It is critical when a woman is pregnant to pay special attention to the foods she eats because a healthy diet is vital to having a healthy pregnancy and a good outcome for the baby and mom. The unborn baby receives nourishment from the mom. The baby depends on the mom for all of its nutritional needs during the critical fetal growth period.
Pregnant women typically need to increase their daily intake of calories by 100 in the first trimester and 300 calories in the second and third trimesters. Most women are also given a daily multivitamin supplement to take throughout the pregnancy in insuring that she is receiving all of the nutrients her body needs to nourish her unborn child.
Folate is an essential nutrient in the first few weeks of the pregnancy. The folate supports the mom’s blood volume and also decreases the risk of the baby having a Neural Tube Defect (NTD). A woman can usually not receive enough folate in her diet alone so a multivitamin containing folate is necessary. It is optimum if the woman receives 0.4mg of folate every day 3 months prior to becoming pregnant and then for the first 3 months of pregnancy.
Iron is another important nutrient for the pregnant woman. Iron also helps to maintain a proper level of blood supply. Typically the woman does not eat enough iron so she needs to have a multivitamin supplement that includes iron (30mg) during her second and third trimesters. Iron-rich foods include lean red meat, fish, poultry, dried fruits, whole-grain breads, and iron-fortified cereals.
She needs calcium and vitamin D also for healthy bones and teeth. The mom-to-be would need to eat 4 to 6 servings of dairy products or calcium-fortified foods each day. If her diet were not sufficient in dairy servings than she would need to take a calcium supplement. Her doctor can guide her as to if she needs supplements and which ones.
Pregnant women are often plagued by morning sickness during the pregnancy, sometimes all the way through the pregnancy. When you are struck with morning sickness it can be difficult to get the proper nutrients. Here are some tips to help you cope with the morning sickness and insure that you are able to get more of the nutrients that your body needs.
Cold meals are often more palpable when your stomach is queasy because they give off fewer aromas than hot dishes.
You can dry to eat dry, bland foods, such as popcorn or soda crackers.
Eat smaller more frequent meals and graze on nutritious snacks throughout the day.
It is important to drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water each day to avoid dehydration. It is easier to sip on water throughout the day instead of trying to drink during a meal. This way your stomach won’t be full of water during a meal and you will have more room for nutritious food.
Popsicles or frozen juice can help you to get the liquids you need and please your stomach as well.
Avoid eating highly seasoned dishes.
check with your doctor if you are having difficulty keeping foods down. Especially if you are not keeping liquids down, you need to call the doctor.
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