Pregnancy Diet Plan
The first trimester of pregnancy
What exactly should be your pregnancy diet plan? How you will manage the nausea and vomiting as well as what nutrients you should focus on?
When you receive the good news, you will visit the gynecologist. The gynecologist will ask you to get certain tests done to confirm the pregnancy and to see your nutritional status along with the test. I recommend as a nutritionist that you also insist that a b12 and a d3 test is done along with the other test. The gynecologist will start with a fall white tablet or any folic acid tablet which is generally taken in the first trimester of pregnancy the other nutritional supplements are usually started in the second trimester what your focus should be in the first trimester is that you maintain the weight that you have already pre-pregnancy and see that you do not start your weight gain for the three months of pregnancy. The whole idea for the first trimester is to see that the pregnancy is sustained and it is having a favorable environment. So that the pregnancy is taken in a healthy way to the second and third trimesters, so that is why you must focus on maintaining your weight as well as you need to focus on these nutrients to see that your pregnancy is healthy throughout the nine months.
Protein
Protein is the first nutrient that you must be focusing on in your first trimester the protein requirement for the first trimester is almost equivalent to the pre-pregnancy requirement of your protein. Usually, the protein requirement is calculated upon the kegs of body weight one gram of protein per kg body weight.
Protein Sources
Protein is ideally considered so if you have if you start your pregnancy with a healthy weight usually 60 to 70 grams of protein is what is required in the first trimester. Now let us just understand what are the different protein sources.
The vegetarian sources of protein are:
- legumes sprouts
- milk and milk products
- curds
- soya
- nuts and oil seeds like almonds walnuts
- all the seeds like flax seeds pumpkins
Melon seeds along with this you can also take. Soy products like tofu or soya granules or then actually soak the soya bean and use it by making your chapatti.
The non-vegetarian sources of protein for Pregnancy Diet Plan:
Egg fish and chicken you can eat less of the red meat or mutton. This is how you plan the protein requirement for the day you have to see that you are having protein in every meal so suppose you are having breakfast lunch snacks and dinner make sure that you are having one protein portion. In all these meals let me give you a few examples for breakfast you can have something like oats and milk if you’re having breakfast you can have parathas along with curds or you could even choose to have dal parathas if not you can have eggs with chapatti or egg with bread even having bread along with peanut butter or chapatti roll prepared with various seeds is also a great idea to include a protein at your breakfast time.
The healthy plate method is given by Harvard University
For lunch always make it a point to eat by the healthy plate method which is given by Harvard University in that if you consider a plate as hundred, percent fifty percent should be the subsidies and the salads that you’re consuming. Twenty-five percent should be the protein portion which comes from the pulse curds sprouts or even cheese kind of products 25 percent should be the carbohydrates in the form of rice chapati millet oats etc. So make it a point to eat your meals by the healthy plate method do not forget to add one glass of buttermilk either before or after your meal so that you get your dose of probiotics at four o’clock is the time you generally binge eat at such times you could make it a point to have a protein snack.
- The dinner should also be similar to your lunch time just make it a point to see that the protein portion of the dinner is slightly higher as compared to lunch. The carbohydrates are a little less as compared to lunch in dinner also you will generally eat by the healthy plate method in a similar fashion that you will eat at lunchtime just at dinner time make it a point to have the protein portion slightly higher than the cups meaning the dals curds sprouts etc, that you have at the lunchtime can be slightly more and chapati rice bhakri or millet roti that you have in the dinner time can be slightly lesser as compared to the lunchtime. Do not forget to add ghee to your diet at lunchtime as well as the dinner time so, you could have about one teaspoon of ghee throughout the day, which will help you to keep your pregnancy very healthy.
- Do not forget to have at least one fruit in the day because that will give you the vitamins and the minerals as well as it will give you a good prebiotic in the day during the first trimester. Usually, a lot of women experience nausea and vomiting in the morning so this is one thing that you could do to avoid the nausea and vomiting.
Dry Snack
Dry Snacks can be the best pregnancy diet plan. Your day is on a dry snack do not start your day by having a glass of water but you can start having a dry snack and even if you wish to have tea you can have it. After having the dry snack, that way you will feel less nauseated and you will not feel like throwing up which generally happens in the first trimester.
What is the kind of exercise that you should be following in the first trimester?
Usually, if you are exercising before pregnancy you can continue with the same exercise and the same intensity but if you’re not exercising at all do not suddenly indulge in heavy exercise. In the first trimester at least light walking for about 20 minutes to half an hour is recommended. If you’re doing no exercise at all in the beginning but if you are doing an exercise in the beginning you could follow the same routine just be careful that you’re not exerting yourself.
The Second trimester of pregnancy diet plan:
The American Pregnancy Association recommends eating between 75 to 100 grams of protein a day.
To make sure you’re getting enough protein you should include a protein source with every meal and snack.
Good sources of protein include: meat and poultry such as beef pork and chicken and turkey eggs fish Dairy legumes nuts quinoa brown rice and oats so what does 100 grams of protein look like?
Here’s an example of what you might eat in a day to meet your protein needs throughout pregnancy:
- Magnesium is an essential mineral used for over 300 reactions in the body magnesium relaxes muscles and research suggests that getting adequate magnesium during pregnancy can prevent the uterus from Contracting prematurely magnesium is found in seeds whole grains leafy green vegetables and in some legumes.
- In pregnancy, vitamin D is important for supporting the healthy bone development of your baby. Deficiency in vitamin D is linked to a condition called preeclampsia which is characterized by high blood pressure and increased pregnancy risks along with getting a healthy dose of sunshine you can get vitamin D from some foods and dietary sources of vitamin D including salmon and tuna mushrooms Dairy eggs fortified cereals and organ Meats such as liver and liver oils you’ll also be getting some vitamin D if you’re taking pro-care pregnancy.’
Multivitamins
DHA is a structural component of the brain making up about 20 of the brain’s gray matter it’s an essential nutrient for both your baby’s development and for your own health. As the body will always prioritize your Baby’s needs if your diet is deficient in DHA it will be taken from your own brain to feed your baby this can leave you deficient and at an increased risk of postnatal depression.
Sources of DHA include tuna salmon and sardines.
Exercise
Gynecologists recommend that pregnant women should do 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity exercise on most. If not all days of the week but if you can’t manage 30 minutes even 20 minutes three or four times a week is still beneficial before starting any new exercise regime it’s recommended to speak with your doctor to make sure that you don’t have any pre-existing conditions that might pose a risk for your pregnancy.
Third-trimester pregnancy diet plan:
What to eat and what to avoid?
Your baby’s growth and development will depend on what you eat and that’s the reason why the seven to nine months of pregnancy diet is crucial. You will now need about 200 additional calories every day and an adequate quantity of vitamins fiber and minerals.
Here is what you should include in your pregnancy diet plan:
- Foods to eat during your third trimester: Foods rich in iron, one foods rich in iron a diet that lacks iron could lead to anemia during pregnancy making you dizzy and tired it may also cause bleeding during delivery hence eating iron-rich foods like meat and dairy products eggs wheat bran and beans are two necessary foods rich in protein.
Protein
Your body will need about 70 grams of protein during this stage since it helps in forming the baby’s body. Eating protein-rich foods like tofu, legumes, fish and meat will ensure that your blood glucose levels remain constant and the risk of diabetes is minimized.
Folic acid
Folic acid-rich foods will ensure proper fetal growth and lower the risk of low birth weight for your baby. Folic acid is found in beans citrus fruits and green leafy vegetables like spinach and romaine lettuce.
Calcium
Calcium in the third trimester of your pregnancy your baby’s bones should get stronger and for that, your pregnancy diet should include about 800 milligrams of calcium to meet your calcium requirements. You can add salmon nuts and milk products like cheese, tofu, and yogurt to your diet.
Magnesium
Your body will need magnesium as it helps absorb calcium and repairs damaged body tissues. So you must include magnesium-rich foods in your diet for 350 to 400 milligrams of magnesium. You can include almonds pumpkin seeds barley oats beans and artichokes in your diet.
What to avoid?
1. Salt avoid eating salty foods such as potato chips and fries
2. Raw vegetables raw or uncooked vegetables can lead to a gas problem hence you must avoid eating raw vegetables
3. Spicy foods spicy foods can cause indigestion and heartburn during pregnancy hence they are best avoided in the last Trimester.
In the third trimester as well however do check with your doctor before including anything in your diet and have a safe pregnancy.
Conclusion:
I hope this article helps you navigate your way through nutrition in pregnancy. Follow a healthy and balanced pregnancy diet plan.
FAQs
Which is the best pregnancy diet plan?
The best diet plan includes all important nutritional requirements for the mother and baby.
What is the best pregnancy diet plan for the first month?
In the first month of pregnancy, 2000 calories are required in your diet menu.
Which is the safe diet during pregnancy?
It’s safe to lose weight during pregnancy but eat enough food for healthy pregnancy.
What is the effect of diet on pregnant women?
Diet has a great effect on baby growth and mothers’ health as well.
What is the impact of diet on baby growth during pregnancy period?
A good and balanced diet has a great impact on baby growth and decreases the threat of abnormalities after birth.
What is the effect of diet on baby growth?
Diet has great impact on baby growth as it is necessary for healthy baby growth.
Is there any harmful effect of diet during pregnancy?
Poor growth causes abnormal growth of the body organs of a baby during pregnancy. It also causes abnormalities after growth.