Marina | June 19, 2012 | Parenting |
what to eat and how much ? Healthy Pregnancy Diet Plan
If you have a baby on the way, congratulations! Maybe your OB-Gyn has advised you to increase your food intake especially now that you’re eating for two. Although you have a human being growing inside of you, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to eat for two people since your baby only needs a quarter of your daily food intake. To have a healthy pregnancy (and so that you won’t have difficulty losing weight after giving birth,) here are some tips on a proper pregnancy diet.
Foods you need to eat
The vitamins and minerals in the food you eat will greatly help your baby’s development. There are five types of food you need to eat while pregnant. First are fruits and vegetables. You need to eat five portions of this meal weekly. While fresh fruit and vegetables are best, you can also go for the canned, frozen, dried or juiced alternatives as well.
Foods rich in starch, such as pasta, bread, potatoes and rice are important as well. But if you want a healthier alternative, go for wholegrain starch foods.
You also need to eat foods high in protein. Meats such as pork, beef, chicken and fish can provide you the adequate amount of protein that you need. Eggs, beans and lentils are also great sources of protein. Eat at least two portions of protein-high delicacies (especially fish) every week.
Dairy foods such as milk, yogurt and cheese should also be eaten as they are rich in calcium, which can help in your baby’s bone development. Another good thing about these dairy products is that they’re rich with iodine. Iodine is important in your baby’s over-all health.
As for supplements, you need to take at least 400 micrograms of folic acid and 10 micrograms of Vitamin D every day.
How much to eat?
Every woman’s body is tailor-made for pregnancy. Now that the stork has dropped a gift to you and your husband, you don’t necessarily need to eat for two persons especially during the first 6 months of your pregnancy. During the first and second trimesters your usual caloric intake will do well for you and your baby.
As for the last trimester or the last three months of your pregnancy, you need to increase your caloric intake with an additional 200 calories. Because of the growing baby in your belly, you are prone to suffering from heartburn. If this is the case, it would help if you have small but frequent meals.
Having a Balanced and Healthy diet during Pregnancy is an important factor for the wellbeing of you and your baby.
