Being in an interesting position, women think about the correctness of their nutrition. The food that enters the mother's body has both positive and negative effects on the health and development of the baby. Nutrition during pregnancy should be as varied as possible. You should not go on a strict diet, it is enough to adhere to small recommendations for adjusting your diet.

The importance of proper nutrition

Vitamins, minerals and other nutrients need to be balanced throughout the entire gestation period. Because proper nutrition during pregnancy provides:

1. normal functioning of the maternal body;
2. full nutrition of the embryo, satisfying its needs;
3. the growth and formation of the placenta;
4. swelling of the mammary glands;
5. long and sufficient lactation.

Also during pregnancy, the child's mental and physical abilities are laid in utero. With a nutritional deficiency of certain substances, deviations are possible:

• the birth of a child with anomalies and developmental defects;
• decreased vitality of the newborn;
• weak immunological protection;
• reduced intelligence;
• violation of concentration and attention;
• early manifestation of hereditary diseases;
• decreased life expectancy.

First trimester

Eating early in pregnancy does not require drastic adjustments. There is no need to urgently change your lifestyle and taste habits. It is enough to carefully monitor the quality of products and observe a few points:

1. Taking folic acid. Vitamin B9 is especially important in the first trimester of pregnancy, it is necessary for the growth and development of organs and tissues, and affects the formation of the nervous system. The main sources are: legumes, cabbage, beets, soybeans, cheese, carrots and others;
2. Don't eat for two. The energy needs of the baby are not so high, and overeating high-calorie foods will lead to overweight;
3. To get rid of morning sickness during pregnancy will help a crouton or biscuit biscuit eaten on an empty stomach and a glass of still water. Give preference to baked, boiled, and steamed foods during pregnancy. When vomiting, the body loses minerals, so you should not completely abandon salted foods.

Adequate nutrition during the first trimester of pregnancy is fundamental to preventing miscarriage. Beneficial substances reduce the risk of stillbirth and the prerequisites for deformities.

Second trimester

During this period, the fruit begins to grow rapidly. The formed organs have reached functional activity. The daily requirement rises to 2500 kcal. The body of a pregnant woman begins to work in an enhanced mode, so there is a high likelihood of heartburn and constipation. To get rid of these problems, the nutrition of a pregnant woman in the second trimester should be enriched with the following elements:

• Calcium and vitamin D. They are fundamental in the formation of bone, muscle and nervous tissue. A deficiency, on the other hand, will lead to fetal growth retardation. Dairy products, eggs, marine fish liver should be included in your diet.

Foods that are difficult for the body to digest lead to indigestion: a roll, semolina, cocoa, fast food, soda, as well as fried and spicy foods. These food products should be completely abandoned;

• Iron. A decrease in hemoglobin levels in medicine is interpreted as anemia. It occurs due to a lack of iron in the blood. For prevention and treatment, it is worth adding meat products, eggs and vegetables to the diet. For the best absorption of iron into the blood, products are recommended to be combined with berries and fruits rich in vitamin C (rose hips, cranberries, currants). More about anemia during pregnancy >>>;
• Cellulose. The constantly growing uterus of a pregnant woman, reduced intestinal peristalsis provoke constipation. Fiber-rich fresh vegetables and fruits should form the basis of the daily diet.

Read more:

• Fruit during pregnancy >>>
• Vegetables during pregnancy >>>

Third trimester

It's time for the mom-to-be to reduce the calorie content of food. The intensive growth of the fetus is replaced by a decent weight gain. To ensure proper nutrition for a pregnant woman in the third trimester, you should adhere to the main recommendations above.

You can reduce the energy value of food by limiting the intake of simple carbohydrates and animal fats. To prevent edema, pregnant women spend fasting days, but not more than twice a week. The food is based on apples, kefir and cottage cheese. After cleansing, the body is restored and toned.

Approximate diet

The diet of a pregnant woman should be complete and varied. As an example, you can create a menu like this:

First breakfast (7:30):

• eggs;
• fermented milk drink;
• fresh fruits.

Second breakfast (9:30):

• vegetable salad with olive oil;
• milk (milk tea);
• sandwich with cheese;
• fruits.

