Healthy Eating for you and your baby | Child Safety Articles | 4akid

Healthy Eating for you and your baby

The demands of pregnancy are high, but most pregnant women can fulfil their own needs and those of their babies by eating a normal healthy diet, with a few exceptions, of course. Almost everything you put into your body has some effect on your own or your baby’s health and can have amazing results if you follow healthy guidelines.

THE DO’S

• Do eat more calories
  Your body’s calory requirements increase during pregnancy to accommodate your growing baby and in order to supplement the extra demands that pregnancy makes on your body. It is generally recommended that pregnant women increase their daily intake by 400-600 kilojoules per day in the first trimester and by 800-1200 kilojoules per day in the second and third trimesters. This is just a couple of extra snacks during the day.

• Do up your calcium intake
  Your baby will always get enough calcium. If your dietery sources are not adequate, the calcium your baby needs will be taken from your bones – setting you up for osteophorsis later in life. Your body needs about 1200-1500 mg of calcium each day during your pregnancy. Milk and dairy products are the prime source of calcium, and most professionals recommend 2-4 portions per day during pregnancy (one portion is 250ml milk, 175ml yoghurt or 30g cheese). Tinned fish with bones like sardines, salmon and pilchards are a great source of calcium. Ensure that your preggy supplement gives you at least 150mg of elemental calcium each day. Stay away from caffeine and use salt in moderation as these intefere with calcium absorption.

• Do take a folate supplement
  Folate is probably the most important nutrient for women of childbearing age. Up to 70% of all neural tube defects (like spina bifida) which are seriuos brain defects that affect the baby’s spine, are preventable through folate supplementation. You should start taking it before you fall pregnant. In the first trimester, pregnant women should take 600mg per day. You can also boost your dietery intake by eating folate-rich foods such as strawberries, oranges, greeny leaf vegetables, avocado, seeds and legumes (beans, lentils and peas).

• Do build up your iron levels
  Iron is needed to build up healthy blood cells for you and your growing baby. Having adequate iron in your body is crucial during pregnancy, especially closer to your delivery date, when there is risk of bleeding. You must ensure that you top up your iron levels with an iron-rich diet. The major sources of iron in food are red meat, chicken, fish and eggs. Green veggies and legumes are also a good source.

• Do include B Vitamins
  Adequate amounts of B complex vitamins are also needed for more complete iron absorption and help regulate our metabolic and energy levels. Foods rich in vitamin B are meat, poultry, fish and dairy products.

• Do eat your greens
  Green veggies like spinach, rocket, broccoli, bok choy, turnip greens, soup greens, wheatgrass and barley grass are excellent sources of both folate and iron, and are valuable resources of minerals and fibre. It is recommended that you eat at least one portion per day, a portion being a cup of raw greens.

• Do eat orange veggies
  Orange coloured veggies are a source of beta-carotene, which helps keep your immune system healthy and may help with the development of a healthy immune system in your baby. Add a serving (one cup raw or half cup cooked) of carrots, sweet potato, pumpkin or butternut to your daily veggie intake.

• Do increase your vitamin C intake
  Vitamin C is a great help when it comes to iron absorption, and can boost its absorption by up to 30%. Women who lack vitamin C in their diet are also more prone to pre-term delivery because vitamin C helps to strengthen the body’s membranes, including the amniotic membrane around your baby. Foods rich in vitamin C should be eaten daily and include cranberries, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, citrus fruit, tomatoes, bell peppers and broccoli.

• Do eat essential fats
  Essential fats are indispensable to good health. We cannot synthesise our own essential fats, so they must be taken as part of a balanced diet. Moms who eat more good fats have a better pregnancy outcome and a healthier neonate. There is also evidence that babies born to moms who consume essential fats during pregnancy have better brain and central nervous system development. Fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines (cooked) as well as walnuts and flaxseed are good sources of the essential omega 3’s. Other nuts and seeds, avocado and olive oil are also good sources of fat in the diet.

• Do consider probiotics
  Probiotics can help women suffering from constipation, heart-burn or thrush during pregnancy. These are safe and effective to use in pregnancy and a good food source is natural yoghurt.

• Do keep yourself well hydrated
  Everyone needs enough water to thrive, but it is especially necessary during pregnancy to keep water levels high. About 1.5-2 litres of water a day is recommended during pregnancy.

THE DONT’S

• Don’t eat for two
  As mentioned before, calorie increases during pregnancy are small which means that an extra snack or low-calorie meal each day is enough. You do not need extra heaped servings or additional chocolate bars.

• Don’t give in to cravings for sugary foods
  Unless you are extremely lucky, most women will experience seemingly uncontrollable cravings for food during pregnancy and it’s usually for the wrong things. If your desire for sugar and fat is just too much, then go ahead and indulge, BUT only occasionally. Rather follow a healthy diet, eat regularly, drink water and engage in light activity.

• Don’t skip meals or restrict kilojoules
  Dieting and pregnancy do not go together, but healthy eating and pregnancy do! Your kiloujoule demand and need for certain nutrients increase when you are pregnant and it’s vital that you meet these demands. Dieting during pregnancy can harm your unborn baby.

• Don’t overdo the tuna
  Pregnant women are advised to limit the amount of tuna they eat because of the high levels of mercury it contains. High levels of mercury may have a damaging effect on unborn babies. Do not eat more than two medium-sized cans of tuna per week if you are pregnant or trying to conceive. Instead of eating too much tuna, try other Omega-3 rich oily fish such as sardines, pilchards, mackerel and salmon.

• Don’t eat uncooked meats or undercooked eggs
  Raw meat and undercooked eggs are a potential soure of pathogenic organisms that could harm your baby. Although infections are rare, it is recommended you exclude these during your pregnancy.

• Don’t eat raw shellfish
  The same goes for raw shellfish but the chance of infection here is much higher. Some experts recommend staying away from shellfish completely when pregnant just in case the dish is slightly undercooked.

• Don’t eat deli meats and soft cheeses
  Deli meats have been known to be contaminated with Listeria which can cause miscarriage or infection. Listeria can cross the placenta and may infect your baby, leading to infection or blood-poisoning which may be life-threatening. Soft cheeses like Brie, Camembert, Roquefort, Feta and Gorgonzola should be avoided during pregnancy.

• Don’t overdo vitamin A
  High levels of vitamin A can lead to birth defects. Avoid vitamin A supplements and don’t eat excess foods with Vitamin A (like liver).

• Don’t overdo caffeine
  While one cup a day may do no harm, it is still recommended to stay away from caffeine. It is also a diuretic which causes you to lose water and minerals. It can also cause insomnia, anxiety and nervousness. It is not just coffee intake that you need to watch, caffeine is also found in black Ceylon teas, green teas, chocolates and cola-flavoured cold drinks.

• Don’t drink alcohol
  Drinking alcohol is an absolute NO-NO in pregnancy as even small amounts can harm your baby.