What Can I Eat During Pregnancy

Vitamin D And Pregnancy

Vitamin D is essential for your babys growth and development and your own health during pregnancy.

We get most of our vitamin D from the sun. Ultraviolet radiation from the sun produces vitamin D in the skin and is the best natural source of vitamin D. Only a small amount of our vitamin D intake comes from our diet from foods such as eggs, oily fish, margarine and milks fortified with vitamin D.

Women at most risk of vitamin D deficiency are women who:

• have dark coloured skin
• wear covering or concealing clothing for religious or other reasons
• spend much time indoors.

You may need a blood test at the beginning of your pregnancy to assess your vitamin D levels. If so, your doctor will arrange this. Depending on your results, you might need to take vitamin D supplements. Your GP will discuss this with you. If you are considering taking vitamin D or any other supplements during pregnancy, always discuss it with your GP first.

Eating Well Is Not Always Easy

It is hard to eat well if you dont have a stable place to live or enough money for food. Some people find cooking a bit of a challenge. Some people arent brought up with home cooked food others have never learnt how to cook or to shop for food. Some people dont have a lot of energy or time to cook for their family or themselves. There are often services in community organisations or run by city councils that support people to develop these skills and to improve their eating habits. Your GP or midwife health professional may be able to put you in touch with services.

Constipation Due To Diet

Its important to understand that refined flour products such as pasta, bread, cakes and pastries, or refined white rice, have lost most or all of their fibre. Just like when you remove the skin from an apple, it takes away much of the goodness and you feel less full.

Refined flour products dont move through the digestive tract very easily. Refined foods cause constipation by absorbing any liquid that you drink, and creating a plaster-like substance which makes your bowels become stretched. It can exacerbate the issues when you have hormonal changes on top of that.

Avoiding grains can significantly help with digestion, inflammation, blood sugar levels and weight gain. After all, livestock are fed grains to fatten them up!

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Preparing Food During Pregnancy

Changes to the immune system during pregnancy make pregnant women more susceptible to food poisoning than usual. It is, therefore, important to prepare food safely and hygienically during pregnancy.

Pregnant women, and those preparing food for pregnant women, should take the following precautions:

• Wash fruit, vegetables and salads thoroughly
• Wash all surfaces and utensils used to prepare raw meat thoroughly before and after use
• Store raw and ready-to-eat foods separately
• Cook meat and poultry thoroughly, until juices run clear
• Heat ready-meals, especially those containing poultry, thoroughly before eating

Get Legitimate Advice On What To Eat During Pregnancy

Knowing what to eat during pregnancy will keep you and your baby safe and healthy. With nutritious meals on the table, you can safeguard your child from various health risks. Eating the right foods will also reduce symptoms, such as nausea, morning sickness and fatigue.

Some long-time parents who insist that they know the routine should never assume this pregnancy will be like their others nutritionally. Your family and friends may also mean well when giving you pregnancy advice, but keep in mind that a legitimate set of guidelines is what you need the most. This will ensure that you get precise details on what to eat and what not to eat during pregnancy.

First-hand information from a nutritionist specializing in prenatal care is 100% reliable. Ideally, consult one, who will offer advice tailored for your specific needs. A certified nutritionist** can provide you definitive advice on proper prenatal care and diet.

During pregnancy, you are your babys only source of nourishment. What you eat and drink will affect your childs health, so you want to be sure that you choose the best food to eat during pregnancy.

Family Health Centers of San Diego can guide you through your pregnancy. Our dedicated certified nutritionists** and registered dietitians will assess your condition and help you make healthy food choices. We will help you manage your symptoms through the foods you eat and educate you on prenatal care.

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Fruits To Avoid During Pregnancy

Pretty much no fresh, ripe fruits are off-limits when youre pregnant. However, its important to make sure you wash your produce thoroughly before consuming it to avoid contaminants. Fruit can be easily washed with a commercial fruit spray or by mixing a solution of vinegar and water, soaking your fruit, and then rinsing it off and allowing it to dry.

Take Note

You should also limit the amount of the following that you consume:

What Is Constipation During Pregnancy

Constipation is a common complaint of women who are pregnant. It affects up to 38% of women at some point during their pregnancy. Constipation can be painful and negatively affect your quality of life. It can also lead to physical problems like hemorrhoids if you dont treat it.

Symptoms of constipation during pregnancy

Symptoms of constipation can include any of the following:

• Infrequent bowel movements
• Hard, lumpy, or dry stool
• A feeling like all of your stool hasnt passed
• Excessive straining to have a bowel movement

Causes of constipation during pregnancy

If you are experiencing constipation during pregnancy, it may be a result of one of the following potential causes:

• Hormone changes in pregnancy
• Not enough fiber in your diet

Who can get constipation during pregnancy?