Lunch (13:00):

• vegetable salad;
• lean soup with sour cream;
• boiled meat (poultry, fish) with vegetables;
• fruit juice (freshly squeezed juice diluted with water 1: 1).

Afternoon snack (16:00):

• cottage cheese casserole;
• milk or yogurt;
• fresh fruits (berries).

first dinner (18:30):

• oat or buckwheat porridge with milk;
• fresh fruits.

Second dinner (20:30):

• salad without mayonnaise;
• boiled sausage sandwich;
• kefir;
• green apple;
• rosehip drink or herbal tea.

Eat varied and healthy food and everything will be great for you and your baby!

Have shared

Pregnant women should eat healthy foods and, at the same time, indulge in small, pleasant, but unhealthy treats. Pregnancy is not the time to limit your food intake. For most of us, food is, first of all, a source of pleasure and positive emotions, but strict diets and privations during pregnancy will not lead to anything good.

A healthy, varied and balanced diet should be the basis of any meal plan for pregnant women. Consider each product in terms of how useful it will be for you and your baby. You should especially carefully follow this recommendation during the third trimester of pregnancy, when your diet especially affects your unborn child. Consequently, especially strict requirements are put forward for food during this period.

You should carefully monitor the quality of the foods that you consume during pregnancy, and not eat anything in huge quantities. Pregnancy is the time to eat “smartly” and not be led by all your food cravings.

When drawing up a nutrition plan, you should be extremely careful, because the health of you and your baby directly depends on it. In no case should you forget about the correct daily diet, including only healthy and wholesome foods. If you don't have enough time to buy everything you need yourself, then try to find an alternative: shop online or entrust it to your husband. Nobody says that following all the rules and adhering to it is an easy task, but without it you endanger the health of the child.

How much do I need to eat?

On average, during pregnancy, you should eat 5-6 times a day. And even if you have never had breakfast before, now is the time to accustom yourself to start the day with healthy and wholesome food. People who skip breakfast tend to be overweight, and their performance is significantly reduced throughout the day. Memory and concentration suffer from the lack of energy in the body.

If you carefully monitor the amount of calories you consume. Then do not think that skipping breakfast will help you get rid of those extra pounds. By limiting yourself in this way, you run the risk of gaining even more: the body, which does not receive enough calories (and, as a result, energy) goes into the so-called economy mode. And therefore, instead of burning fats, he puts them off, so to speak, for a “rainy day”. Do not let the metabolic process slow down by eating breakfast and supplying yourself and your child with all the necessary nutrients, especially c.

Foods to help manage nausea:

• - Foods that contain flour and carbohydrates are easy to digest, so breads, toast and crackers are perfect.
• - Light soups in water or chicken broth, with lean meats and vegetables. It is very important not to overeat or eat the entire pot in one sitting - a little and often is better.
• - Avoid very salty foods that make you thirsty. Too much salt leads to water retention in the body and, as a result, to swelling of the limbs, and can also lead to increased pressure.
• - Ginger is considered a miracle cure for nausea, but it also has many beneficial properties. Indeed, it will not harm you and your baby at all, so feel free to try ginger in any form, adding it to different dishes. Ginger ale, ginger tea, candied ginger and gingerbread cookies can all add variety to your diet and help relieve nausea.
• - A glass of chilled water with lemon or lime is a very simple and healthy drink. Proven ingredients like lemon, lime and raspberry are a healthy addition to your daily diet.
• - Cold desserts such as jellies, ice cream and milkshakes help some women cope with nausea.
• - Sour fruits help activate taste buds, so it is good to include apples, grapefruits, oranges and persimmons in your daily diet.

Special whims in food

1. Sometimes pregnant women are "drawn" to strange foods or dishes This is due to the fact that the body lacks exactly the nutrients contained in these products.

2. Satisfy your food needs, but only when it comes to edible products ... It's no secret that pregnant women sometimes want something completely inedible, such as sand, soap, paint. Naturally, the use of these products can lead to irreversible consequences for the body of the mother and child, so they are all prohibited.

