on your own health, but can also have life-long repercussions on the physical and mental well-being of your child. A pregnant woman should eat a well-balanced diet, but at the same time keep track of her weight gain. Women who experience morning sickness or nausea in the first trimester are sometimes unable to eat properly. In fact, many mothers-to-be tend to lose weight during this period. However, this should not worry the expectant mother, unless it continues even after the third month; then it becomes advisable to seek the doctor’s help. Food aversions are extremely common in pregnancy and are believed to be due to the hormonal changes taking place in the body.

                From the third month on wards, when your baby starts to develop and grow, you will find a change in your appetite. Your hunger will return! This is the time to nourish you with a well-balanced and nutritious diet. It is important that women should gain weight during pregnancy. Not gaining enough weight makes for a low-weight baby who might face health problems; on the other hand, too much weight may make the delivery a bit too difficult. The ideal weight gain during your pregnancy is between 9 to 13 Kg. Any weight gain beyond this will stay with your after your delivery. Make sure not to restrict your diet during pregnancy because otherwise your diet may lack the right amount of nutrients required for the growth of the baby.

Remember to

a.       Eat small portions of food at regular intervals. Avoid consuming large quantities of food at meal times.
b.      Keep fruits, nuts and biscuits handy for those intermediate hunger pages.
c.       Avoid smoking and alcohol.
d.      Reduce your intake of tea and coffee.
e.      Avoid heavy and spicy foods as these may cause flatulence. Keep your salt intake low.
f.        Eat at least two portions of fruits and vegetables. Avoid aerated drinks as this will lead to unwanted calories. Instead, substitute with fresh fruit and vegetable juice.
g.       Add honey instead of refined sugar to your milk. And in general, limit all kinds of sugar.
h.      Eat only when you are genuinely hungry.
i.         Eat slowly and chew your food well.
j.        Avoid tranquillizers and drugs in general, unless you are prescribed one by your doctor/gynecologist. If you have an over powering need to take a drug, then consult your doctor. Just remember that drugs have serious effects on the unborn fetus.