Any woman who is pregnant can experience constipation, but the following factors may increase your risk:

• Age over 35

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Healthy Eating For Pregnant Women

What you eat during your pregnancy affects not only your own health and wellbeing and the development of your baby, but there is also substantial evidence that your diet in pregnancy can have a lasting impact on the long-term health and wellbeing of your child later in life.

Choose a wide variety of healthy foods from the five food groups during pregnancy to make sure your and your babys nutritional needs are met. Good nutrition will support the health and growth of your baby. You may find that you need to eat more of some foods to ensure key nutrients are obtained, but there is no need to eat for two.You can eat well during pregnancy by:

• enjoying a variety of fruits and vegetables of different types and colours. It is recommended that you consume 2 serves of fruit and 5 serves of vegetables every day
• increasing your intake of grain and cereal foods to 8½ serves a day. Choose mostly wholegrain and high fibre options
• choosing foods that are high in iron, such as lean red meat or tofu. Iron-rich foods are important for pregnant women. 3½ serves of meat or meat alternatives are recommended
• making a habit of drinking milk, and eating hard cheese and yoghurt, or calcium-enriched alternatives. Reduced-fat varieties are best. 2½ serves per day are recommended
• drinking plenty of water

Australian Dietary Guidelines serving recommendations for pregnant women, by food group

*Choose canned foods with no added salt.

Follow A Healthy Eating Pattern

Eating healthy means following a healthy eating pattern that includes a variety of nutritious foods and drinks.

• Eat a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat dairy products, and protein foods.
• Choose foods and drinks with less added sugars, saturated fats, and sodium .
• Limit refined grains and starches, which are in foods like cookies, white bread, and some snack foods.
• If you are feeling sick, try eating a piece of whole-grain toast or whole-grain crackers.

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The Best Foods To Eat During Pregnancy For A Super Healthy Baby

As an expecting Mom we wish for nothing more than to deliver a perfectly healthy baby. So its no wonder that the subject of healthy eating shoots right to the top of the list of our priorities early on in pregnancy.

But what are the healthiest foods to eat in pregnancy?

Which ones should you be eating plenty of every day?

Which foods contain the most vitamins and minerals?

Here we go through why we need not just a good diet while pregnant, but an excellent one. Plus fourteen must eat foods for a healthy baby, healthy Mom and a healthy pregnancy.

• Feeling Peckish?

Side Effects Of Constipation During Pregnancy

Given below are the side effects that may occur when you are pregnant and constipated . In some cases, these may even call for a medical emergency.

• Severe abdominal pain
• Repetitive rectal bleeding
• Hemorrhoids

The complications that surface with constipation during pregnancy may be very irritating and painful in the long run. If you are among those who have developed constipation during pregnancy, start using the remedies described here after consulting your doctor to obtain relief.

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Other Potential Health Benefits

There is a long list of traditional uses of alfalfa as a medicinal herb.

They include lowering blood pressure, acting as a diuretic, increasing breast milk production, treating arthritis and getting rid of kidney stones.

Unfortunately, most of these proposed health benefits have not yet been researched. However, a few of them have been studied to some extent.

Lean Meat And Proteins

Lean beef, pork, and chicken are excellent sources of high-quality protein. Beef and pork are also rich in iron, choline, and other B vitamins all of which youll need in higher amounts during pregnancy.

Iron is an essential mineral that is used by red blood cells as a part of hemoglobin. Youll need more iron since your blood volume is increasing. This is particularly important during your third trimester.

Low levels of iron during early and mid-pregnancy may cause iron deficiency anemia, which increases the risk of low birth weight and other complications.

It can be hard to cover your iron needs with meals alone, especially if you develop an aversion to meat or are vegetarian or vegan. However, for those who can, eating lean red meat regularly may help increase the amount of iron youre getting from food.

Pro tip: Pairing foods that are rich in vitamin C, such as oranges or bell peppers, along with iron-rich foods may also help increase absorption.

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Best Fruits To Eat During Pregnancy

If youre pregnant, fruit should be part of your daily diet but for more reasons than you probably think.

In this article, well discuss everything you need to know about why fruit matters, how much fruit you should be eating during pregnancy, and which ones to pick along with which ones to skip.

• Fruits to Avoid During Pregnancy

Lemon Or Peppermint Essential Oil

Aromatherapy massage using peppermint or lemon essential oil may help soften fecal impaction and treat constipation .

