Managing Some Common Problems
Constipation
The iron in prenatal vitamins and other things can cause constipation during pregnancy. So try to get more fiber than you did before you became pregnant. Try to eat about 20 to 30 grams of fiber a day. Your best sources are fresh fruits and vegetables and whole-grain breads, cereals, or muffins.
Some people use fiber tablets or drinks or other high-fiber products, but check with your doctor before trying them.
If constipation is a problem for you, your doctor may prescribe a stool softener. Be sure to drink plenty of fluids, especially water, when increasing fiber intake, or you can make your constipation worse.
One of the best ways to avoid constipation is to get more exercise. Drink plenty of water between meals each day to help soften your stools and move food through your digestive system. Sometimes hot tea, soups, or broth can help. Also, keep dried fruits handy for snacking.
Gas
Some pregnant women find that broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, and fried foods give them heartburn or gas. You can plan a balanced diet to avoid these foods. Carbonated drinks also cause gas or heartburn for some women, although others find they calm the digestive system.
Nausea
If you’re often nauseated, eat small amounts of bland foods, like toast or crackers, throughout the day. Some women find it helpful to eat foods made with ginger. To help combat nausea, you can also:
Raw Or Undercooked Eggs
Do not eat raw, undercooked, or soft-boiled eggs as they contain harmful salmonella that can cause food poisoning. It can cause diarrhea, severe vomiting, headache, abdominal pain, and high temperature. All of these symptoms are unlikely to harm the baby, but they can weaken the immune system and affect the baby’s development. Buy pasteurized egg products. Eat boiled eggs with hard yolks or well-cooked omelets and salads.
Also Read: Here Are 4 Reasons Why Eating Raw Egg Whites Might Be Harmful For You
If You Eat Healthy Drink Healthy Too
Water is a wonder drink. It addresses many different kinds of health issues and pregnancy is no exception. As much as possible, drink the recommended amount of water every day. Staying hydrated may help alleviate pregnancy symptoms like morning sickness and nausea. In contrast, dehydration, especially if this occurs during your third trimester, can lead to contractions and pre-term labor. Hydrate with water but never with energy drinks.
Cut back on soda and caffeine intake. Switch to fruit drinks and juices as a substitute for soda and caffeine, but still try to limit the amount of fruit juices so you are not taking in too much sugar too quickly. Even better would be to eat a small serving of fruit to help satisfy the sugar or caffeine craving.
And by all means, avoid any kind of alcohol as this will impact your babys health. Even once the baby is born, youll want to follow these same precautions while breastfeeding. Continuing these precautions while breastfeeding is important because unsafe foods, like alcohol, can pass through the breast milk to the baby. We consider this the fourth trimester of pregnancy.
Don’t Miss: Is It Safe To Donate Plasma While Breastfeeding
Eating For Healthy Pregnant Women/ng Kai Totika M Te Wahine Hap
Eating well and doing moderate physical activity during pregnancy are important for you and your baby. Nutritional needs are higher when you are pregnant. Meeting these needs helps protect the long-term health of both you and your baby.
Seek antenatal care as soon as you think that you are pregnant.
Some pregnant women may need special advice from a dietitian about eating. This includes women who:
- are 18 years old or younger
- have a medical condition affecting their eating, such as diabetes
- are having more than one baby
- eat very little or have a history of eating problems
- are vegetarian or vegan
- are very overweight
- are underweight.
If you think you should see a dietitian, ask your lead maternity carer to arrange this for you.
The New Rules Of Eating When You’re Pregnant
This Is Nike
You don’t have to go down a search-engine rabbit hole to figure out what and how to eat. Antenatal nutrition is much simpler than thatour experts have got you.
- Many pregnant people avoid out-of-bounds foods but don’t always stock up on superhealthy ones.
- Diet culture, unexpected cravings and nausea can all make navigating your eating plan really tough during pregnancy.
- To feel better physically and emotionally, you’ll want to incorporate certain foods and eating habits into your antenatal routine.
