Basics of nutrition during pregnancy

A woman goes through many psychological, hormonal, and physiological changes during pregnancy. Since your baby is developing inside you, you need to make sure to include certain vitamins and minerals. So you should follow a healthy diet. In this article, we'll cover some basics, but you should always follow your doctor's advice during pregnancy.
 

Increase nutritious foods

Your body's needs have definitely increased compared to before, so you should eat enough during pregnancy. The old saying "eat for two" is wrong, but you do need to eat well because your body's demands, especially for vitamins, protein, fats, and omega 3, have grown a lot.

Folic acid 

How much should I eat?

You should vary your food sources during pregnancy. Make sure you get all the required vitamins well. Some nutritionists suggest increasing your calories by 350 at the start of pregnancy, then gradually up to 450. Avoid fast food, unhealthy meals, saturated fats, and soda drinks. Also, you need to eat more vegetables, fruits, and healthy protein sources like grilled chicken, beans, lentils, and meat. In the next sections, we'll show you the main vitamin sources you should make sure to get enough of.
 

Protein

Protein is an important element in the growth of the fetus. It's the main factor in the growth of some brain tissues and other baby organs. It helps strengthen the uterus during pregnancy. The amount of protein you need increases every three months during pregnancy. You should eat at least 70 grams of protein daily. This number changes based on your condition, your baby's condition, and your weight.

Healthy protein sources include

First source: Meat

Second source: Chicken breasts

Third source: Salmon

Fourth source: Nuts

Fifth source: Peanut butter

Sixth source:Cottage cheese or labneh

Seventh source: Beans

Calcium

One of the benefits of calcium is building the child's bones, strengthening your bones, and helping you handle pregnancy pains. The minimum dose you can take is 1000 milligrams, split into two doses a day. Each dose has 500 milligrams. Some doctors recommend taking extra vitamins to reach the right dose. Some healthy sources of calcium are:

First source:Milk

Second source: Yogurt

Third source: Cheese

Fourth source: Some fish and seafood

Fifth source: Leafy vegetables like arugula

Folic acid

Folic acid helps reduce the risk of many birth defects, like spina bifida and anencephaly. The minimum folic acid dose is 600 milligrams daily, You can get folic acid from:

First source: Liver

Second source: Nuts

Third source: Dried fava beans

Fourth source:Lentils

Fifth source: Eggs

Sixth source:Leafy greens

 

Iron

Iron works with sodium, potassium, and water to boost blood flow in the body, which increases the oxygen reaching your baby and vital organs. So you should get 27 milligrams of iron daily, It's better to get iron from sources that also have vitamin C, like:

First source: Dark leafy vegetables

Second source: Citrus fruits like (lemon and orange)

Third source: Lean red meat

Fourth source: Eggs

Sometimes you need extra vitamins, and drinking water is just as important as eating. You should drink at least 8 cups of water a day. Also, there are prenatal vitamins you should know about from your doctor.

Appetite changes

During pregnancy, you might dislike or refuse certain foods. You might not want to taste, smell, or even see some foods like Chinese food or those with lots of spices. It's okay to adjust to these cravings sometimes.

But you should follow a healthy diet, avoid fast food and fried food. Try to find healthier alternatives to unhealthy foods. For example, if you crave fried potatoes, try baked potatoes. You might crave foods with no nutritional value, but you can balance that with vitamins.

 

Weight gain during pregnancy

Don't pressure yourself about weight gain because it's normal in pregnancy. On average, pregnant women gain 10 to 15 kilos. Talk with your doctor regularly to check your health and track changes. You can follow a healthy diet to avoid excessive weight gain.

Healthy exercise

There are some exercises you can do during pregnancy along with a healthy diet, like walking or swimming. But you should enjoy these activities and ask your doctor before starting. If you made exercise part of your daily routine before pregnancy, it might be easier to keep it up. Pregnancy is a time with lots of changes and you should prepare well and read up about it.