Nutrition for a pregnant woman - creating the right diet

Hello, dear women! Almost all of us sooner or later become mothers. But this is preceded by long months of waiting for the baby, queues at the antenatal clinic, endless tests, examinations and... dreams of a healthy baby.

But did you know that most, if not all, of them are destined to come true? And you need very little for this - a healthy lifestyle, good mood and proper nutrition for pregnant women. The 1st trimester, the menu of which is discussed in this article, is considered one of the most important. Simply because it is during this period that all the organs and systems of the fetus are formed, and the fetus itself gradually develops.

And in the best case, so to speak, the lack of nutrients now in the future can turn into a pathology for him, and in the worst case, it can become fatal.

Nutritional features of a pregnant woman in the first trimester

You shouldn’t radically change your diet in the first months of pregnancy! It's much smarter to just adjust it.

Simple general nutritional rules will help with this

A pregnant woman's menu should be as varied as possible and contain proteins, fats and carbohydrates in the right quantities. Of course, only a nutritionist can determine these amounts in each individual case. If you have the opportunity to contact him, great, if not, don’t be upset. Especially if there were no problems with excess weight before pregnancy. After all, this means that the diet is correct and does not need changes. If they were, it needs to be reconsidered, reducing the amount of fats and carbohydrates (sweets) consumed. You shouldn’t eat more than usual and eat for two in the first trimester.
At first, it is advisable to increase the portions of fruits and vegetables you eat. The latter can be filled with oil. In this form, they are not only absorbed faster, but also improve digestion.
It is important to take care of your diet . It is advisable to replace three meals during this period with 5-6. The main thing is that the portions are small.
We must not forget about drinking. The expectant mother needs 2 liters of fluid per day . Moreover, it can be not only water, but also fruit juices, compotes, milk or cocoa.
The last factor is the way food is prepared. During pregnancy, it is better to avoid fried foods in favor of boiled, baked or steamed ones.

Useful video

About the myths of proper nutrition in the third trimester of pregnancy, watch the video below:

Obviously, there are no impossible rules or tasteless, disgusting dishes in the diet. Diet during the third trimester of pregnancy is in many ways similar to classic proper nutrition. By following these eating habits, the expectant mother will be able to avoid swelling and heartburn, problems with digestion and stool, and most importantly, difficult childbirth and health problems for the baby.

What should be in the diet

Proper nutrition of the expectant mother can reduce the risk of developing congenital pathologies of the fetus. That is why it needs to be thought through with special care.

What does a pregnant woman need?

In vitamins, because they play a vital role. Judge for yourself:

Vitamin B9 , or folic acid. Doctors prescribe it from the first days. Do you know why? It is responsible for the proper development of the nervous system and protects the fetus from anencephaly, hydrocephalus, spinal fissures and other dangerous ailments. It is found in nuts, legumes, apples, citrus fruits, mushrooms and greens.
Vitamin E. It is also well known by many as it prevents miscarriage. You can find it in vegetable oils, eggs, nuts, liver and herbs or... in the pharmacy.
Vitamin C . It not only increases the immunity of the expectant mother during pregnancy, but also strengthens the walls of blood vessels and the placenta, and also promotes the absorption of iron, on which, by the way, the level of hemoglobin depends. But keep in mind that too much vitamin C can be harmful, because... Vitamin C stimulates the immune system, which is undesirable in the 1st trimester.
Vitamin D. Do you want to preserve the health and beauty of your teeth? Don't forget about fish, seafood, egg yolks and butter, which contain it. This vitamin allows the future baby not only to form a strong skeletal system, but also to prevent the development of allergic reactions.
Vitamin B12 . Women suffering from anemia need it. It is found in fish, eggs, meat and milk.
Vitamin A . It affects the condition of the placenta and is found in eggs, dairy products, green and yellow vegetables.

In addition to them, a pregnant woman needs zinc, iron, selenium, honey, cobalt and other trace elements on which the development of the fetus depends. How not to get confused in all this diversity and enrich your body with all the useful substances?

Just make sure that there is room in your diet for all food groups, namely:

vegetables and fruits;
cereals and cereals;
meat and fish;
dairy products.

Diet for pregnant women 3rd trimester

It happens that in the later stages of pregnancy a woman urgently needs to lose weight. There are special diets for pregnant women to lose weight and maintain the required weight.

This need arises during multiple pregnancy, with excessive weight gain, and with late toxicosis that accompanies the course of pregnancy.

Late toxicosis is the main reason why pregnant women resort to dieting.

Today, throughout the civilized world, the diet of a pregnant woman in the 3rd trimester is an almost universal necessity.