Read on to learn more
*This content is designed to inform and inspire, but it is not meant to diagnose, treat or give specific medical advice. Always check with your health care provider about how to stay healthy and safe before, during and after pregnancy.
1. Eat often.
2. Listen to your cravings.
3. Look at food as medicine.
4. Think beyond the fridge.
Words: Sabrina HuntPhotography: Vivian Kim
CHECK IT OUT
Head over to the Nike page for tons of motherhood support, spanning mindset, movement, nutrition, recovery and sleep .
Don’t Miss: Giving Plasma While Pregnant
What Supplements To Take During Pregnancy
Even though theres a large variety of healthy foods containing key nutrients during pregnancy, it can be hard to get as much of those nutrients as you need from food alone, particularly folate and iron. Because of this, your doctor or midwife will likely recommend or prescribe certain supplements.
Prenatal vitamins are a common example. As the name implies, prenatal vitamins are made specifically for pregnant people and people planning to get pregnant. Prenatal vitamins provide a combination of vitamins and minerals that support healthy pregnancies , and are available over the counter in a wide range of stores.
Your care provider may also prescribe supplements based on other factors, like dietary restrictions. If youre lactose intolerant and cant eat dairy, for example, you may be prescribed a calcium supplement.
Its important to let your care provider know about any other supplements youre taking. Supplements arent tightly regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, and your care provider may want you to take a break from them during your pregnancy.
Folate And Folic Acid
Folate is a B vitamin that helps prevent birth defects in your babys brain and spine. Generally, people who are pregnant or planning to get pregnant need about 600 micrograms daily, starting at least one month before conception.
Good sources of folate include fortified grain products , as well as foods like spinach, beans and asparagus. Its hard to reach 600 mcg through food alone, so a supplement containing at least 400 mcg folic acid is usually recommended to help reach the ideal daily dosage.
Recommended Reading: Donating Plasma While Trying To Conceive
What If I Am Gaining Too Much Weight
Try to get your weight back on track. Don’t consider losing weight or stopping weight gain altogether. You should try to slow your weight gain to recommended amounts, depending on your trimester. During the first trimester, you should gain 2 to 4 pounds total during the second and third trimester, you should gain 1 pound per week. Consider trying these diet changes to gain weight more slowly:
- Eat the appropriate portion size and avoid second helpings.
- Choose low-fat dairy products.
- Exercise consider walking or swimming on most if not all days.
- Use low-fat cooking methods.
Unpasteurized And Pasteurized Foods
Pregnant women are advisable to avoid all food made from unpasteurized milk, such as soft aged goat cheese, goat milk, sheep milk, or cream. Listeria monocytogenes is present in unpasteurized or softly aged dairy products. This can cause an infection called listeriosis that can cause miscarriage, and stillbirth, and also make the newborns ill. Similarly, soft cheese with a white coating on the outside is moist. This makes it easier for the bacteria to grow. The cheese should be cooked until moist kills the bacteria and reduces the risk of listeriosis.
Read Also: Accidentally Donated Blood While Pregnant
Color Your Diet With Fruits
Some people will warn you against fruit consumption when you ask them about what not to eat during pregnancy. This is a myth. Fruit isnt just delicious it can help curb your sugar cravings and supply you and your baby the necessary nutrients. As long as you arent eating them in juice form too often, fruits are an important part of your pregnancy diet. If canned, choose unsweetened.
Be cautious in your preparation of fruit. Dont use knives used for other raw foods that may have bacteria, and always thoroughly rinse raw fruit under running water. Rinsing your fruit is important since bacteria can be found on the outer rind or peel, which can cause illness or be harmful to you and baby. Cut off damaged or bruised spots to help remove any bacteria hiding out in these areas.
It is worth noting that eating fruits should be done with care. Observing how your body reacts every time you have some will help. For example, if you have a spike in your blood sugar or notice abnormal weight gain, you should cut back.