3. Be prepared for surprises that your body will present to you. Depending on the period of pregnancy, your eating habits can change to diametrically opposite ones, so satisfy any needs of the body.
Daily menu: breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Daily Diet During Pregnancy

Breakfast

• - Muesli with cereals, nuts, fruits and grated apple. It is also helpful to drink a glass of low-fat milk, which will provide your body with calcium and phosphorus.
• - Any cereals rich in fiber and essential micronutrients. Pay special attention to the fat and sugar content, as during pregnancy it should not exceed the established norms.
• - Fresh fruit drenched in low-fat yogurt and sprinkled with sesame seeds. If you do not have fresh fruits, then frozen or canned fruits are suitable - they, when properly stored, retain most of the nutrients.
• - A variety of toasts: with cheese and tomatoes, avocado and cottage cheese, bacon, maple syrup.
• - Eggs in any form, but only first you should make sure that they are cooked correctly in order to avoid the risk of contracting salmonellosis.
• - Freshly squeezed juices.

Lunch

Various fruits can be the main component. Peel them before eating, but do not cut off too thick skin. Rinse the fruit well to remove dirt and chemicals. It is best to buy fresh fruit several times a week so that it does not stale, and make it a rule to buy one new fruit, which you usually do not eat, every week.

Be creative and move away from standard dry-food snacks. Your child should feel the whole palette of tastes and their shades, so come up with more and more new dishes.

Yogurt or fruit smoothie with low-fat milk, fresh fruit and ice.

A handful of nuts or dried fruits. It is best if these foods are sun-dried, naturally, not artificially. Remember that nuts are very heavy on the stomach and can cause bloating, so it is very important not to overeat in this case. Just a handful every day will be enough for you.

- Fresh salad with herbs and fruits is what you need. Try to make it bright by including all kinds of vegetables for a change. Add the avocado as well. It is very important to rinse vegetables well and store them in airtight bags in the refrigerator so that they retain their beneficial properties longer.

Whole wheat bread with butter or margarine is a very important part of your meal as this combination contains the necessary amount of nutrients, including vitamin D and some healthy fats. Lean meats like chicken, veal, or turkey are also ideal.

- Pasta, risotto, soups, stews are all great options, especially during the winter months.

- A jar of tuna, sardines or salmon with vegetables.

- For dessert, you should mainly eat dairy products to replenish calcium reserves in the body - these are yoghurts, milk, dairy desserts.

Afternoon snack

An afternoon snack can consist of the same products as a second breakfast. And the portions will be approximately the same. These are still snacks, not the main meal. They can help relieve hunger and nausea, as well as keep your blood sugar at a normal level.

- Freshly squeezed vegetable or fruit juices. Try experimenting with different combinations. It should be remembered that it is the fiber contained in these products that saturates your body. You can also add some ice to the prepared juice.

- A cupcake or bun with jam or honey will satisfy your need for sugar. Also, these are the ones that will give you the energy you need, helping to cope with a sleepy state. Prepare cereal bars and use them as a snack, they will suit you better than the ones advertised on TV. Your bars will contain less fat and sugar that will not be good for your baby.

Dinner

- Soup with lentils, vegetables and protein products (chicken or lean meat).
- If you do not want to mess around with cooking for a long time, then eggs are a great option. Make an omelet, scrambled eggs, or just boil a couple of eggs.
- Meat, poultry or fish with stews or salad.
- Tofu, lentils or any other legumes, in combination with vegetables - great substitutes for meat.

Second supper

- Warm milk with healthy additives, such as honey.
- A couple of biscuits, some cheese and crackers, or fruit.
- A handful of nuts, if you really wanted to nibble something tasty. Canned fruits with custard can serve as a great dessert for you.

What You Can't Eat - Forbidden Foods

- Any raw or semi-raw fish, sushi and seafood. There is a high risk of contracting hepatitis or other infection. Eating raw meat should be avoided for the same reasons.

- Toxoplasmosis is a very dangerous disease that can be picked up by poorly washing fruits and vegetables. It is the earth that can become the source of the disease.

- Observe good hygiene practices when preparing food - make sure you have different planks for meat, fish, and vegetables. Also wash your hands before preparing food.

- Listeria is a bacterium that can be passed on to a child. If it does not cause any harm to a healthy person, then its presence can become fatal for an unborn child. That is why you should avoid varieties of cheese with mold, such as Camembert, Dor Blue, Brie and others.

