A balanced month-by-month diet for pregnant women
From the beginning to the end of pregnancy, the main thing is what to eat in pregnancy. But there are times when you need to listen to your body more by promoting or eliminating certain foods. The helps you to follow a balanced diet adapted to your needs as a pregnant woman.
Diet pregnant woman: eat twice as much
If it is not a question of eating as a couple, it is useless and dangerous to restrict oneself, even during the first weeks of pregnancy when the embryo is only a few millimeters in size. It is during this period that the expectant mother accumulates reserves of fats, iron and proteins in her body.
After the second trimester of pregnancy, the fetus draws on its stocks and grows even faster. Eating well during pregnancy helps to better take on the physical and emotional changes of those nine months of pregnancy and more easily withstand the strain ofthe post-childbirth and constraints of breastfeeding.
The five categories of food (meat-fish-eggs, bread and starchy foods, fats, dairy products, vegetables and fruits) have a specific function and are necessary for your form. Do not delete one on your own! Eating at least four meals a day helps to distribute the intakes well and avoids hypoglycemia (drop in blood sugar), common in expectant mothers.
Diet pregnant woman: the first 2 months
Physical changes are imperceptible for those who are not secret. Your breasts are tight and some notice a small swelling of the belly. Fatigue and nausea are already there but you can remedy them.
- Fruits and vegetables, vitamins during pregnancy galore
The ideal is to eat five servings a day , not less. For example, if you include an orange, raw vegetables and strawberries at lunch, cooked vegetables and an apple at dinner, in your morning menu, you will win! The fruits and vegetables contain mainly fiber and a wide range of vitamins and essential minerals. They are the main source of vitamin C, which is all the more necessary since it can only be stored in the body in small quantities. Among other qualities, it helps the body to fix the iron contained in plant foods. So, if you eat cereals in the morning, accompany them with a kiwi, very rich in vitamin C. Lentils at noon? Follow them with strawberries for dessert. Take advantage of the new fruits and vegetables that flood the markets in May: carrots, turnips, green salads ..., strawberries, cherries, melons ... Their vitamins are fragile because they are soluble in water and fear the heat...
- The folic acid during pregnancy
One of the characteristics of the fetal development is prodigious cell multiplication. At the end of the second month of pregnancy , when the organogenesis process ends, all of her vital organs are then formed. The folate (folic acid or vitamin B9) play a central role. Indeed, a deficiency in vitamin B9 before conception and in early pregnancy may be responsible for a fortunately rare abnormality in the closing of the neural tube (spina-bifida), that part of the embryo that will give the spinal cord. Eat foods that contain folic acid : leafy vegetables are the richest (broccoli, salads, spinach), pulses, wheat germ, eggs, cheeses and certain fruits such as melon and lychees. In France, women who have had a history of neural tube closure abnormality during a previous pregnancy are supplemented with vitamin B9.
- It's time ... to fight nausea
In the hit-parade of the little evils of pregnancy, they come first. They occur mainly in the morning on an empty stomach and sometimes last until the end of the first trimester of pregnancy.
- Keep crackers or toast on your bedside table and snack on them before setting foot on the ground. Better yet, have a solid breakfast served in bed. Get up only a quarter of an hour after you finish it.
- Split your meals (at least four a day) so as not to have an empty stomach. They will have the advantage of being light and easier to digest.
- Avoid heavy, fatty or spicy dishes. Choose simple dishes (grilled meats, poached fish, mashed potatoes, and fruit).
- If you are sick of cooking odors, opt for cold, odorless dishes.
- Drink a few sips of sparkling water or Coke before or after meals.
- In some cases, lemon juice with water added works wonders. Ginger is said to have the same effects. However, it is recommended not to consume more than 2 grams per day if it is dry and 10 grams if it is fresh.
Diet pregnant woman: the 3rd month
Without undergoing drastic changes, your lifestyle changes. Good resolutions are often the program: eat better during your pregnancy, sleep more, and stop smoking for those who do not have it yet...
- Meat and fish, bricks baby build
The animal proteins are necessary for the maintenance and proper functioning of the body by providing the basic elements (amino acids) essential for the construction and renewal of tissues. This shows their importance. They also participate in the development of the uterus and blood mass, make the baby's bones and muscles. Vary the sources, each having its own interest.
Meat (especially red meat), poultry and ham contain iron. Fish contain trace elements necessary for pregnancy such as iodine, and selenium and, for the fatty ones, such as mackerel, fats very useful for the development of the baby's brain. Eggs are also a good source of important vitamin A and vitamin D during pregnancy, and cheese is very high in calcium. One to two servings per day of animal protein (to be supplemented with dairy products) is enough to cover all your needs.