You can have moderate servings of the following fruits:
- Bananas
- Dried fruits
Foods That Should Be Avoided During Pregnancy
Raw meat and poultry
During pregnancy, there is an increased risk of bacterial food poisoning from food like uncooked raw meat. Salmonella is a bacteria harmful bacterium that increases the risk of food poisoning and causes toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis can lead to miscarriage and fetal death. Pregnant women should eat well-cooked meat and chicken and homemade varieties of chicken breast.
Also Read: 3 Healthy Mocktails That Women Can Have During Pregnancy
Read Also: Can I Donate Plasma While Breastfeeding
Nutrient Needs During Pregnancy
A person needs more water- and fat-soluble vitamins during pregnancy and lactation. This includes folate, choline, and vitamins B12, A, and D, among others.
Doctors
To help prevent illnesses and other complications during a pregnancy, avoid:
- Seafood that contains mercury: Avoid shark, swordfish, and marlin, or keep the intake to an absolute minimum.
- Uncooked or partially cooked meats: Opt for thoroughly cooked meats.
- Uncooked shellfish: This is due to a risk of bacterial or viral contamination, which can cause food poisoning.
- Raw eggs: Avoid these and any foods that contain them.
- Soft, mold-ripened cheese: Cheeses such as brie and camembert carry a risk of Listeria contamination. Listeria is a group of bacteria that can cause potentially fatal infections in pregnant people and their babies.
Dont Forget The Grains
Your prenatal nutrition must include whole grains like brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, cereals and oatmeal. They are rich in fiber, iron, B vitamins and folic acid, which are beneficial for your babys physical development. These will also ward off constipation and hemorrhoids, which are some of the common discomforts that you may experience during pregnancy.
Don’t Miss: Vagisil Cream While Pregnant
Important Reminders During Your Pregnancy
It doesnt matter whether you are a first-timer or well familiar with pregnancyyou need to evaluate your diet for each pregnancy. Everything changes when you become pregnant and each pregnancy can be different from the previous one. You may need to re-educate yourself about what foods are good to eat during pregnancy or what foods to avoid while pregnant.
Professional assistance plays an important role in ensuring you and your childs safety. It would help if you have someone you can call whenever you have questions or concerns regarding your diet or condition someone to guide you throughout or warn you against bad eating decisions, big or small.
Below are some of the things you need to consider when eating:
Foods To Avoid When Pregnant
6-minute read
There are some foods you should not eat when youre pregnant because they might make you ill or harm your baby. Make sure you know the important facts about which foods you should avoid or take extra care with when youre pregnant. The best foods to eat are freshly cooked or freshly prepared food.
You May Like: Early Pregnancy Implantation Rash
Pregnancy Grocery List: What To Eat And What To Avoid
Its always important to eat a nutritious and well-balanced diet, but especially during pregnancy. If youre expecting, you may be wondering how to make the most of your shopping for the health of you and your baby. Keep reading to learn how to create a healthy pregnancy grocery list.
One of the most important things a pregnant person can do to help the growth and development of their baby is to eat a healthy and balanced diet. A proper diet during pregnancy may help prevent the following:
- Gaining unneeded weight
- Preterm delivery
- Low birth weight
During pregnancy, you need more nutrients and calories to support a developing fetus. It takes around 300 extra calories per day to support a pregnancy. The source of those calories matters a lot.
When preparing your pregnancy grocery shopping list look for foods that have:
- High protein
- Low sugar and refined carbohydrates
- High omega-3 polyunsaturated fats and low saturated fats and trans fats
A pregnancy grocery list should include foods that contain the nutrients that are essential for fetal development:
- Calcium is necessary for healthy development and growth, especially of bones and teeth.
- Folic acid is a nutrient that helps decrease the risk of neural tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly.
- Iron is necessary for normal blood supply. Iron also helps in preventing the occurrence of anemia due to pregnancy in the mother.
These are the caloric recommendations for pregnant people with a healthy BMI:
- Oatmeal
Foods And Drinks To Avoid During Pregnancy
We like to focus on the positive what you can have rather than what you cant. And there are so many wonderful foods you can eat! However, there are some foods that need to be avoided during pregnancy because they could put your baby at risk.
