Pregnancy Week by Week

Pregnancy Nutrition

There have been many books written about nutrition during pregnancy and from each we have something to learn. Regardless of where you are during pregnancy, one thing is well to remember, namely; not to eat for two, but two times better and healthier than before.

Just a few days after finding out that you're pregnant, you may find that your whole body will undergo major changes that will be felt both in terms of appetite, as well as physically or mentally. This time, we will deal only with what is healthy eating, the beneficial effects of fruits and vegetables, vitamins and minerals important in pregnancy, caloric needs and body weight that would be good to have at the end of nine months of pregnancy.

Morning sickness and appetite

Many pregnant women have learned the hard way what "morning sickness" means, which, in fact, can occur throughout the day and challenges you in terms of appetite. You will find that because of this nausea, you will not be able to touch food that you once adored. You will loathe certain tastes and some flavors will make you feel bad physically. The only consolation is that this sickness will not last forever and, normally, at the end of the first trimester of pregnancy, it should disappear and you can then enjoy the most delicious food. Until then, try to eat foods that do not irritate the stomach, especially brushwood and toast or biscuits without flavorings, dried fruits and, if possible, a glass of milk every day.

Cravings can also be put in the category of side effects of pregnancy, though scientists cannot tell what exactly causes them. Some specialists believe that pregnant women crave for certain foods just because of the hormonal fluctuations in the body. Other experts believe that food cravings may be related to lack of nutrition of your body. At some point, you may feel a strange desire to eat certain foods that you have not always liked or bizarre combinations like pickles with ice cream. As long as you crave for foods that are not bad, it would be better that, from time to time, you ask your partner to satisfy your cravings. You will not come across with such an opportunity again.

Eat healthy!

Before each meal, you should think about what you have in your plate, how many vitamins, minerals and protein as these are very important for your health and that of your baby. During pregnancy, you're the only source of nutrition to your child. Each calorie, vitamin per gram of protein that the child needs to grow has to be eaten first by you. You and only you can ensure that your child receives the best quality food. The little one will feel very well and will develop by the book if you eat many fresh fruits, vegetables, beans, peas, cereals, fish, poultry and dairy products, preferably low-fat. A healthy diet will provide you some nutritional reserves that will help you resist and recover more easily after birth. Specialists believe that anemia and preeclampsia are more often encountered in pregnant women, who eat a diet low in vitamins and minerals, and other problems such as morning sickness or cramps may be exacerbated by what you eat or not during the nine months of pregnancy. Moreover, a healthy nutrition will help reduce the behavioral changes, physical exhaustion or other psychological problems related to the transformations that you would probably go through.