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Every soon-to-be mother hopes and prays that she will have a trouble-free and healthy pregnancy, that will run full-term, and result in a healthy happy bundle of joy. What most mothers don't realise is that with a little research and knowledge, they can dramatically improve the chances of this happening.
Pregnancy nutrition plays a vital role for both the mother and child during the 9 months of pregnancy. As a mother, you need to ensure that the foods that you are consuming are natural and wholesome, and full of the essential minerals, vitamins, and irons to keep you feeling strong and healthy, and which will best prepare you for the birth. And then we must remember the developing child in your tummy, that is totally dependant upon you to deliver all the nutrients that it requires to develop physically and mentally.
Ensuring a healthy pregnancy can help prevent possible birth defects or premature birth. In order to accomplish this, you have to ensure proper pregnancy nutrition by eating a balanced diet rich in nutrients necessary for your babys health. For example, did you know that every day pregnant women need to have a high-quality diet which is usually translated to 80 to 100 grams of protein, a little bit of salt, lots of water or fluids, and calories from foods obtained from a variety of whole food sources. In this regard, the food pyramid serves to be a useful pregnancy nutrition advice guide.
No matter what you may have heard - prenatal vitamins can only do so much to provide nutrients to your unborn child. You have to dig a little deeper to figure out ways to integrate iron, omega-3 fatty acids, and more to ensure the safety of your pregnancy.
A few questions every mother needs to ask include:
Are iron supplements a good idea?
Is it okay to use daily multivitamins for nutrients?
What kinds of foods should I avoid?
If I have diabetes, how will my baby get enough sugars?
How can I plan each trimester for proper pregnancy nutrition?
So, what foods should you eat during your pregnancy? Seafood is an important food that you should eat to make sure your baby receives iron, omega-3 fatty acids, and protein for growth. These nutrients can improve your baby's verbal skills, behaviour, and ultimately the development of their whole body.
Remember to be careful eating shellfish during pregnancy as they can contain mercury which can damage the nervous system of the baby. This is also applicable to certain large fish, listed below. These fish are known to have high levels of mercury and are best avoided if you want a healthy pregnancy.
King Mackerel,
Shark,
Swordfish,
Tilefish.
The FDA and EPA suggest that you can eat up to 12 ounces of the following:
Canned Light Tuna,
Catfish,
Cod,
Pollock,
Salmon,
Shrimp.
Isn't it good to know that with a little research and application, you can be confident that you are doing all you can to ensure a healthy pregnancy? The importance of pregnancy nutrition cannot be overstated, and as a responsible mother-to-be you will be happy knowing that you are doing everything right for your little bundle of joy.
