Diet And Your Pregnancy

Good nutrition is important during pregnancy. A nutritious diet will help you meet the rapidly growing needs of your baby, maintain your health and prepare you for lactation. However, you do not have to eat for two. All you need is a well-balanced diet.

A Balanced Diet

Mothers should eat a variety of food from the 4 food groups, namely, rice and alternatives, fruits, vegetables, and meat and alternatives. This is because different food groups contain different types of nutrients. For instance, meat and alternatives are rich in protein but have no Vitamin C. Choosing a variety of foods ensures that you get the right balance of nutrients from the 4 food groups.

The table serves as a guide for pregnant mothers on the types and portions of food to consume.

Rice and Alternatives

Foods in this group provides energy as well as fiber, vitamins and minerals. The amount of energy an individual needs vary with age, weight and activity level. Usually, 6 - 7 servings will be required.

Fruits

The requirement for most minerals and vitamins increases during pregnancy. These are necessary for the normal functioning of the body such as blood formation and the building of body resistance. Fruits are good sources of vitamins and minerals, as well as dietary fiber. 2 servings a day are required.

Vegetables

Like fruits, vegetables are good sources of vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. 2 servings a day are required, at least 1 of which should be a green leafy vegetable..

Meat and Alternatives

This food group provides protein, necessary for the growth and repair of body tissues such as those that make up the muscles, heart, lungs, eyes and skin. Pregnant women require more protein, which is used for the formation of the fetus' organs. In our affluent society however protein deficiency is rarely a concern.

You should have 2 servings of protein per day.

Additional Nutrients Needs

Iron

Iron is essential during pregnancy to prevent the mother from being anemic (a condition of insufficient red blood cells or hemoglobin in the blood). An anemic mother tends to look pale and feels tired easily.

Additional intake also helps to build up the baby's iron stores, in order to last baby for the 1^st 6 months of life. Iron is found in liver, meat, fish, bean curd, wholegrain cereals, green leafy vegetables and eggs

Folic acid

This is needed for cell growth and cell reproduction. Cells are basic building blocks for tissues. Since folic acid is involved in the formation of blood, a deficiency in folic acid can also cause the mother to be anemic. Folic acid is found in green leafy vegetables, liver, yeast extract, eggs, nuts, wholegrain cereals and oranges.

Vitamin C

We need this vitamin every day because our body cannot store it. Vitamin C increases your body’s ability to absorb iron. It is important to note that Vitamin C and folic acid are easily destroyed by cooking and heat. Vitamin C can be found in fruits especially oranges, guavas, papayas, kiwis, lemons, as well as vegetables.

To prevent destruction of Vitamin C, avoid storing fruits and vegetables for long periods of time. You should also avoid peeling and cutting them as Vitamin C is lost with prolonged exposure to air.

Vegetables should also be cooked in small amounts of water to prevent water-soluble nutrients like Vitamin C to be leached out into the cooking water, and in as short a time as possible

Calcium

During pregnancy, you need more calcium to maintain your own calcium stores as well as for the development of your baby's bones and teeth. Your calcium requirement during pregnancy is 1000 mg a day, which can be met through consuming 2 – 4 servings of milk and alternatives a day.

Weight Gain

Mothers should not gain excessive weight during pregnancy. During pregnancy, an additional 300 calories per day is required.

It is not necessary to calculate your calorie intake per day. Use your weight gain as a guide. Pregnant women should aim for an average of 0.45 kg a week during the 2^nd and 3^rd trimesters for a total weight gain of 11 - 15 kg. However, if you were overweight before your pregnancy, you should only gain 6 - 9 kg.

To control excessive weight gain, you should limit sugary foods such as sweets and sweetened drinks. You should also reduce your fat intake by eating less fried foods, chocolate. Other ways of reducing fat intake include : removing the skin and fat on poultry, and removing fat from meat before eating, opting for soup noodles instead of fried noodles, and boiling, steaming or grilling foods instead of deep frying.