- Mercury - This element can be found in fish, specifically in shark meat and raspberries. Tuna can also contain this dangerous element, so you should limit your intake to one or two times a week. Some fruits and vegetables, more precisely the soil in which they were located, may contain mercury as well, so you should wash them very thoroughly.

- It is widely believed that for the health of the unborn child, a mother should eat a lot of liver, but, in fact, this is far from the case. The large amount of vitamin contained in this product can harm the baby and his development, therefore, it is the use of this product during pregnancy that should be avoided.

The period of bearing a baby is very important. You should give up bad habits, increase physical activity, and also supply the body with the necessary minerals. It is advisable to draw up an approximate useful menu for pregnant women for every day. Balanced nutrition ensures the correct development of the baby and helps to maintain a beautiful figure after childbirth.

Foods in the diet

A nutritional program for pregnant women should consist of carbohydrates, protein and fat, but in moderation. Protein intake should not exceed more than 120 grams per day. Of these, 80 are animal products: kefir, cottage cheese, meat, eggs. The daily fat intake is 100 grams. Carbohydrates are a source of energy, but they must be consumed with care.

In the first trimester, do not take more than 400 grams. In the last trimester, it is recommended to reduce to 250 grams per day. It is advisable to exclude not vegetables, but flour and sugar dishes.

Proper nutrition for pregnant women includes boiled, steamed, stewed and baked dishes. It is worth limiting the use of sugar and salt. Glucose raises blood sugar levels, which can cause pregnancy diabetes. Salt promotes fluid retention and edema.

What pregnant women need to eat every day:

1. fruits;
2. vegetables;
3. porridge;
4. dairy products.

The menu for pregnant women for every day should include 50% natural fiber: fruits, vegetables, berries, durum wheat, bran.

How much should pregnant women eat per day? The amount of food should not exceed the norm. 300 kcal should be added to the usual diet. If there is a weight deficit, it is worth eating twice as much food.

Prohibited foods

There are certain foods that can harm both mother and baby. But perhaps it is rare to make an exception and drink a cup of coffee with chocolate.

It is categorically worth giving up alcohol, drugs and cigarettes. These substances have a labial effect on the mother and the child: fetal abnormalities develop, the vascular system is affected, premature birth is possible, as well as miscarriage.

List of prohibited products:

• processed cheeses, unpasteurized milk, and raw eggs. They can harbor bacteria that can lead to infection and miscarriage. Quail eggs do not fall into this category;
• some types of fish: marlin, shark, tuna, king mackerel contain mercury, this will be very bad for the baby;
• eating sushi with fresh fish is not recommended. The risk of helminthic diseases is high;
• if, before pregnancy, a woman suffered from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, smoked, spicy and fatty foods can provoke severe heartburn;
• in chips, crackers, carbonated drinks, chewing gums, there are dyes, flavor enhancers and flavorings. They negatively affect the body of the expectant mother.

Be careful with pain relievers, seizure medications, cough and cold pills. In their content, alcohol and narcotic enzymes may be present. For the entire period of pregnancy, it is allowed to consume dry wine 2-3 times. It increases hemoglobin and appetite.

Daily menu

The nutrition of a pregnant woman should consist of an optimal daily menu with recipes. It helps you get used to the new diet and not worry about snacking. It is recommended to eat varied and healthy food. Vegetables should preferably be eaten raw. During heat treatment, they lose most of their valuable qualities.

Also, during gestation, you can gain excess weight. A daily diet for pregnant women contributes to weight loss, and also normalizes body weight.

Menu for 1 day of a pregnant woman;

• breakfast: oatmeal with milk, banana, bread and butter;
• lunch: soup with vegetable broth, cabbage and carrot salad, dried fruit compote;
• afternoon snack: kefir with cheesecake, apple;
• dinner: steamed vegetable stew, vinaigrette, herbal tea.

• breakfast: omelet with herbs, apple, green tea;
• lunch: pasta with steamed cutlets, fruit drink, vegetable stew;
• afternoon snack: cheese cakes and yogurt;
• dinner: baked meat, vegetable salad.

