Nutrition for a pregnant woman: features, recommendations and reviews

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Pregnancy is a joyful but responsible period. The body of a child goes a long way from a zygote, that is, a fertilized egg, to a person. And all this is in the womb. The weight of the embryo, and then the fetus at each stage of development increases hundreds of times. He receives his nourishment from his mother's blood. Many expectant mothers take he alth care very seriously, including nutrition. How is the diet of a pregnant woman different?

General recommendations

You should eliminate or minimize highly allergenic foods, especially if you have ever had a food allergy. These are chocolate and other cocoa products, citrus fruits, mushrooms, strawberries and other bright red fruits and berries. According to reviews, some foods such as meat, milk, fish and seafood, eggs, nuts can cause allergies. Of course, if you avoid all this at once, the diet will become very poor and the lack of vitamins will make itself felt.

It is best to eat little and often, like five or six times a day. If you want to eat at night, reviews recommend drinking a glass of kefir or eating fruit. Other food will be a heavy load on the body during sleep.

There should be enough fresh fruits and vegetables in the food. It is better to give preference to seasonal species. Canned food should be avoided.

Food should be steamed, baked, boiled or stewed.

In general, we can formulate: the nutrition of a pregnant woman should be he althy. So the diet of a woman who has always taken care of her body will not change much. Of course, during pregnancy, especially at the beginning, unusual food cravings can arise. It is not forbidden to follow them, unless pickles or chocolate chip cookies become your regular food.

About bad habits

Also, although smoking is not a diet, it is worth mentioning. If you didn't quit smoking before pregnancy, you will have to quit. This is not an easy step, but the he alth of the unborn child will be a powerful incentive. After all, nicotine causes many problems: from miscarriages and prematurity to mental retardation.

There are no uniform rules for the nutrition of a pregnant woman throughout pregnancy. Which food will be most useful depends on the stage of pregnancy.

I trimester

Folic acid is important in the formation of the neural tube of the embryo, on the basis of which the nervous system of the child is built. It is clear that this is a very responsible and important task. Doctors often prescribe folic acid preparations when planning pregnancy and in its first trimester. From this it follows that the diet of a pregnant woman should include foods that contain it. Where can you find folic acid? These are legumes, spinach, cabbage, green onions, peas, lettuce, beets.

But the stereotype that during pregnancy you should immediately eat for two is wrong. After all, in the first trimester, the baby weighs only a few grams! Of course, his tiny body does not need many calories. Therefore, excess food is likely to be converted into fat by the mother. This not only leads to problems with weight loss after childbirth, but is not good for either the mother or the baby.

Nutrition for toxicosis

But some women find it difficult to eat even one serving of food. Good nutrition of pregnant women at this stage can be prevented by toxicosis. A habitual and even favorite dish can cause disgust, sensitivity to smells increases. Therefore, it is better to eat little by little, but often. Reviews advise to separate the intake of solid food and drinks, that is, do not drink tea and compote immediately after eating. Food should be warm, but not hot. With an aversion to food odors, you can generally eat it chilled. Nausea and occasional vomiting are considered harmless. But if vomiting haunts a pregnant woman several times a day, appetite disappears, and weight decreases, this is a reason to consult a doctor and treat. This condition can harm the mother andembryo. Acid fruits, such as citrus fruits and kiwi, can relieve symptoms. But as already mentioned, in small quantities and if there is no allergy. Cucumbers, melon and watermelon contain a lot of liquid and nutrients. Most likely, they will also come in handy. Dairy products may be helpful. But it is better to refuse everything fatty, fried and heavy. If someone in the family has the opportunity to cook food, try to do it less often during toxicosis so as not to inhale the smells of food that cause disgust.

II trimester

The baby is actively growing, his organs begin to work, and energy needs increase. Therefore, you can safely increase the caloric content of the diet of a pregnant woman to 2200-2400 kcal and increase the amount of protein.

The need for calcium and vitamin D is increasing. They are important in the formation of the skeleton of the child and his nervous system. Load up on dairy products, spinach, green onions, raisins, oatmeal, sea fish liver, butter and egg yolk.

With a lack of iron in the diet, anemia appears - the number of red blood cells and the level of hemoglobin decrease. The menu should include meat products, especially liver, eggs, radishes, bell peppers, buckwheat and oatmeal. Pomegranate can also increase hemoglobin if you are not allergic to it. Foods containing a large amount of vitamin C will be useful. They help to better absorb iron. These are rose hips, cranberries, blackcurrants, prunes, apples.

Digestion problems

If there areconstipation, this is due to the growth of the uterus and suppression of intestinal motility. But nutrition can also correct this problem. Vegetables and fruits should make up 2/3 of the diet, as they are rich in fiber, which stimulates peristalsis. Help prunes, beets. But it is not necessary to reduce the consumption of meat and dairy products, reviews advise. They contain essential substances for the unborn baby.

Another problem could be heartburn. In this case, it is better to eat in small portions, avoid s alty, fatty and especially spicy.

III trimester

The growth of the fetus slows down, first of all there is a set of its weight. The activity of a pregnant woman is reduced, because with a large belly it is difficult to remain mobile. Therefore, the calorie content of food can be slightly reduced. After the 32nd week, you can reduce the intake of simple carbohydrates and animal fats. Emphasis should be placed on useful vitamins and minerals. For example, calcium. Therefore, the diet should contain dairy products (preferably sour-milk), nuts, green vegetables and fruits, legumes and cereals. The diet of a pregnant woman is now especially important - the capacity of the stomach is too small to eat rarely and in large quantities, so you can not do without 5-6 meals.

One of the problems in late pregnancy is gestosis - late toxicosis. Unlike the earlier one, it is more dangerous. To avoid or reduce it if it has already occurred, reviews recommend reducing s alt and fluid intake.

Providing food

The state also takes care of the nutrition of pregnant and lactating women. In the dairy kitchen they give out food not only for children, but also for expectant mothers. Nutrition for pregnant women is carried out for a period of at least twelve weeks. If the expectant mother is already registered in the antenatal clinic, the obstetrician-gynecologist writes out a medical report on her need for good nutrition. This usually includes fortified dairy and sour-milk products, cottage cheese, vitamin-mineral complexes, juices.