Contents
Diet during pregnancy: video tips
Proper nutrition during pregnancy helps to avoid many problems, including excess weight, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, and deterioration in well-being. Moreover, careful planning of the diet is necessary for the birth of a healthy, strong baby.
Proper nutrition of a pregnant woman
The most common nutritional mistake during pregnancy is the desire to eat for two. This actually doubles the amount of food consumed because people forget that an unborn child does not need to consume the same amount of calories as an adult. Constant overeating during pregnancy leads to excess weight, which will be difficult to get rid of after childbirth.
Often, expectant mothers begin to eat too much not on their own initiative: relatives try to force them to significantly increase portions, not realizing that this is harmful
A sharp increase in weight during pregnancy is also fraught with increased stress on the joints, increased pain in the lower back and legs, and other troubles. Of course, a pregnant woman should eat more than usual, but not much. Particular attention should be paid not so much to the quantity as to the quality of food, because it is from the mother’s body that the fetus takes everything necessary for development.
There is also another extreme. Often, women, in an effort to maintain their figure, deliberately reduce portions in order to gain a minimum of excess weight during pregnancy. This approach is even more dangerous than the previous one: due to a lack of nutrients, the fetus may develop incorrectly, and as a result, the child will be born weak, not healthy enough, and the mother’s body will be seriously affected.
Choice of vitamins and minerals
During pregnancy, women often follow the same menu as before conception, simply increasing the portions. You shouldn’t do that. The fact is that the deficiency of some vitamins and minerals, which was barely felt before, during pregnancy can become critical. Remember that the child takes up a considerable part of the nutrients, and if neither you nor he lacks them, this can harm both. It is very simple to solve the problem: you need to add more dishes to the diet that contain useful substances, and also use multivitamin complexes, if necessary.
To help your baby’s intelligence and memory develop better, make sure that the foods you eat are rich in selenium, iron and iodine.
Zinc and calcium are also important – they contribute to the better development of the body. However, it’s important not to overdo it. For example, too much calcium increases the burden on the kidneys. To create an optimal menu, you can not only study the lists of recommended products yourself, but also seek help from a doctor.
Different time, different diet
Proper nutrition for pregnant women directly depends on the trimester. Often, expectant mothers make up one menu and adhere to it throughout the entire gestation of a child, but this approach is incorrect. A well-chosen diet will help ensure a balanced diet for both mother and baby.
In the first trimester, the diet for pregnant women for every day differs little from the usual diet. At this time, 2400-2700 kcal, 350 g of carbohydrates, 75 g of fat and 110 g of protein will be enough for the fetus to receive the necessary “building materials” for the creation of internal organs and body formation.
At this time, it is better to give up spicy foods and alcohol, giving preference to dairy products, vegetables, fruits, lean meat and fish
In the second trimester, fetal weight gain is accelerated. This means that you need to increase the amount of calories, vitamins and nutrients consumed. The daily calorie content of the menu at this time should be about 3000 kcal, so that both mother and child have enough nutrition.
In the third trimester, the diet needs to be restrained again. Firstly, the child no longer needs as many calories as before, and secondly, the amount of hormones in the pregnant woman’s body increases, which promote relaxation and help relieve pain during childbirth, which means that the woman’s physical activity gradually decreases. In the last weeks of pregnancy, it will be quite enough to consume 2600-2800 kcal per day.
Another common nutritional mistake during pregnancy is trying to eat more in order to get the right amount of calories. At the same time, a woman pays minimum attention to the quality of food. Such a mistake is most often made by those pregnant women who, during the period of carrying a child, want to have time to complete as many things as possible, work a lot and simply do not have time to prepare meals every day. No matter how busy you are, try to find time for this.
It is recommended to buy only fresh, high-quality products, and cook them yourself
It is undesirable to purchase semi-finished products of dubious quality or prepare a salad and eat it for 3-4 days, when the vegetables are already beginning to gradually lose their freshness. It is also recommended to buy fruits and make juices on your own, and not buy ready-made, especially cheap and not too high-quality drinks.
To improve the quality of food and spend a minimum of time, purchase household appliances that will help you quickly cope with the task. Juicers, food processors, multi-cookers will allow you to cook high-quality homemade food very quickly and easily.