Pregnancy food for beautiful baby
These foods will guarantee you a beautiful and healthy baby
These foods will guarantee you a beautiful and healthy baby | Pulse NigeriaADVERTISEMENT
Now that you’re pregnant, you may want to know what to eat during pregnancy to have a beautiful baby. Yes, the things you eat when you’re pregnant can affect your baby’s looks.
These foods will guarantee you a beautiful and healthy baby
This is has nothing to do with funny myths like don’t eat okro during pregnancy or your baby will be slow. Or don’t eat spicy food or your baby will be born with teeth. Nothing like that at all.
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What to eat during pregnancy to have a beautiful baby?
These foods will guarantee you a beautiful and healthy baby Pulse Nigeria
This list of what to eat during pregnancy to have a beautiful baby contains tried and trusted ways to give birth to a beautiful and healthy baby.
Here are the things you SHOULD eat:
Eat fresh fruits
If you want to give birth to a beautiful baby, plan your meals to include nourishing food. Fruits like mangoes, papaya, oranges, bananas, and African cherries should be in your diet. There are many other seasonal fruits, and you’ll do well to eat them if you want beautiful babies.
Eat vegetables and greens
These foods will guarantee you a beautiful and healthy baby Pulse Nigeria
Be sure to consume vegetables like ugu, bitter leaf, afang, tete, spinach, oha, cucumbers, peas, and tomatoes.
Eating these nutritious fruits and vegetables guarantees beautiful babies!
Drink lots of water
These foods will guarantee you a beautiful and healthy baby Pulse Nigeria
Your body needs adequate hydration to function well, and so does your unborn baby. Doctors recommend about 2 litres of water daily or 8 glasses of water. Your fluid intake can affect your skin, your bones, and your health in general.
If you are not used to drinking water, you could train yourself to meet up with the daily requirement by setting out a jug of water in the morning and drinking from it until you have had your daily 2 litres. Once your body gets used to this new water intake, it will adjust naturally and you will feel thirsty enough to drink lots of water every day!
Drink a lot of water if you are after what to do during pregnancy to have a beautiful baby.
Dairy products
These foods will guarantee you a beautiful and healthy baby Pulse Nigeria
During pregnancy, the consumption of dairy products is very important. It helps you meet the extra requirement of proteins and calcium which gives support to your growing fetus. Drink at least one glass of milk a day and consume more greek yogurt and milk to keep your baby healthy and beautiful.
Eggs
These foods will guarantee you a beautiful and healthy baby Pulse Nigeria
Eggs are superfoods as they are a great source of vitamins, proteins, and minerals. The proteins present in eggs makes them good for the growing baby as it generates and repairs the cells of the fetus.
Additionally, eggs have a high amount of choline in them. Choline is essential for the development of the brain and nervous system of your unborn baby.
Legumes
These foods will guarantee you a beautiful and healthy baby Pulse Nigeria
Legumes are a group of foods that includes lentils, soybeans, peas, beans, chickpeas, and peanuts. They are an excellent source of plant-based fibre, protein, folate, calcium, and iron. And all of these are very important for a pregnant woman. Having enough folate will make sure that your baby will be born healthy and stay protected from many diseases and infections in the future.
Nuts
These foods will guarantee you a beautiful and healthy baby Pulse Nigeria
Nuts are delicious and they are full of healthy fats.
This makes them an ideal choice for snacking during the pregnancy period. They have brain-boosting omega-3 fatty acids, proteins, fibres and other essential nutrients that are crucial for the development of the baby.
Also read: These Foods Will Help Your Baby Gain Weight
This article was first published on AfricaParent.com
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10 foods to eat during pregnancy for a healthy baby
Pregnancy is one of the happiest phases in a woman’s life but, it can have its own set of mental and physical stresses.
Maintaining a healthy and balanced diet is very important during the period of pregnancy as it helps both the mother and the baby to stay healthy! During this time, your body needs extra nutrients to improve your baby’s health. In fact, you need to add 400-500 extra calories each day in your diet during the 2nd and 3rd trimesters. Poor dietary choices can make you fat and also increase the risk of birth complications. Pregnant women are needed to take extra care of what they eat during the pregnancy period to fulfil the special nutritional requirements of the baby. In short, choosing healthy and nutrient-rich foods will ensure that you and your fetus, both stay healthy. It also helps you lose weight easily after you have given birth. So, just for you, we have compiled a list of 10 foods that you can eat when you are pregnant!
1. Dairy products
During pregnancy, the consumption of dairy products is very important. It helps you meet the extra requirement of proteins and calcium which gives support to your growing fetus.
Drink at least one glass of milk a day and consume more greek yoghurt, paneer and ghee to keep your baby healthy.