The foods you should avoid while youre pregnant are those that could contain harmful bacteria, such as listeria, E. coli, salmonella, and toxoplasma, or parasites. Listeria could lead to a serious infection which could result in the loss of your baby. This is why we urge you to avoid unpasteurized foods, milks and juices, and raw or undercooked fish, eggs, and meat.
You May Like: Is It Ok To Use Vagisil While Pregnant
What Not To Eat
1. During pregnancy you should not eat raw or undercooked meat as it could be home to an array of bacteria.
2. Avoid eating fish that have high levels of mercury as this could harm your babys brain and might lead to impairment. The examples of such fish are tuna, shark, swordfish and tilefish.
3. Do not eat raw eggs or foods containing raw eggs a they could cause salmonella which is a kind of bacterial infection.
4. Unpasteurized milk can also harm you so do drink milk but only that is pasteurized.
5. Caffeine should be totally avoided during the first trimester and even later, its quantity should not go beyond 200 mg a day. Some studies have shown that caffeine might lead to miscarriages. So better safe than sorry.
6. Alcohol should be given up during pregnancy as no amount of it is considered safe during this phase.
Starchy Foods In Pregnancy
Starchy foods are an important source of energy, some vitamins and fibre, and help you to feel full without containing too many calories. They include bread, potatoes, breakfast cereals, rice, pasta, noodles, maize, millet, oats, yams and cornmeal. If you are having chips, go for oven chips lower in fat and salt.
These foods should make up just over a 3rd of the food you eat. Instead of refined starchy food, choose wholegrain or higher-fibre options such as wholewheat pasta, brown rice or simply leaving the skins on potatoes.
Read Also: Donate Plasma While Pregnant
What To Eat During Pregnancy Eating Right For Babys Health
A balanced diet is ideal for everyone however, during pregnancy, its important to make dietary adjustments based on your specific needs. Knowing what foods are good to eat during pregnancy will help address your pregnancy symptoms and nourish your baby well.
There is no one-size-fits-all meal plan for expecting moms. Some do not have problems with the food they eat and others may start experiencing issues. Certain types of food may worsen their symptoms, while some alleviate them. This is one reason why you might seek help from a prenatal nutritionist, who offers sound advice in terms of food restrictions. These food restrictions during pregnancy are based on several factors such as lifestyle, physical changes and hormonal changes. For now, stick to the basics described below:
Can I Maintain My Vegetarian Diet When Pregnant
Just because you are pregnant doesn’t mean you have to diverge from your vegetarian diet. Your baby can receive all the nutrition they need to grow and develop while you follow a vegetarian diet, if you make sure you eat a wide variety of healthy foods that provide enough protein and calories for you and your baby.
Depending on the type of vegetarian meal plan you follow, you may need to adjust your eating habits to ensure that you and your baby are receiving adequate nutrition. Discuss your diet with your doctor.
Don’t Miss: Is It Safe To Donate Plasma While Pregnant
Why Do I Need More Calcium When Pregnant
Calcium is a nutrient needed in the body to build strong teeth and bones. Calcium also allows blood to clot normally, muscles and nerves to function properly, and the heart to beat normally. Most of the calcium in your body is found inside your bones.
Your growing baby needs a considerable amount of calcium to develop. If you do not consume enough calcium to sustain the needs of your developing baby, your body will take calcium from your bones, decreasing your bone mass and putting you at risk for osteoporosis. Osteoporosis causes dramatic thinning of the bone, resulting in weak, brittle bones that can easily be broken.
Continued
Pregnancy is a critical time for a woman to consume more calcium. It may help prevent high blood pressure while you’re pregnant. Even if no problems develop during pregnancy, an inadequate supply of calcium at this time can diminish bone strength and increase your risk for osteoporosis later in life.
The following guidelines will help ensure that you are consuming enough calcium throughout your pregnancy:
