Special Diet During Pregnancy
Vitamins and Mineral requirements during pregnancy:
Fat is really essential in order to help the body to process fat soluble vitamins such as Vitamin A, D, E, and K and it is believed that vegetable fat is more beneficial to the body than animal fat , for example margarine, cooking oil, nuts , peanut butter and cheese Calcium is essential to build bones and teeth . helps in blood clotting, and also regulates the use of other minerals , tones the muscles. a daily intake of 1500 to 2000 milligrams of calcium is necessary however if the intake of calcium is less than 600 mg than a calcium supplement should be taken, th deficiency of calcium may lead to cramps in the leg including other health hazards such as insomnia. Some good examples of calcium good during the time of pregnancy are broccoli, dark green leafy vegetable sand some seafood Iron is essential for the development of hemoglobin which is an element that carries oxygen to the various tissues in the body and a pregnant woman manufactures up to 60 & more blood in the body , there during pregnancy enough iron should be taken in to ensure the baby’s supply as well the expectant mothers iron needs. In the last trimester, the expectant mothers iron needs decrease as the baby’s body is equipped to create its own iron reserves. Good sources or dietary iron are red meat, egg yolk, shellfish, enriched whole-grain breads and cereals. Iron from meat is better absorbed into the body than the iron from plants also iron from plants is better absorbed when taken from vitamin C .Iron supplies Supplies oxygen & nutrients to fetus, Supports placental function, manufactures red blood cells, acts as buffer against blood loss during delivery, assists fetus in storing iron for the first 6 months of life. Vitamins that are added to the diet of the expectant mother should be both water soluble ( B complex) that is absorbed well with vitamin C and fat soluble vitamins such as A, D, E, and K. Folic acid is an important B vitamin as it also prevents cleft lips and deformed palate, good dietary sources of folic acid are orange juice, green leafy vegetables, beans, peas, liver, and some fortified cereal. Vitamin A is not a safe vitamin for expectant mothers as it may cause birth defects like malformation of the face , heart, head and the nervous system.
Diet Tips For Pregnancy:
- The lack of vitamin B6 causes morning sickness.
- Morning sickness may also occur because of low blood sugar.
- The baby gains very little weight during the second trimester although the mother does gain weight as fat gets stored in the body along with the enlargement of the uterus and breasts, therefore it is important to take in more protein and fluids.
- During the third trimester the baby gains weight rapidly along with the baby’s brain and the liver stores iron.
- Expectant mothers who experience swelling should try to increase their intake of protein.