- It's time ... to balance your lunch in the canteen
If you are pregnant at work, you probably have lunch in the canteen. In general, there is a fairly wide choice of dishes, it is easy to prepare a balanced menu during your pregnancy.
- As a starter, opt for raw vegetables.
- As the main course, choose a grill or a fish. Combine cooked vegetables with starchy foods. Eat bread if you don't like starchy foods.
Diet pregnant woman: the 4th month
Your breasts open up and your belly is rounded. For most of you, the little evils of pregnancy are gone. Take the opportunity to gradually rediscover the pleasure of eating.
- Cereals and starches, energy on the plate
Potatoes, bread, pasta, rice, semolina, cereals and pulses are excellent sources of slow sugars. The latter satisfy large appetites and are slowly assimilated during digestion. Pregnant, no more fatigue, hello tone! This is not the case when you fall for quick sugars such as candies, sodas and other sweets which cause a rapid increase in the blood sugar level and are very quickly absorbed. Shortly after, tiredness and cravings return at a gallop ... Do not hesitate to combine, during the same meal, starchy foods with vegetables , for example rice and tomatoes, potatoes and green salad, flageolet beans and green beans. The development of the fetus uses glucose contained in slow sugars to supply most of its energy needs.
- Where to find iron?
Theiron during pregnancy is essential for the formation of blood cells. A deficiency in early pregnancy (frequent) predisposes the expectant mother to anemia. Among those at risk: adolescent girls, women with close pregnancies, those expecting twins. In all these cases, an iron supplementmay be prescribed by the doctor, in the form of tablets or ampoules. Otherwise, the iron in food is enough to provide the daily dose required. Remember that iron of animal origin is more easily assimilated by the body. At the head, one finds the black pudding, the kidneys, the meats and the fish. But also eggs, lentils and white beans, spinach, broccoli, mushrooms...
- For dessert, a fruit or a dairy product is very suitable.
Diet pregnant women: the 5th and 6th months
You feel fit, the weight of your belly does not weigh you down yet. Your baby is moving now, he needs you to follow a pregnant woman's diet to avoid vitamin D and calcium deficiencies that strengthen his bones.
- Calcium for the quality of teeth and bones
The calcium contained in dairy products is an essential constituent of bones and teeth. It also plays a role in the functioning of muscles and the nervous system, as well as in blood clotting and heart activity. Your baby also needs it for the formation of his bones and dental buds. You must consume enough (1,000 mg per day), three to four daily servings (milk, cottage cheese, yogurt, cheese). As the baby will draw on your reserves, your body must manage to establish this transfer while avoiding its own decalcification.
Of course, other foods contain calcium, but in smaller quantities: vegetables, sardines, almonds and dried apricots, certain mineral waters (Hepar, Contrex). The calcium of plant originis less assimilated and therefore less profitable for the baby than that of dairy products. Finally, an American study would tend to prove that additional calcium intake during pregnancy would reduce the number of postpartum depressions in young babies. If you like and tolerate it, drink milk!
- It's time ... to wage war on constipation
During pregnancy, the digestive system works at a slow pace, often causing constipation, it is a very common situation of pregnancy ailments.
- Drink abundantly, at least a liter and a half of water per day.
- Eat foods rich in fiber (wholemeal bread, fruits and vegetables).
- Eat some dried fruit every day.
And don't forget to play sports during pregnancy like daily walking to stimulate bowel movement.
Diet pregnant woman: the 7th month
Your baby is gaining weight quickly. It overflows with vitamins, even at night ... Remember to provide it with energy , vitamins and minerals during your pregnancy that it needs.
- Fats for a well-oiled brain
Lipids - mainly oils, butter, margarine, crème fraîche - provide energy. The mother will store it in her own fat (especially at the hips) to build up reserves. This storage is used, particularly during the third trimester of pregnancy , for the needs of the fetus. The interest of certain lipids lies in their contribution in essential fatty acids (the famous omega 3 and 6, complementary), which hold a major place in the development of the fetus , of each organ and more particularly in that of the brain. The omega 3 and 6 are provided by oils from plants and fish. Sunflower, sesame, corn, and olive oils in less quantity, contain omega 6. Those of rapeseed, nuts, and fatty fish (tuna, mackerel, salmon and sardines to alternate), are rich in omega 3. As our diet most often lacks omega 3, it suffices to vary the oils and consume them raw . In the salad, mix olive and rapeseed oils.