2. Eggs Eggs are considered as superfoods by many as they are a great source of vitamins, proteins and minerals. The proteins present in eggs makes them good for the growing baby as it generates and repairs the cells of the fetus. Additionally, eggs have a high amount of choline in them which is essential for the development of the brain and nervous system of the unborn baby.
Read AlsoBananas
Bananas are a great source of folic acid, calcium, potassium and vitamin B6. They are also rich in antioxidants and they help in boosting the energy. So, they can be a good addition for your pregnancy diet.
4. Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are a very good source of beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A inside the body and it is essential for the growth of cells and tissues.
Vitamin A also helps in boosting the immunity and improving the vision. So, eating more sweet potatoes can be beneficial for both mother and the unborn baby.
5. Legumes
Legumes are the group of foods which includes lentils, soybeans, peas, beans, chickpeas and peanuts. They are an excellent source of plant-based fibre, protein, folate, calcium and iron, and all of these are very important for a pregnant woman. Having enough folate will make sure that your baby will be born healthy and stay protected from many diseases and infections in future.
6. Nuts
Nuts are delicious and they are full of healthy fats, which makes them an ideal choice for snacking during the pregnancy period. They have brain-boosting omega-3 fatty acids, proteins, fibres and other essential nutrients which are crucial for the development of the baby.
7. Orange juice
Orange juice can fill you up with folate, potassium and of course, vitamin C.
It can provide your baby with necessary nutrients which will prevent various types of birth defects. The vitamin C content in orange juice will increase your baby’s ability to absorb iron in the body. So, have one glass of orange juice every day as a part of your breakfast.
8. Leafy vegetables
Leafy vegetables are nutrient-rich and we all know that they can help in protecting the body against a lot of diseases. Being a rich source of antioxidants, calcium, protein, fibre, folate, vitamins and potassium, green veggies are a great addition for your pregnancy diet.
9. Oatmeal
Oatmeal has various types of health benefits. The intake of carbohydrates is necessary for all of us, especially pregnant women as it can provide instant energy to perform daily activities. Oatmeal is a good source of carbs, selenium, vitamin B, phosphorous and calcium. So, have it for breakfast during the pregnancy phase.
10. Salmon
Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids which is very good for heart health. Having enough omega-3 in the diet is essential for women who are pregnant as it helps in the development of the brain and eyes of the fetus. Salmon is also a great source of vitamin D, which is important for the bone health as well as the immunity.
Also See: Foods That Cause Miscarriage
Nutrition of a pregnant woman
So, your plans and decisions to give birth to a child have come true - you are pregnant! But this news causes you a double feeling: - on the one hand, a feeling of joy, and on the other hand, a feeling of certain fear and even fear of unknown trials for your life and the fate of the unborn baby. What will he be like? - healthy, beautiful, happy?...
And this largely depends on the woman herself, on what lifestyle she will lead during pregnancy and, most importantly, how she will eat.
Nutrition of a woman in different periods of pregnancy
The main thing in the menu of a future mother is variety. She should consume foods from all food groups: meat, fish, vegetables and fruits, dairy products, bread and cereals.
A woman's nutrition during pregnancy can be roughly divided into three periods (trimesters).
If before pregnancy a woman ate normally, felt comfortable, did not experience allergies to any products, then it is not worth changing her diet at an early stage of the first trimester of pregnancy.
During this period, all organs and systems in the child's body are formed, tissues are formed. The body needs complete proteins and vitamins: lean meat (rabbit, chicken, turkey), fish and seafood, dairy products. Be sure to eat rice, fresh or frozen vegetables, seasonal fruits. In the first trimester, many expectant mothers are still working. No matter how difficult it is to control your diet in the workplace, you need to do it - find time for a full breakfast and lunch.
In the first trimester of pregnancy, there is an active restructuring of the body and adaptation to a new state. During this period, it is recommended to switch to a low-calorie diet, which includes more fruits, juices, decoctions of dried fruits, including rose hips. At the very beginning of pregnancy, especially if toxicosis torments, more frequent, but less plentiful meals are recommended.
Always keep a hematogen, a bag of nuts or dried fruit in your pocket to have a snack on the street. If your condition does not allow you to eat regular food, you should pay attention to baby food. Baby products literally save expectant mothers suffering from severe toxicosis. These are boxed cereals, children's curds, cookies and fruit purees.
In the first trimester, special attention must be paid to the quality of products. Gradually abandon sauces, semi-finished products and canned food containing harmful chemical additives. Do not forget that the placenta freely accumulates and passes chemistry.
The importance of products containing folic acid is great, without it intensive metabolism is impossible, its deficiency can cause developmental abnormalities. Folic acid is found in greens, nuts, white cabbage and broccoli, beets, legumes, and eggs.
