A healthy and balanced diet during pregnancy

Pregnancy is the most nutritionally demanding period in a woman’s life. During pregnancy there is a rapid cell division and organ development of the baby. To meet the increased demands of the body, pregnant women should consume pregnancy food that is rich in proteins, vitamins, calcium, carbohydrates and all the other essential nutrients. Expected mothers should take special care of their balanced diet because the food they will consume will affect the growth and development of the unborn child. The nutritional needs are higher by 300 calories over the pre-pregnant state and this will ensure that pregnant women will have adequate weight gain. The diet during pregnancy should be adequate to provide for: Maintenance of mother’s health rnNeeds of the growing fetusrnSuccessful lactation The pregnancy food consumed should be easily nutritious and digestible. The fetus completely depends on the mother for its nutritional needs up to the first trimester (three months). In the second and third trimester an additional 300-calories/per day is recommended. A complete balanced diet is very essential for the pregnant women because whatever she eats has to meet the needs of her own and the unborn baby. The first three months of the pregnancy are very important because at this stage most of the physical and mental growth of the baby takes place. The main organs like external & internal and the nervous system of the baby form within this period. Similarly, baby’s growth is rapid during the last three months of pregnancy. So, a nutritious det during this period is very essential for the normal birth weight of the baby. The diet of the pregnant women should include five basic food groups. Fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grain products like breads or cereals, meat, fish or other protein alternatives, milk and other dairy products, to provide a nutritious diet. Besides the natural diet, prenatal vitamins especially iron, calcium, folic acid are prescribed by the doctors throughout the pregnancy. There are some other food items that are not to be consumed by the pregnant women. Those food items include canned and processed foods, spicy foods, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, sugary foods like cakes, cookies, candies, sodas and colas. To be on the safe side, it is better not to drink alcohol or smoke during pregnancy because the alcohol that the women drinks is transported from the mother’s blood to that of the fetus. rnIf pregnant women want to pursue healthy nutrition during the stage of pregnancy, it is very important to choose the right pregnancy food to eat when pregnant. Good nutrition is closely linked to the prevention of a number of pregnancy problems, such as placental abruption, preeclampsia, anemia and pre-mature birth. Expectant women should eat a combination of pregnancy foods from the different food groups. However, your pregnancy calls for some unique dietary requirements. Understanding the proper combination of foods to eat when pregnant is one of the main secrets to a healthy pregnancy.