Information of Pregnancy Food Plan

Dec 28 2007

During this trimester, you begin to eat for two. This doesn’t mean eating as much as two people you’ll need little more than you ate prior to pregnancy. However, make sure your diet is rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals to provide your baby with the essential building block needed for development.

Vital Nutrients

What you eat will, to some extent, determine how well your baby develops during pregnancy. A well balanced diet will provide your baby with all the nutrients needed for healthy development.

Protein

Throughout pregnancy, women should have at least 60g of protein in their daily diet, and women over 35 need an additional 4-5g. Protein provides the building blocks for your growing uterus, placenta, and breasts and your baby’s developing tissues. Include some high protein foods into your diet daily.

Iron

Your iron requirement during pregnancy doubles to 30mg. Iron is needed for the formation of red blood cells, and you will need sufficient iron stores from the start of your pregnancy to maintain a good energy level. Anemia (low iron levels) can leave you exhausted during pregnancy and too weak to handle the demands of labor. Eating foods that are rich in iron will help you maintain energy throughout this physically challenging trimester. Many women begin pregnancy with an insufficient iron level. The increased need for iron during pregnancy can make it difficult to get the iron needed from food alone. In such cases, care providers recommend taking extra iron on top of your prenatal supplements.

Vitamin and mineral supplements

Even though your vitamin requirements rise in pregnancy, excessive supplement doses can be dangerous. Megadoses of the fat soluble vitamins A and D, for example, are thought to be harmful to your baby. Specially formulated preparations for pregnancy contain reduced dose of these vitamins. Do not take supplements that are not designee for pregnancy. Ask your care provider for a recommendation.

Foods To Avoid

There are certain foods pregnant women should avoid because of the risks of food borne diseases. such as toxoplasmosis, E. Coli, and listeriosis, that can harm your baby. Toxoplasmosis is caused by a parasite. It is not dangerous to you but can harm your baby if you. come in to contact with it during pregnancy or just before you conceive, causing birth defects. Listeriosis is caused by a bacteria, which can cross the placenta and infact your baby. Infection can cause miscarriage, or premature delivery, and even fetal death. Pregnant women are more likely, than other adults to develop listeriosis, so you should avoid foods that could potentially be contaminated. Salmonella poisoning is unlikely to cause any damage to your baby. However, it will seriously deplete your resources during a time when your body is already taxed.

Undercooked meat, or uncooked meat or fish

Eating these foods puts you at risk of exposure to food-borne bacteria such as E. Coli and salmonella. Avoid uncooked seafood as well as rare or uncooked meat or poultry.

Ready to eat meats

Deli meats can be contaminated with listeria. Eat only if you can heat them thoroughly. Avoid hot dogs and which can contain listeria.

Liver and other organ meats

Vitamin A is found in substantial quantities in liver and large amounts of this vitamin have been linked with birth defects. Organ meat such liver and kidneys, often contain the highest levels of toxins in an animal’s body. For this reason, it’s best to avoid eating any organ meats while you are pregnant.

Unpasteurized milk

Drink only milk that has been pasteurized. Unpasteurized milk could be contaminated with listeria.

Soft cheeses

These might contain listeria. Stick to cheese made with pasturized milk. Avoid imported soft cheeses such as camembert, brie, feta, gorgonzola, and roquefort.

Raw eggs

Eating undercooked or raw eggs risks exposure to salmonella. Avoid foods such as mayonnaise, Hollandaise sauce, caesar dressing, and custard, which may contain raw egg.

Fish exposed to pollutants

Dangerous levels of mercury, which can affect your baby’s brain development, have been detected in certain fish. Fish to avoid are fresh tuna, sea bass, marlin, swordfish, mackerel, shark, and tilefish.