You Will Need

• 1-2 drops of lemon/peppermint essential oil
• 1 teaspoon of any carrier oil

What You Have To Do

How Often You Should Do This

Do this once a day.

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Which Sushi Rolls Are Cooked

Fish With High Levels Of Mercury

Seafood such as swordfish, shark, king mackerel, marlin, orange roughy, some types of tuna and tilefish are high in levels of methylmercury, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and should be avoided during pregnancy. If a person eats high-mercury fish regularly, the mercury can accumulate in their bloodstream and, if pregnant, this mercury can be passed on to a woman’s baby and damage their developing brain and nervous system, said the Mayo Clinic. Canned light tuna has less mercury than albacore “white” tuna and is safer to eat during pregnancy, according to a study published in 2004 in the journal Environ Res.

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Go Nutty For Nuts And Seeds

Nuts and seeds are great for a quick snack anytime and theyre also great to your diet for your pregnancy months because they contain so many important nutrients.

Youre going to be getting a big dose of omega-3 here, especially if you go for walnuts, whilst also getting that super important folate at the same time.

Why?On top of those benefits youll get a whole range of vitamins and minerals including Vitamin E, magnesium, manganese, B Vitamins, calcium, iron, zinc, selenium and a range or other micronutrients.

A good choice is hazelnuts which are high in folate, as well as vitamin E, Vitamin B6, Zinc and Omega 6 and 9.

Cashew nuts are delicious, either as a snack or as part of a meal, and theyre fantastic for getting a good dose of zinc in your diet.

Zinc is important for the safe development of your baby, and cashews can help you to reach half of your daily zinc requirements.

Almonds are another excellent way to add in some great nutrition to your diet because on top of delivering a wide range of vitamins and minerals theyre packed with good fats.

Flax seeds, sunflower seeds and chia seeds are also easy to add to your diet, and will also give you a boost of nutrition, without much effort.

Chia seeds will give you that omega-3 boost, but try watermelon seeds for something different, and a dose of vitamin C to boot.

Healthy Weight Gain During Pregnancy

Steady weight gain during pregnancy is normal and important for the health of the mother and baby. However, it is also important not to gain too much weight. Excess weight gain during pregnancy can increase your risk of a number of health issues including gestational diabetes. If you are pregnant, a good approach is to eat to satisfy your appetite, and continue to monitor your weight. Depending on your BMI at the start of your pregnancy, the following weight gain is recommended during pregnancy:

If you are overweight, pregnancy is not the time to start dieting or trying to lose weight. Weight gain within these ranges is important to support the growth and development of your baby.

To maintain an appropriate weight gain during pregnancy, it is important to:

• choose healthy foods from the five food groups
• limit discretionary foods and drinks high in saturated fat, added sugars and added salt, such as cakes, biscuits and sugary drinks
• remain active during your pregnancy.

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Opt For Whole Real Foods

Meaning try to cut everything processed if you can . Generally though, you’ll want to buy foods in their whole form. Meaning, buy black beans, not a black bean burger . You’re much better off making your own blueberry muffins versus buying them in the aisle of a grocery store! Yes, that means more cooking and meal prepping, so just do your best here in making wise choices, and if you need some ideas on healthy foods, check out these suggestions from Hancock Regional Hospital).

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How Much Of What Do I Eat

Make sure your diet is varied and includes adequate amounts of the following:

• fruit and vegetables
• dairy foods for calcium
• lean meats, chicken and fish for iron.

You dont have to eat more but you do have to eat more variety. The following table offers an overview of the variety of food you should eat for optimum health during pregnancy.

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Folic Acid And Pregnancy

Folate is a B-group vitamin found in a variety of foods. Folic acid helps protect against neural tube defects in the developing foetus. It is important for pregnant women to make sure they are receiving enough of this important vitamin. For women who are planning a pregnancy, and during the first three months of pregnancy, a daily folic acid supplement of 500 micrograms is recommended, as well as eating foods that are naturally rich in folate or are fortified with folic acid.

How Important Is Nutrition In First Trimester

The first trimester of pregnancy is the first 12 weeks you are pregnant. While you may not yet be outwardly showing that you are pregnant, this is a crucial time for you and your baby. This is because both your body and your baby’s body will be rapidly changing.

The first trimester is the most sensitive time in your pregnancy. You must eat foods that nourish your body, and you should stay away from drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.

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What Happens At Your Gp Appointment

The GP may do blood tests to see if you’ve been infected. They can also prescribe medicines to treat the infection if necessary.

If you’re pregnant and you test positive for toxoplasmosis, the GP can refer you for more tests to see if your baby has been infected. This is very rare.

The baby charity Tommy’s has more advice on toxoplasmosis and pregnancy.