The correct diet for such a diet is prepared by a pregnant woman’s doctor, who knows the entire history of her illness, starting from childhood, and can select the basic set of food products that this pregnant woman needs at this moment in time. It is worth considering the fact that pregnant women often lack calcium, zinc and copper.

When drawing up a diet program, the doctor should rely specifically on the consumption of these products. Today there are special blood tests that can determine the presence of a particular microelement and vitamin in the body and the level of their sufficiency.

What a pregnant woman should not do in the first trimester

Fast food and semi-finished products.
Chips, crackers and any overly salty and spicy dishes - they disrupt metabolic processes in the body and provoke swelling.
Coffee and caffeinated drinks. They increase blood pressure, which can result in miscarriage. Meanwhile, doctors still allow coffee lovers 1 cup of coffee per day.
Canned food, carbonated drinks.
Alcohol.

A few words about the most important

Having heard the cherished words “you will have a child,” a woman begins to replenish her knowledge in the field of pregnancy and childbirth.
Fortunately, now there is plenty of information and the main points are known to every girl. If you do not take into account individual characteristics, the duration of pregnancy is 9 months. Doctors divide this period into three trimesters.

Of course, it is stupid to say that one trimester is more important than the others. For the full development of the fetus, for normal childbirth and the condition of the baby and mother, every moment of pregnancy is of enormous importance.

So, in the first trimester, the fetus is formed and by the end of the period it begins to move (although the woman does not yet feel this clearly). In the second trimester, all internal organs of the child actively develop. The child is already moving well, hears the mother’s heart and the voices of the parents. In the last trimester, the baby was fully formed, all organs, including the brain, eyes and even marigolds. The baby's lungs take the longest to develop. In the third trimester, the baby turns head down.

During pregnancy, or better yet in advance, a woman needs to give up bad habits: smoking, alcohol and poor diet. Adequate nutrition for a pregnant woman is a very important factor in the development of the baby.

Valuable recommendations

By following simple rules, you can protect yourself from food poisoning. In addition to general advice: put food in the refrigerator in a timely manner, wash fruits and vegetables, do not eat undercooked or incompletely fried food, eggs, expired foods, you must adhere to other recommendations:

Cheese. It is better to choose products made from pasteurized milk, processed, and solid varieties. Be sure to cut off the crust before eating.
You should not buy slices by weight; give preference to products in vacuum packaging.
Seafood can be consumed if it is of high quality.
Don't forget to organize your refrigerator.
Fish and meat must be well cooked.
Try to reheat, but do not boil, food; store it for no more than a day.
Avoid raw milk. Give preference to pasteurized, sterilized products.
Liver can be consumed no more than once a week. Remember, various harmful toxic substances can accumulate in the liver.
It is better to transport frozen foods in insulated bags; try to defrost them in the refrigerator; do not refreeze them.
Always store meat and vegetables separately from each other.
If you cut raw meat or fish, be sure to wash your knife, board and hands.

Thus, a pregnant woman should take her menu seriously. Don't overeat junk food. Remember, the health of your unborn baby depends on what you eat.

Reviews and results

Diet for pregnant women is very important and failure to follow it can be very dangerous for the child. By analogy, we will find out whether expectant mothers use this diet and what results they achieve.

Marina, 23 years old: “After the news of pregnancy, I immediately started reading a lot of literature and found out that

The important point is strict adherence to the diet. Moreover, this is not an ordinary diet, but a special one. Its peculiarity is that you should not limit yourself in food, but you need to eat only healthy foods. Following the diet, after giving birth I only gained 5 kg, which is gradually going away. If you choose not to breastfeed your child, then you can get rid of extra pounds through sports, and my weight decreases by 1-1.5 kg every month. Now I continue to eat healthy and wholesome food, which brings me a good mood.”

Svetlana, 25 years old: “After giving birth, I weighed myself and saw that I had gained 13 kg. The doctor said it was

normal and all these gained kilograms will go away within 1-3 months. The main thing is to continue to eat properly and not overeat. During pregnancy, I was very afraid of gaining weight and therefore from the first days I turned to a nutritionist. The doctor wrote recommendations and made changes to the menu every month. This variety allowed me not to gain 30 kg, which I was very afraid of.”

Ekaterina, 22 years old: “I learned about the diet when I was already in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy, and after 6 months I

gained 10 kg. Switching to a pregnancy diet was very difficult, as I was used to eating whatever I wanted. After giving birth, I weighed myself and my weight increased by 18 kg. Now I am breastfeeding and have switched to a diet together. I lose 2-3 kg per month, but I plan to take my weight seriously after finishing feeding.”

As you can see, the effectiveness of the diet for pregnant women has been proven; the only thing that is important is to follow it in a timely manner, so that after giving birth you do not have to resort to various methods for losing weight.