Pregnancy weight gain ! When a woman gets pregnant, her life undergoes a significant transition. Not only her life undergoes transition, but her body also undergoes some transition. A pregnant woman must support the baby’s growing needs, thus she must be cautious about what she eats. She should be aware of pregnancy weight gain in order to maintain a balanced and healthy diet in pregnancy. Let’s explore this topic in more detail in this blog.
How much should I eat?
Healthy eating is essential for pregnant women’s health and the development of their unborn babies. The nutritious requirements of a pregnant woman will depend on
- Mother’s age
- Weight
- Physical activity
- Lifestyle
The pregnant woman will have nausea and dizziness during the first three months of her pregnancy, making it difficult for her to eat adequately during that period. Therefore, make sure to drink plenty of water throughout this period. After the first four months of pregnancy, you must consume more than 350 calories. And your diet requirements increase to 450 calories and above after the seventh month. Finally, depending on the pregnant mother’s physique, a healthy pregnant mother should have a weight gain of 6 to 15 kg.
How can I eat?
A diet should be well-balanced, with an amount of 50% fruits and vegetables, 25% whole grains, and 25% lean protein for a pregnant woman. She can effectively hydrate herself with 8 to 10 glasses of water every day. Additionally, pregnant women can consume nutritious snacks like salads, small sandwiches, apricots, baked beans, small-baked potatoes, fresh fruit, and vegetable soup. A common pregnant menu consists of
- Foods high in protein include beans, chicken, fish, eggs, almonds, and lean meat.
- Milk, cheese, and yoghurt are foods high in calcium.
- Dark green vegetables, dried fruit, legumes, salmon, eggs, and red meat are foods high in iron.
- Dark green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, almonds, and liver all contain folic acid.
- Vitamin D-Sun, egg, and fish
- Citrus fruits, broccoli, tomatoes, and strawberries all have vitamin C.
Food to stay away from
It is better if you stay away from the following foods
- Improperly washed vegetables and fruits
- Half-boiled egg or raw egg
- Raw or undercooked meat
- Smoked fish
- Unpasteurized milk and cheese
- Papayas can be either raw or semi-ripe.
- Fish having a high mercury quantity, such as king mackerel, swordfish, and shark
What happens if you don’t consume a healthy diet ?
The issues caused by a poor diet include the following
- Anaemia
- Low birthweight
- Preterm labour
- Infant developmental issues.
To conclude:
In addition to a nutritious diet, you can also take vitamin supplements(folic acid, iron, calcium, vitamins C and D) as per the advice of your obstetrician. In particular, you can take folic acid which is an important B vitamin, which helps in a baby’s brain and spinal cord development. So, maintain a healthy, balanced diet and have normal pregnancy weight gain.