- Beware of food cravings
If you succumb to it, either you do not absorb enough proteins and slow carbohydrates which stall for a moment, or you are very greedy. Four balanced daily meals , with a good breakfast at start-up, should be enough for you. Provide a light snack at 11:00 . No candies or chocolate bars but rather a slice of wholemeal bread, a yogurt, a hard-boiled egg and carrot sticks, some dried fruit ... Haro on the croissant and the pain au chocolat, too high in calories and fat . The snack is a real snack. Better a snack consisting of two cookies quickly swallowed on the corner of the desk. On the menu, choice of cottage cheese + strawberries, wholemeal bread + cheese, a banana + a yogurt or two buttered slices of gingerbread.
- It's time ... to sleep well.
- At the end of pregnancy, when the belly has become bulky, it is difficult to fall asleep. And worries about the approaching birth do not help matters.
- Avoid fatty and hearty dinners which weigh down and slow down digestion.
- Eat foods rich in carbohydrates such as pasta, rice or potatoes.
- Before going to bed, drink herbal tea or a glass of warm milk.
Diet pregnant woman: the 8th and 9th months
It is the last straight line before the big meeting. In the last few weeks, your child's weight increases considerably and your energy needs are at an all-time high.
- Water, water
Water is essential for life, 60% of the adult's body is made up of it, even more for the fetus. The kidneys must pass your own waste products, but also those of your baby, through the urine. If these accumulate in your body, it would be harmful for both. Drink one and a half to two liters of water (from the tap - if it is drinkable - or spring water) per day. Water hydrates, fight against constipation and urinary tract infections, during pregnancy, and participates in the renewal of amniotic fluid.
The tea and coffee during pregnancy are allowed, but it is exciting, and they limit the absorption of iron. Do not exceed three cups a day. Fruit juices, yes, but fresh and squeezed, with no added sugar. As for alcohol, you have excluded it since you knew you were pregnant. Its small molecules quickly cross the placental barrier which no longer plays its role of filter. Alcohol has a negative impact on the development of the fetus, its organs and its brain. Adopting a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy is fundamental to your health and that of the child you are carrying.
- Vitamins as a supplement?
Especially not on your own initiative. A diversified diet perfectly meets your needs for vitamins and minerals during pregnancy. Some vitamin supplements contain vitamin A, which in large doses could cause fetal malformations. Supplementation with vitamin D during pregnancy is currently the only recommended in France. This promotes the passage of calciumfrom the intestine to the blood and its fixation on the bones, it limits its leakage in the urine. Vitamin D is found in certain foods (oily fish such as mackerel, egg yolk, and butter). Vitamin D is mainly produced by the skin under the influence of the sun.
- It's time ... to avoid heartburn
A large number of expectant mothers suffer from heartburn, these upsets of acidic gastric fluid.
- Avoid foods rich in fats, irritants or acids (spices, lemon, vinegar, coffee ...) and abundant meals.
- Split your meals (the pains are stronger when you are fasting).
- Take the time to chew all the food well, the job of
And in the evening, go to bed two hours after dinner. Thanks to osteopathy, expectant mothers can also fight against minor pregnancy ailments.
Diet pregnant woman: where do the desires come from?
Without warning, desires fall on you: chocolate, strawberries, cheese ... The water comes to your mouth and your taste buds are in all their states!
Rest assured, you are not the only one, a large number of future mothers in need of magnesium would rush to the chocolate. But this idea is beaten by others: why shouldn't they love beans or snails, which also contain them?
Most professionals mention psychological reasons: the expectant mother would thus translate a need for attention. What is certain is that the smell and taste are changed during pregnancy. And that the impulsesvary according to the cultural context: Americans and Japanese do not have the same desires!
Remember that everything is in moderation: you must eat well during pregnancy to be healthy! But don't eat twice as much or eat mostly sweets.
Diet pregnant woman: beware of food poisoning
Since the diet of the future mother participates in the good development of the fetus, it is logical that in case of intoxication, it is threatened. Take precautions, especially with the arrival of sunny days when the heat increases the proliferation of germs.
The listeriosis can cause miscarriage or septicemia in the newborn. The signs are tenuous, pregnant, a small fever is declared. It is imperative to report it to the doctor who will prescribe, if necessary, antibiotics. Foods to avoid: raw milk cheeses, undercooked meat, artisanal meats, raw fish, shellfish.
The Toxoplasmosis is caused by a parasite (housed in the meat, the earth and the cat's body) can cause miscarriage , a death in utero or nerve or eye problems in the unborn baby. If you are not immune, a few simple precautions minimize the risk of contamination. Eat the meat well cooked and wash your hands after handling, wash the vegetables with plenty of water (avoid raw vegetables outside the house) and avoid contact with cats.