For a woman, pregnancy is a nine-month big milestone to complete. These nine months are really crucial in a woman’s life as she not only needs to take care of herself but someone who is growing inside her. During this period women need to be more conscious of their diet plan.
Especially, for now, your health is wealth and one easy way to live healthily is diet control. A good diet plan with rich nutrients is what a woman needs during pregnancy to keep her and the unborn child healthy.
For many women who have been a mother before, they might be well aware of the three trimesters. But for a new mother, a woman undergoes three trimesters during a pregnancy period. Each trimester is equally important and needs special care especially when it comes to food and diet.
During these three trimesters, the baby is in the developing stage. Hence it is really necessary for women to maintain a high nutritional diet during each trimester. But for all those new mothers it can be challenging to decide on a diet plan according to different stages of pregnancy.
For all of them, the following are some of the best diet tips to follow during pregnancy. Each diet plan is mentioned according to the cycle of pregnancy so that it is easier and clearer to make the choices.
What should one eat during the pregnancy period?
Some of the healthy food that a woman should include during her pregnancy period consists of a lot of fruits, green vegetables, dairy food, a healthy amount of protein intake and whole grains.
Now coming to the general diet plan. Just a single serving of fruit is not going to give you enough vitamins that are necessary to run your day. To gain ample vitamins C which is really necessary during the pregnancy period a woman needs to add around 3 to 4 servings of fruits daily in her diet. Similar is the case when it comes to vegetables.
Now many dairy products such as milk and yogurt might not be easier to digest. But adding dairy products such as milk, yogurt and cheese will help you add calcium. It is not only going to benefit the child but will also help a pregnant woman gain strong bones to handle that extra pound inside.
Along with vitamins and proteins, it is equally important to add fiber content to your daily diet. This will help a woman empty her stomach in the morning with ease and maintain healthy bowel movements.
Now coming down to a detailed explanation of the diet according to the trimester cycle of pregnancy.
Diet plan for the first trimester
The first trimester for pregnant women is critical and needs special attention. During this period a lot of pregnant women experience nausea. It is common during pregnancy and especially during the first trimester.
For many women swallowing food can be difficult. But cannot neglect her diet. During this time a pregnant woman needs to maintain a healthy diet plan so that both the woman and the child get enough nutrients, vitamins and calcium for healthy living.
To maintain well-balanced health a woman can prefer the following items in her diet during the first trimester.
In the first trimester, it is important for a woman to intake high folic acid content which will help the baby’s neural tube to fuse properly. Spinach can provide high folic acid content.
Perfect cooked lentils can give enough proteins required for the growth of tissues and bones of the baby.
Another perfect example to obtain enough protein for the baby’s muscle growth can be adding grains to your daily meal.
Fruits are always the best option that adds a rich amount of nutrition and vitamins to the body. Hence adding some of the citrus fruits such as oranges, grapes and lime can provide an ample amount of vitamin C along with high folic acid to avoid any birth complications.
Adding nuts will help your unborn child with proper brain development. Nuts are even yummy in taste.
For some more calcium and protein to the body, a woman may prefer cottage cheese.
Egg, Salmon fish and yogurt are excellent ways to achieve ample amounts of vitamin D, calcium and proteins.
Chicken, Broccoli and Collard green are best and should be added to a meal plan during the first trimester. They are rich in iron content which will help the mother get ample amounts of iron and help the child in the formation of red blood cells.
Remember all the above-mentioned food items are good in providing nutrients, vitamins and proteins necessary for the baby and the mother. So, one can alter the food items so that you do not get bored of eating repetitive dishes.
Best diet plan for the second trimester
Now that you have successfully passed your first trimester. It is time to deal with the second trimester. In the second trimester, the baby is growing very fast. It is the time when his body is forming bone and developing the brain.
Hence it is really important now to focus on food that provides a rich amount of protein, calcium, vitamin D, and Omega 3. Along with this, it is also very important to concentrate on food items that can provide a rich amount of vitamin A on daily basis. As you will need this for formatting the healthy blood and skin of the child.
Diet plan for the second trimester
To fulfil the protein requirement, it is important you stick around to meat, fish, egg and nuts.
Hence your body is in greater need of calcium and vitamins than before. Adding dairy food can be a classy option. Do not quit on milk and cheese.
Continue with your fruit intake. In fact, add some berries and fruits that provide a high amount of vitamin A, C, Potassium and fiber.
Stick to a healthy vegetable diet. Along with spinach try adding carrot, tomatoes, corn, peas and sweet potatoes. They contain rich sources of vitamin A, C iron and magnesium.
A little google search will help you find some more good food items that are rich in iron. As you will need it for your child’s red blood cell development.
As your baby is now in the rapid development of the brain. It is important to add food that provides a good amount of omega 3 fatty acids. It helps in brain development. If you cannot find anything good on omega 3 then stick around to salmon fish.
Along with food and diet, one of the biggest pieces of advice to all women in their second trimester is to add ample amounts of water intake. Water will help them keep hydrated and avoid pregnancy-related issues, heartburn and acidity.
Diet for the third and final trimester
The third trimester is the final and crucial phase in the development of your baby’s metabolism. Hence it is important for a woman to focus on nutritious food including folic acid, iron, calcium and fiber.
Hence one can continue with the same diet plan that is included in the second trimester. But during this phase of time, there are certain foods that a woman should avoid completely.
Some of the items that need to be deleted during the third trimester are as follows:
Salted food: Do not add salted food such as chips and fries.
Avoid eating raw vegetables as it can lead to gas problems.
Spicy food can add up unnecessary heartburn and may also increase acidity. Hence it is always advisable to avoid spicy food especially during the last trimester of pregnancy.
Food such as white bread, white rice, sweets, sodas and deep-fried can increase the glucose level. Hence stay your hands well away from such items.
Raw and uncooked meat can lead to a lot of viral illnesses. So, better say goodbye to any raw and uncooked food.
You were having a moderate amount of caffeine during your pregnancy was fine till the last trimester. But now is the time to quit until the labor.
Conclusion
Food choices and diet plans can be easy during pregnancy with proper guidance. Avoiding unnecessary junk food in fact adding a meal that is rich in nutrients, proteins, vitamins, calcium, iron and manganese will help you and your unborn child obtain a healthy living.