According to nutritionists, the diet of pregnant women should be 300 kcal / day higher than that of non-pregnant women, but in the first trimester there is no need to increase the energy value of the diet at all; in the second trimester, an additional 340 kcal / day is required; in the third trimester - 452 kcal / day. Pregnant women generally get enough calories, and more than 80% of women achieve and even exceed the required weight gain. These extra calories benefit the fetus. An underweight woman should gain 16–20 kg during her entire pregnancy, an overweight woman about 7 kg, and a normal body weight of 11–12 kg.
In the second trimester there are active jumps in the height and weight of the baby and uterus, so the caloric content of the diet needs to be increased.
It is desirable to eat more and better. At this time, the need for trace elements increases: iron, magnesium, zinc, selenium, calcium, potassium. The child creates his own "reserve" of trace elements using the mother's resource, which means that the mother should have enough of them for two.
Very often in pregnant women in the second trimester hemoglobin drops, this is a normal physiological phenomenon, if it is not threatening to health. You can increase hemoglobin by eating red meat, chicken, fish, dried fruits, pomegranates, green vegetables and fresh herbs, buckwheat, citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruits, pomelo, lemons), rosehip and berry infusions.
In the second trimester, a pregnant woman should limit the intake of smoked and fried foods, as well as salt in her diet. In no case should you limit the liquid. Pure water is the best drink for a pregnant woman, and water should be consumed up to 2-2.5 liters per day. Water is a natural drink for the body, it does not cause complications and has no contraindications.
Edema is caused not by water, but by salt, which we not only add in its pure form, but also consume with canned food, mayonnaise, cheese, and sausage. The absence of salt is not harmful, it is naturally found in many products: vegetables, bread, so the diet will not remain completely without it. Excess salt disrupts metabolism.
During this period, you can increase the calorie content of food. Childbirth must be approached physically strong. It is better to eat meat and fish in the morning, for breakfast and lunch, and for dinner, prepare dairy and vegetable dishes: cheesecakes, stewed vegetables, cottage cheese and vegetable casseroles. It is necessary to minimize the intake of canned food, smoked meats, pickles and marinades, hot spices and fatty foods. Frequent walks in the air, physical activity are recommended.
In the third trimester, it is necessary to reduce the calorie content of foods at the expense of confectionery and flour products, eat less fatty meat, as well as cheese and sour cream.
By the end of this period, many experts advise pregnant women to give up meat altogether in order to increase tissue elasticity and prevent ruptures.
During the entire period of pregnancy, special attention should be paid to the combination of products. If you combine foods wisely, you can ensure more efficient absorption of food. If the food is digested poorly, then this can lead to rotting and fermentation of products and the formation of substances harmful to the body of the mother and child. In addition, the fermentation process is accompanied by gas formation, which can lead to flatulence (bloating) and discomfort. This is especially harmful in the last stages of pregnancy.
Try not to take the first, second and third course at the same time; this overflows the stomach and presses on the fetus, the food is poorly digested and poorly absorbed. Eat little and often. It is not recommended to eat immediately before starting work, a long walk, before charging and immediately after it; it is advisable to rest for 10 minutes before eating.
Eat only when you are hungry, try not to snack on the go. Follow the diet, eat at about the same time.
Proper preparation of food will help to maximize the useful substances contained in the products. Do not overcook food, try not to reheat the same dish several times, it is better to set aside only the portion that will be used. Cook in the most gentle way: baking, steaming, stewing. Avoid frying, boiling in large amounts of water, with this method of processing products, many useful substances are lost. If possible, do not cook for several days at once. Do not use aluminum cookware when cooking. Remember that for a pregnant woman, it is not calories that are important, but the quality of food, its naturalness, primarily a “living cell” (whole cereals, raw vegetables and fruits, fresh meat and dairy products).
What can harm the pregnant woman and the fetus
Smoking and alcohol – quit smoking from the first days of pregnancy, if you have smoked before, avoid "passive" smoking, and do not consume alcoholic beverages in any doses.
Lack of vitamins and microelements in the body - their absence or deficiency can lead to irreparable consequences. So, for example, iodine deficiency can lead to mental retardation of a child, folic acid deficiency - to severe fetal deformities, calcium deficiency - to a violation of the formation of the child's skeleton, iron deficiency - to anemia and a delay in the physical and neuropsychic development of the child. It is necessary to consult a doctor, perhaps he will recommend switching to iodized salt, as well as supplementing your diet with a vitamin-mineral complex and folic acid.
Excess weight is the risk of having a large child, which means the risk of complications during childbirth and the child's tendency to become obese at an older age.
