The Basics of a Healthy Diet for Pregnancy
We've all heard the saying that in order to follow a healthy diet for pregnancy an expectant mother should be 'eating for two' but this is just not the case at all.
Doing so would lead to excessive weight gain and possible birth difficulties.
Now it certainly is correct to say that a pregnant woman should be eating more than she otherwise would be but it is not even close to double.
The average woman needs to eat about 2000 calories each day and when she is pregnant this can go up to between 2200 and 2400 each day.
This isn't that much of an increase and is only about the same as a large glass of semi-skim milk or 2 to 3 slices of buttered toast.
The most crucial thing to remember while pregnant is to have a healthy and balanced diet that includes a variety of foods.
It is now advised by most healthcare professionals that pregnant women should take some supplements.
Perhaps the most important of these is vitamin B9 otherwise known as folic acid and is recommended to be taken for at least 2 months prior to conception as well as during the pregnancy.
It is understood that a folic acid supplement will lessen the risks of congenital birth defects like cleft palate and spina bifida.
The recommended daily dose for those who are either pregnant or trying to get pregnant is 400 micrograms per day.
The other suggested supplements in a diet for pregnancy are zinc, iron, and calcium but these are often found in sufficient quantities in a balanced diet.
Anyone who is either pregnant or wants to get pregnant should always seek appropriate medical advice from their healthcare professional before taking any supplements because not everything is right for everybody.
As well as the things a pregnant woman should consider including in her diet there are several thing she must be careful to either cut down on or avoid completely.
These are: Vitamin A.
This is found in things like pate and liver and should be avoided in a pregnancy diet because it can harm foetal development.
Seafood.
It probably best to avoid all seafood but special care should be taken to avoid it in a raw form.
This is because things like sushi and oysters can have harmful bacteria.
Also some of the fish at the top of the food chain can contain high levels of mercury and are therefore hazardous for a pregnant woman to eat.
Examples of these are swordfish, tuna, marlin and shark.
Blue and soft cheeses.
In a diet for pregnancy these should be avoided because they may contain listeria bacteria and therefore be harmful to the embryo's development.
Alcohol.
There is some dispute about whether it's important to cut out alcohol completely or whether a small amount is ok.
Many choose to err on the side of caution and avoid it completely right through the pregnancy and breastfeeding phase because there have been studies linking alcohol consumption by the mother to mental problems and learning difficulties in the child later on.
While it is important to avoid certain foods while pregnant you should not try to specifically keep to your old weight.
It is perfect normal to gain weight during pregnancy and in fact vital to the baby's development.
It's common for a pregnant woman to put on 22 to 33 lbs (10 to 15 Kg) over the course of her pregnancy much more than this could be getting into the realms of excess.
Doing so would lead to excessive weight gain and possible birth difficulties.
Now it certainly is correct to say that a pregnant woman should be eating more than she otherwise would be but it is not even close to double.
The average woman needs to eat about 2000 calories each day and when she is pregnant this can go up to between 2200 and 2400 each day.
This isn't that much of an increase and is only about the same as a large glass of semi-skim milk or 2 to 3 slices of buttered toast.
The most crucial thing to remember while pregnant is to have a healthy and balanced diet that includes a variety of foods.
It is now advised by most healthcare professionals that pregnant women should take some supplements.
Perhaps the most important of these is vitamin B9 otherwise known as folic acid and is recommended to be taken for at least 2 months prior to conception as well as during the pregnancy.
It is understood that a folic acid supplement will lessen the risks of congenital birth defects like cleft palate and spina bifida.
The recommended daily dose for those who are either pregnant or trying to get pregnant is 400 micrograms per day.
The other suggested supplements in a diet for pregnancy are zinc, iron, and calcium but these are often found in sufficient quantities in a balanced diet.
Anyone who is either pregnant or wants to get pregnant should always seek appropriate medical advice from their healthcare professional before taking any supplements because not everything is right for everybody.
As well as the things a pregnant woman should consider including in her diet there are several thing she must be careful to either cut down on or avoid completely.
These are: Vitamin A.
This is found in things like pate and liver and should be avoided in a pregnancy diet because it can harm foetal development.
Seafood.
It probably best to avoid all seafood but special care should be taken to avoid it in a raw form.
This is because things like sushi and oysters can have harmful bacteria.
Also some of the fish at the top of the food chain can contain high levels of mercury and are therefore hazardous for a pregnant woman to eat.
Examples of these are swordfish, tuna, marlin and shark.
Blue and soft cheeses.
In a diet for pregnancy these should be avoided because they may contain listeria bacteria and therefore be harmful to the embryo's development.
Alcohol.
There is some dispute about whether it's important to cut out alcohol completely or whether a small amount is ok.
Many choose to err on the side of caution and avoid it completely right through the pregnancy and breastfeeding phase because there have been studies linking alcohol consumption by the mother to mental problems and learning difficulties in the child later on.
While it is important to avoid certain foods while pregnant you should not try to specifically keep to your old weight.
It is perfect normal to gain weight during pregnancy and in fact vital to the baby's development.
It's common for a pregnant woman to put on 22 to 33 lbs (10 to 15 Kg) over the course of her pregnancy much more than this could be getting into the realms of excess.
