During pregnancy nutrition and the right habits play a major role.
There are some pregnancy nutrition we need to know. These help a pregnant woman to make the right choice to plan a balanced diet.
- A pregnant woman needs to gain about 25 pounds to 35 pounds /11- 15 kgs weight to have a healthy baby. The weight gain by a pregnant woman depends on various factors. According to pregnancy nutrition facts, it is always advisable to achieve ideal weight and then try for a baby to give a healthy start to the baby.
- Some pregnant women are worried that vegetarians cannot have healthy babies. Now that’s just a pregnancy nutrition fad. Of course, vegetarians can have healthy babies. Vegetarians must pay a little more attention to ensure that all the nutritional requirements are met. Especially when it comes to nutrients such as protein, calcium, vitamin D etc. Take expert’s help if you need.
- Pregnant women should never skip meals or diet. They will be depriving their baby the nutrients he/she needs for growth and development. Your baby needs a steady supply of nutrients. Everything should be done to support you and your baby’s well-being.
- Constipation is a common issue during pregnancy. Make sure to include fiber-rich foods in the diet. Eat plenty of fruits, veggies, and whole grains. Ensure that you are taking plenty of water and fluids. These fiber-containing foods and water help prevent constipation.
- During pregnancy nutrition, especially the iron requirement is high. The blood volume for a pregnant woman goes up (a little less than 50 % increase) compared to a normal non-pregnant woman. It is quite difficult to get the recommended amount of iron from the foods we consume. pregnancy nutrition should include iron supplements.
- Calcium is one of the essential nutrients a pregnant woman needs. Milk is one of the richest sources of calcium and it is good for pregnant women. But if a pregnant woman is unable to drink milk there are other sources which provide calcium. Other dairy products such as curd/yogurt, cheese also can supply calcium. There other sources of calcium such as whole grains and green leafy vegetables.
- The first priority of pregnancy nutrition is to supply the recommended amount of nutrients to support your baby’s growth and development. If the pregnant woman has a balanced diet once in a while indulging in having some foods such as chips, pizza, is alright. But do it in moderation.
- Fat is essential for the growth and development of a baby’s brain. It is an essential component of a balanced diet. Add fat in moderation to your diet. There are several functions in the body fat performs. Cutting down on fat drastically is not good.
- Snacks should be planned well and healthy snacks can be an appropriate vehicle to supply essential nutrients since nutrient requirement increases during pregnancy. It will be difficult to supply all nutrients just via three meals. Snacks are a good way to get important nutrients.
- Healthy women should eat salt as usual and they need not limit their intake of salt. Sodium also performs certain functions in the body. If the pregnant woman has high blood pressure or develops any other complications during pregnancy, a doctor is the best person to give advice.