As a woman get pregnant, it is essential to have a good diet and supply for both mom and unborn baby.
1. Choose a variety of foods to get all the nutrients you need. Recommended daily servings include 6-11 servings of breads and grains, two to four servings of fruit, four or more servings of vegetables, four servings of dairy products, and three servings of protein sources (meat, poultry, fish, eggs or nuts). Use fats and sweets sparingly. Foods with high in fiber such as whole-grain breads, cereals, pasta, rice, fruits, and vegetables are also recommended.
2. Serve with some specific syndromes. Since during pregnancy you may have morning sickness, diarrhea, or constipation. You may find it hard to keep foods down, or you may feel too sick to even eat at all. Here are some suggestions:
- Morning Sickness: Eat crackers, cereal, or pretzels before getting out of bed; eat small, frequent meals throughout the day; avoid fatty, fried, and greasy foods.
- Constipation: Eat more fresh fruit and vegetables. Also drink 6 to 8 glasses of water a day.
- Diarrhea: Eat more foods that contain pectin and gums (two types of dietary fiber) to help absorb excess water. Examples of these foods are applesauce, bananas, white rice, oatmeal, and refined wheat bread.
- Heartburn: Eat small, frequent meals throughout the day; try drinking milk before eating; and limit caffeinated foods and beverages.
3. Avoid foods that are soft, raw or unpasteurized cheeses like Brie, Camembert, feta or goat cheese, high-mercury fish like shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish, and alcohol. As always, go easy on saturated fats, sodium, caffeine and empty sugar calories. And ask your doctor about prenatal supplements, and about any changes to your diet or exercise program.
4. Consider with Healthy snacks
If you get hungry between meals, don’t eat snacks that are high in fat and/or sugar, such as sweets, biscuits, crisps or chocolate. Instead, choose from the following nutritious snacks:
- sandwiches or pitta bread filled with grated cheese, lean ham, mashed tuna, salmon or sardines and salad
- salad vegetables, such as carrot, celery or cucumber
- low-fat yoghurt or fromage frais
- hummus with bread or vegetable sticks
- ready-to-eat apricots, figs or prunes
- vegetable and bean soups
- unsweetened breakfast cereals, or porridge, with milk
- milky drinks or unsweetened fruit juices
- fresh fruit
- baked beans on toast or a baked potato
5. Check pregnant weight gain
This is important to keep mom and baby’ health to adjust a suitable diet plan.
Weight gain during pregnancy varies between women. It is normal to gain 12-14kg during pregnancy. So it is important not to diet or skip meals while youre pregnant your baby grows every day and needs you to maintain a balanced, healthy diet.