Now that you're a mum-to-be, you need to eat well. If your diet is poor to begin with, it is even more important to make sure you have a healthy diet now. You need more vitamins and minerals, especially folic acid and iron. You need a few more calories during your pregnancy as well. Getting your diet right for pregnancy is more about what you eat than about how much. Limitjunk food, as it has lots of calories with few or no nutrients.
Eat a variety of foods from these different food groups each day:
· Milk and dairy products: skimmed milk, yogurt/curd, buttermilk (chhaach), cottage cheese (paneer). These foods are high in calcium, protein and Vitamin B-12. Talk to your doctor about what to eat if you are lactose intolerant.
· Cereals, whole grains, dals, pulses and nuts: these are good sources of protein if you do not eat meat. Vegetarians need about 45 grams of nuts and 2/3 of a cup of legumes for protein each day. One egg, 14 grams of nuts, or ¼ cup of legumes is considered equivalent to roughly 28 grams of meat, poultry, or fish.
· Vegetables and fruits: these provide vitamins, minerals and fibre.
· Meat, fish and poultry: these provide concentrated proteins.
· Fluids: Drink lots of fluids, especially water and fresh fruit juices. Make sure you drink clean boiled or filtered water. Carry your own water when out of the house, or buybottled water from a reputed brand. Most diseases are caused by waterborne viruses. Go easy on packaged juices as they have a very high sugar content.
Fats and oils: Ghee, butter, coconut milk and oil are high in saturated fats, which are not very healthy. Vanaspati oil is high in trans fats, which are as bad for you as saturated fats. A better source of fat is vegetable oils because these contain more unsaturated fat
Are there any foods I shouldn't eat during pregnancy?
There are some foods that could be unsafe for your baby: · Unpasteurised milk (buffalo or cow's milk) may contain listeria. · Raw or undercooked meat, poultry, and eggs. These can contain harmful bacteria. Cook all meat until there are no pink bits left. Fully cook your eggs till they are hard.
· Raw seafood, such as oysters or uncooked sushi.
· Large predator fish, such as shark or swordfish as it may contain unsafe levels of mercury. These fish absorb the mercury from contaminated water. The mercury binds tightly to the proteins in fish muscle and remains there even after the fish is cooked.
· Processed or canned fish is often preserved in saline (salt solution), which may lead to water retention. Drain canned fish well, and have processed fish only occasionally.
· Alcoholic drinks. Drinking too much alcohol can cause physical defects, learning disabilities, and emotional problems in children. So many experts recommend that you give up alcohol while you are pregnant.
· Cut down on caffeine. Drinking more than 200mg of caffeine a day increases the risk of miscarriage and low birth weight. Have no more than two mugs of instant coffee, or two cups of tea or five cans of cola per day.
Can I go on a diet during pregnancy?
Dieting during pregnancy could harm you and your baby. Some diets can leave you low on iron, folic acid or other important vitamins and minerals. Weight gain is one of the most positive signs of a healthy pregnancy. Women who eat well and gain the appropriate amount of weight are more likely to have healthy babies.
So if you're eating fresh, wholesome foods and gaining weight, relax. You're supposed to be getting bigger!
What's a healthy way to put on weight in pregnancy?
The average weight gain during pregnancy is between 8 kgs and 15 kgs. Concentrate on eating well rather than worrying about weight gain. Eat plenty of carbohydrates, lots of fruits and vegetables, reasonable amounts of protein, and just a little in the way of fats and sugars. If you are over 90 kgs or under 50 kgs, your doctor may advise a special diet.
How many meals should I eat during pregnancy?
Even if you're not hungry, chances are your baby is, so try to eat every four hours. Sometimes morning (or all-day) sickness, food aversions, acidity, or indigestion make eating difficult. Try eating five or six small meals each day, instead of three large ones. Your baby needs regular sustenance, and you need to keep up your energy levels, so try not to miss
Do I need to eat more now I'm pregnant?
Even though everyone will advise you to eat for two, the average woman does not need any extra calories during the first six months of pregnancy. Your body actually becomes more efficient at extracting the required energy and nutrients from your diet when you're expecting a baby. Even in the last few months, you only need about 200 extra calories per day. You can add these additional calories to your daily diet with:
· 2 rotis without ghee
or
· one plain dosa with a dollop of coconut chutney
or
· two bananas
or
· 2 scrambled eggs
Your own appetite is the best indication of how much food you need to eat and you may find it fluctuating during the course of your pregnancy:
· In the first few weeks you may not feel like eating proper meals, especially if you suffer from nausea or sickness. Try then to eat smaller but more frequent meals throughout the day.
· During the middle part of your pregnancy your appetite may come back. You may be hungry and feel like eating more than usual.
· Towards the end of your pregnancy your appetite will probably increase. If you suffer from acidity, heartburn or a full feeling after eating you may find it helpful to have small frequent meals.
The best rule is to eat when you are hungry and to choose healthy food rather than calorie-rich dishes with little nutritive value.
Should I take supplements during pregnancy?
Morning sickness or food aversions may make it hard to eat well during pregnancy. A vitamin and mineral supplement may be a good idea to help you get all the vitamins and minerals you need.
Folic acid is particularly important. The Ministry of Health recommends that women should take 0.4 mg (400 micrograms) of folic acid in a supplement until at least the 12th week of pregnancy. A lack of this B vitamin has been linked with neural tube birth defects such as spina bifida.
You may also need to take iron supplements. Your doctor will check your iron levels regularly and advise you on how much to take.
Talk with your doctor about your diet if:
· You are a strict vegetarian
· You have gestational diabetes
· You have anaemia
· You have a history of low-birth weight babies.
In these cases you may need extra vitamins and minerals, or you might have to eat a special diet.
Remember, though, that more is not always better. Very high doses of vitamins and minerals could be harmful to your baby. Always check with your doctor before taking any medicines or tablets, even if they are herbal.