During your pregnancy, you are not a single person. There is another one inside you. So you have to take care of both you and your unborn child.
If you think only increasing the amount of eating will do, you are absolutely wrong. Not only the quantity but the thing that matters more is the quality.
How much you eat is of course important, but what is a more important factor is what you eat. During the time of pregnancy, you need 300 extra calories than the usual times.
These calories should naturally come from the nutrients and food items you take. Those will also influence the growth and development of your baby.
There is a close link between weight of your baby and what you consume. The reason is that all your baby’s nutrition and nourishments are dependent on what you eat during your pregnancy.
So you have to see whether the foods you are eating are fulfilling your baby’s requirements or not.
Calcium for example is very much essential for the development of your baby. Calcium is also necessary for your own strength.
So you need to take more calcium than what you used to take before your pregnancy. It is required for the building of your baby’s bones and teeth.
Iron helps in the process of the production of the red blood cells of your baby and also of yours own.
To get enough amount of iron you need to eat the foods which are enriched with iron. These include spinach, iron-fortified breads and cereals, red meat etc.
Along with the minerals certain vitamins are also very crucial for both the mother and the baby. Vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin D and some B vitamins are the most important among those.
Vitamin A is very important for the growing bones of your child and also for the good eye sight. You have to eat a lot of green vegetables, carrots and sweet potatoes for the vitamin A.
The citrus fruits and the vegetables like broccoli, tomatoes etc are rich in vitamin C, which contribute to the construction of healthy teeth, gums and bones of your unborn child.
For the absorption of calcium and strong bones, you will also need vitamin D which you can get from bread, cereals, and fortified milk.
B vitamins are required for the formation of the red blood cells for both the mother and the baby. These also keep the nervous system healthy.
B vitamins are needed to get the effective usage of the proteins, fats, and carbohydrates in your baby’s body as well as yours.
You will get huge amounts of B vitamins from various foods like whole-grain cereals, pork, ham, meat, fish, poultry, etc. Milk and fruits like bananas are also very good sources of B vitamins.
So keep these tips in your mind while making your diet during pregnancy. Choose the foods that are good for you and at the same time your baby’s health.