The use of food additives (sauces, seasonings such as vegeta, bouillon cubes), exotic fruits, semi-finished products, carbonated drinks - the risk of allergies and anomalies in a child, unfortunately, increases.
Recommended for pregnant women:
- Do not eat hot dogs and other snacks containing meat that has not been heated on fire or boiled in boiling water.
- Avoid soft cheeses. Hard cheeses are safe.
- Do not eat raw frozen pies and meat pastes, seafood. Canned analogues are safe.
- Do not consume raw vegetables, unpasteurized juices, liver, meat, poultry and eggs that have not been sufficiently cooked. These products may contain Salmonella taxins.
- Limit sweets.
- In no case do not resort to starvation and various diets.
- Regularly monitor blood pressure and do not miss visits to the gynecologist.
Remember!
Your child's development and health depend on your diet and lifestyle during pregnancy!
Nutrition during pregnancy - Geburtsinfo Wien
Many people think that pregnant women should eat "for two", that is, twice as much as usual. But it's not!
It is much more important to organize a healthy diet with plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits, fish, milk, dairy products and high quality fats. Drink plenty of fluids, preferably water or unsweetened tea.
Don't diet or fast, even for religious reasons. Diets and fasting are harmful to pregnant women.
Essential for healthy development of the child:
- folic acid: in spinach, broccoli, egg yolk, tomatoes and bananas
- Iron: in meat, black pepper, cinnamon, parsley, beans, peas, lentils, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, nuts
- Iodine: use iodized table salt!
- Calcium: in milk, dairy products, cabbage, broccoli, leeks, dill
Discuss all questions with your doctor and read the following information:
Dangerous and illegal foods for pregnant women
During pregnancy, the entire female body changes. This can weaken the immune system, lowering the body's defenses. Therefore, at this time, infectious diseases are more severe than usual, which can jeopardize the health of the mother and unborn child.
Take precautions: When preparing and eating food, pay attention to the following two things:
- Practice strict hygiene when preparing and storing food.
- Avoid so-called dangerous foods.
Dangerous foods include:
- raw milk and raw milk products
Discard raw milk or boil it first.
Avoid raw milk products. You will recognize these products by their "Made with Raw Milk" label.
Remove the skin from the cheese and do not eat cheeses that ripen in the presence of slime microflora (eg tilsiter, quargel) and soft cheeses (eg camembert).
- Meat, fish and eggs
WARNING! Avoid oily predatory fish such as tuna, swordfish, halibut and pike. These fish often contain heavy metals.
Heavy metals are also found in giblets. Therefore, you will have to give up offal.
Avoid raw and undercooked fish and seafood, including sushi, oysters, and the like.
Avoid smoked and pickled fish, including smoked salmon, and gravaviloha.
Do not eat raw or undercooked eggs, meat or sausages. This list includes carpaccio, beef tartare, low to medium rare steak, salami, smoked sausage, hunting sausages, smoked ham, smoked meat, ham fat, soft-boiled eggs, fried eggs or raw egg dishes, including homemade tiramisu and the like.
- Drinks
Avoid alcohol and smoking. So far, no scientific study has been able to prove that alcohol, even in small doses, is not dangerous for pregnant women. Therefore: hands off alcohol! Be aware that flour products, sweets or cooked sauces may contain (residual) alcohol!
Don't take unnecessary risks and keep caffeinated drinks to a minimum. No more than 2-3 cups of coffee or 4 cups of green or black tea are allowed. Attention: Cold tea and coffee drinks, coca-cola, guarana drinks, many energy drinks and the like contain caffeine!
As a precaution, do not consume freshly squeezed and uncooked fruit and vegetable juices sold in stalls and shops.
Do not drink beverages containing quinine, such as gin and tonic, Bitter Lemon, etc.
Talk to your doctor and read the following information:
Addictive Substances
Quit All Alcohol, Tobacco and Drugs During Pregnancy!
Alcohol
Do not drink alcohol during pregnancy! Even in small doses, alcohol can cause serious harm to a child.
Alcohol acts like a poison on the nerves and brain, being one of the most common causes of anomalies in the development of the child.
Talk to your doctor and read the following information:
Smoking
Stop smoking during pregnancy and avoid smoky rooms! Cigarettes contain nicotine and nearly 5,000 other chemicals. If inhaled, all of these substances can cause serious harm to your child. Pregnant women who smoke often have miscarriages or premature births. Children born to smoking mothers often suffer from asthma, allergies, pneumonia, bronchitis and other diseases. There is also an increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome.
Talk to your doctor and read the following information:
Drugs
Do not take drugs or intoxicants during pregnancy! Drugs can seriously harm your baby's development and, in the worst case, lead to miscarriage or stillbirth. If you have an addiction, don't be ashamed of it and discuss the situation with your doctor.
