Eating healthily during pregnancy will help your baby to develop and grow.
Your diet during pregnancy helps to support your own wellbeing and supplies the nutrition your baby needs to develop and grow.
You do not need to go on a special diet, but it's important to eat a variety of different foods every day to get the right balance of nutrients that you and your baby need.
recommends a weight gain of about 25 to 35 pounds.
Eating well can also help with unpleasant pregnancy symptoms! Below are some other benefits of a healthy pregnancy diet:
- Less Labour Complications
- Increased Energy in Mother
- Successful Fetal Development
- Improved Sleep for Mother
- Reduced Risk of Getting Sick
Less Labour Complications
If you aren’t eating a balanced diet, you could be at risk for complications such as gestational diabetes, anemia, urinary tract infections, and your baby being born with birth defects. Good nutrition during pregnancy can also improve labor and delivery, which is never a bad thing!
Increased Energy in Mother
Experiencing a paralyzing amount of fatigue during pregnancy is very common for most women. Keeping a wholesome diet and eating every 3-4 hours will keep your energy up. It’s important to remember your iron consumption should be doubled when you are pregnant to help sustain your increased blood volume and promote iron storage for the fetus.
Successful Fetal Development
Eating a nutritious diet during pregnancy is linked to good brain development and a healthy birth weight, and can reduce the risk of many birth defects.
Essential vitamins and nutrients that will warrant a healthy baby include but are not limited to: folate or folic acid, vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium, fiber, fruits and veggies, whole grains, and an adequate amount of protein and fat.
Improved Sleep for Mother
Numerous factors can keep you up at night during your pregnancy, such as nausea, late-night bathroom breaks, or aches and pains!
Making sure you are eating full and complete meals each day, and staying away from too much caffeine, will definitely help with your beauty rest. The vitamins and minerals that are needed during pregnancy such as vitamin B, calcium, and iron also aid in productive sleep.
Reduced Risk of Getting Sick
Pregnant women are more susceptible to certain infections such as the flu. A healthy diet and plenty of rest can prevent this from happening.
A balanced diet will also reduce the risks of anemia, as well as other unpleasant pregnancy symptoms such as fatigue and morning sickness.
Does eating healthy during pregnancy make a difference?
As a general guide, pregnant mothers need to eat a healthy diet, high in nutrients and low in sugar, salt and saturated fats.
According to American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG), If you are pregnant with one fetus, you need an extra 340 calories per day starting in the second trimester (and a bit more in the third trimester). That's roughly the calorie count of a glass of skim milk and half a sandwich.
Pregnant women need to be particularly careful about what they eat because they are not only eating for their own health, but they are also eating for their baby’s health! When a woman eats well during her pregnancy, she reduces the chances of complications such as anaemia, low birth weight, and birth defects.
