Pre-Pregnancy Diet And Lifestyle Recommendations
Thinking of becoming pregnant? Pregnancy can be a very exciting time for most people. It can also make few feel anxious about what they should (or should not) be doing for their own and their baby’s health. Begin by performing a Pregnancy Diet and Lifestyle check up! Evaluate your weight, the foods on your plate and your physical activity patterns.
Women who do not eat a well-balanced diet before pregnancy may not have the proper nutritional status for the demands of pregnancy. Generally, a pregnant woman needs to add about 300 extra calories daily after the first trimester to meet the needs of her body and her developing foetus. And those calories, as well as the entire diet, need to be healthy, balanced, and nutritious.
Best Foods to Eat When You’re Trying to Get Pregnant
• Vegetables. Vary your vegetables. Choose a variety of vegetables, including dark green, red, and orange vegetables, legumes (dry beans and peas), and starchy vegetables. Healthieroptions include buying fresh, or plain frozen vegetables.
• Grains. Foods that are made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley, or another cereal grain are grain products. Make at least half of your grains whole-grains. Examples of whole-grains include whole-wheat, brown rice, and oatmeal.
• Fruits. Any fruit or 100% fruit juice counts as part of the fruit group. Fruits may be fresh, frozen, or dried
• Dairy. Milk products and many foods made from milk belong to this food group. Use fat-free or low-fat dairy products that are high in calcium.
• Protein. Go lean with protein. Choose low-fat or lean meats and poultry. Vary your protein routine by choosing more fish, nuts, seeds, peas, and beans.
• Oils are not a food group, yet some, such as nut oils, contain key nutrients and should be included in the diet in moderation. Others, such as animal fats, are solid at room temperature (Dalda, margarine) and should be avoided.
• Calcium 1000 mgs – Preparing for pregnancy includes building healthy bones. If there is not enough calcium in the pregnancy diet, the fetus may draw calcium from the mother’s bones, which can put women at risk for osteoporosis later in life. The recommended calcium intake for women is 1,000 milligrams. Three servings of milk or other dairy products each day equals about 1,000 milligrams of calcium.
Other Do’s
• Exercise and everyday physical activity should also be included with a healthy dietary plan.
• Folic acid supplement (400 µg), From preconception to 12th week of pregnancy, to ensure optimal development of the fetus. This will reduce the risk of the baby being born with a neural tube defect.
Don’ts
• Alcohol – Women who are trying to become pregnant are also advised to stop drinking alcohol altogether.
• Smoking – Couples who are trying for a baby are also advised to stop smoking, as smoking (including passive smoking) may reduce the chances of conceiving and can harm the fetus.
• Excessive weight gain should be avoided. Women who put on too much weight during pregnancy have a higher risk of complications associated with overweight and obesity. These include gestational diabetes, miscarriage, pre-eclampsia, thromboembolism (blood clots). The risk of complications during labour and the risk of an emergency caesarean operation are also increased. In addition, a baby born to an obese mother is also at higher risk of fetal death, stillbirth, congenital abnormality and subsequent obesity. Excessive weight gain during pregnancy is also more likely to lead to overweight and obesity.
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Genesis is not your last stop in search for a good fertility centre, but your first step for parenthood.
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