Diet during pregnancy

During childbearing, a woman can change her tastes, become extremely choosy and eat foods she didn’t even want to look at before pregnancy. Such behavior is the result of the activity and growth of a little person developing in his or her mother’s womb and dictating his or her rules from the first days of conception.

Healthy diet during pregnancy – is one of the key factors that determines the normal development of the future child.
That’s why menu for pregnant women is slightly different to the usual diet of most people. Such a diet should be balanced, and contain a large number of vitamins and trace elements required for normal fetal growth. But “diet” during pregnancy is not related to starvation or exhaustion of the body. On the contrary, the diet should be saturated with useful substances that help prepare for childbirth and contribute to the child’s future development.

The main rules for menu planning for pregnant women

The nutrition of a pregnant woman greatly determines the health of her unborn child. That is why it should be:

• high-grade
• balanced
• contain useful vitamins and microelements

What should pregnant women eat?
The main food stuffs in the diet should be cooked:

• Low-fat meat
• fresh fish
• vegetables and fruits
• greenery
• cultured milk foods
• fresh juices
• eggs
• vegetable oil

A healthy diet for pregnant women necessarily includes meat and fish as a valuable source of essential amino acids, phosphorus, iron and complex proteins. They should ideally be steamed or boiled. Pregnant women should give up eating sausage products, sausages and smoked products.

Soups are ideal as they are easily digested and contain many useful substances that promote good digestion.

Fresh juices are an excellent source of vitamins and trace elements. Foods that contain iron should also be included in the diet – these are dried fruits, greens, poultry meat, liver, buckwheat and apples.

Should women try to lose weight during pregnancy?

Sometimes, doctors recommend pregnant women to lose weight. This must be done carefully so as not to harm the baby. Such a diet involves foods that don’t contribute to the development of extra pounds. If a pregnant woman lets herself eat too much, particularly sweet foods, her gynecologist will notice the rapid weight gain and advise her on how to lose weight without harming her or her baby’s health.

How can diet help pregnant women suffering from first-trimester toxicosis?

Many women experience toxicosis (nausea and vomiting) during pregnancy but few know that it is possible to fight it by eating certain foods.

o get rid of or reduce gestational toxicosis during pregnancy:

• Split meals into small portions, this will help prevent distension of the stomach and stimulation of the hunger centers in the brain
• Avoid fatty foods and foods with increased calorie content
• Avoid soups and meals prepared with meat broth
• Avoid tea with snacks and sandwiches
• Eat breakfast, suitable breakfast foods include apple, strawberry, oatmeal and omelette cooked in the oven.

What should couples do when they find it hard to conceive?

Many couples dream of a child, but sometimes that a long-awaited pregnancy doesn’t occur. What happens then?