Tip 1: Eating for two during pregnancy is a myth. In fact, all you need during those crucial nine months is just 300 calories more than your normal intake. Excessive weight gain during pregnancy can lead to complications during delivery.
Tip 2: Eat a balanced diet and include foods from all food groups. Many women tend to increase their fat intake by including dairy products and ignoring carbohydrates and proteins. However, to get the requisite amount of calories in your diet you need to eat all kinds of foods like leafy greens, fresh fruits, dairy products to ensure intake of both macro and micro-nutrients.
Tip 3: Iron is an important nutrient during pregnancy that prevents anemia and helps to develop red blood cells. This also ensures better oxygen circulation to every part of the body. Apart from your supplements, try to include iron through food sources like leafy green vegetables, beet, sprouts, drumsticks etc.
Tip 4: Include dried fruits in your diet. Munching on a handful of them will give you a boost of instant energy and a lot of fiber too. Dried figs in particular can satisfy your sweet cravings and prevent constipation. They are a good source of calcium.
Tip 5: Sprinkle sesame seeds on your salads. They are packed with folic acid which is essential in the proper DNA synthesis of the growing fetus.
Tip 6: Eat good quality protein. More than animal protein concentrate on getting them from vegetarian sources like dairy products and vegetables. However, have at least two servings of fish in a week to up your intake of omega 3 fatty acids. Have more legumes, pulses and beans to incorporate more protein. Remember you need just 10 gm of extra protein daily to supplement the need of your growing baby and save you from pregnancy-induced fatigue.
Tip 7: Add vegetable juice or soup to your diet plan. This can be had in-between meals as a small snack instead of gorging on unhealthy, ready-made stuff.
Tip 8: You don’t have to gulp down too many glasses of milk. This is a misconception that many mothers have which needs to be changed.
Tip 9: Not all mothers-to-be have cravings during pregnancy. Cravings normally set in when the meals aren’t balanced. Once you start eating healthy they will decrease. An Indian thali is very well-balanced as it has different flavours like salty, sweet, spicy, pungent, etc. When all the different taste buds are satisfied, the cravings decline.
Tip 10: Many women suffer morning sickness during the first three months. To beat this, try eating toast or ginger juice as this help relieve nausea.