• breakfast: cottage cheese with dried fruits, bread with jam, juice;
• lunch: Steamed fish cakes, boiled potatoes, cocoa;
• afternoon snack: jelly, cookies, banana;
• dinner: vegetable casserole, fermented baked milk.

• breakfast: buckwheat porridge, butter sandwich, juice;
• lunch: soup with meatballs, salad with olive oil, herbal tea;
• afternoon snack: milk, bun, fruit;
• dinner: steamed beef cutlets, bread, tea.

• breakfast: zucchini pancakes with sour cream, boiled egg, bread and butter;
• lunch: goulash with porridge, salad with green peas, dried fruit jelly;
• afternoon snack: kefir, cookies;
• dinner: cabbage cutlets, beet salad, rosehip broth.

• breakfast: muesli with milk, freshly squeezed juice, chamomile tea;
• lunch: vegetarian borscht, boiled chicken drumstick, compote;
• afternoon snack: fermented baked milk, cheesecake;
• dinner: stewed fish, boiled potatoes, bread.

• breakfast: cottage cheese with dried fruits, green tea, apple;
• lunch: cabbage soup with sour cream, meatballs with rice, juice;
• afternoon snack: jelly, banana;
• dinner: vegetable stew, tea with milk, bread.

How many times a day should pregnant women eat? In the first trimester 3-4 times a day. In the 3rd trimester, eating 4-6 times a day is considered the norm. The daily diet for pregnant women can be maintained until the end of the gestation period.

Dish recipes

Diet recipes for pregnant women for every day can be prepared quickly and deliciously. They do not require special products and efforts.

Vitamin bowl. Ingredients: 1 peach, 1 kiwi, 100 g of nuts, yogurt, 1 banana, 50 g of currants. Combine all ingredients in a blender and ready to eat. It is considered more of a dessert. It is recommended to eat this delicacy every 2 days 1 time.

Vegetable mix. Ingredients: zucchini, carrots, cauliflower, artichoke. Peel vegetables, cut into round wedges. Put out. Top with dried dill and olive oil.

There are many myths and signs associated with pregnancy. Very often they bring a lot of inconvenience to pregnant women themselves, complicating their life. Many myths are associated with the nutrition of pregnant women. You can often hear advice to eat for two, or, conversely, go on a diet so that the baby does not grow too large. Many misconceptions are associated with the use of certain products, such as chocolate or sweets.

In order not to worry about your nutrition and thereby not create unnecessary stress on your body, every woman should learn how to eat right at this time even before pregnancy. In fact, there is nothing difficult in planning a diet for a pregnant woman, you just need to try to give the child everything you need and not give too much. And how to do this, we will try to figure it out.

Proper nutrition by trimester

Each trimester of pregnancy has its own characteristics. In the first trimester, our diet is dominated by nausea. Lucky women, whom this fate will not befall, can rejoice at the onset of pregnancy. The rest have to keep food intake to a minimum, try to eat little by little, the lightest possible meals without a pronounced smell. It is better during this period to give preference to cereals, fruits, vegetables, you need to eat a little meat and drink enough liquid to avoid dehydration.

In the second trimester, the nausea passes and another invisible enemy awaits the woman - an increased one. During this period, it is very important to provide yourself with adequate nutrition without overeating. As the baby begins to grow actively, he needs more and more vitamins and nutrients. A woman should eat more meat, vegetables and fruits during this period. It is important to eat foods rich in iron, such as liver, buckwheat, apples, tomatoes.

The further the pregnancy develops, the higher the likelihood of edema, therefore it is necessary to strictly limit the intake of salt. A grown tummy in the third trimester often provokes the onset of heartburn. During this period, it is important to eat a little and give preference to foods with an alkaline reaction, such as cottage cheese, soft-boiled eggs, boiled meat, fish, poultry, steam omelets, and dried white bread.

Another nutritional problem for pregnant women is constipation.... To avoid them, it is important to eat fermented milk products, steamed dried fruits, raw vegetable salads (if there is no heartburn), boiled cabbage and beets. It is very important that the amount of food received is sufficient. Eat more low-calorie fiber-rich meals.

How much liquid should you drink during pregnancy?

Fluids during pregnancy are also legendary. Someone advises to drink, someone on the contrary - to limit fluid intake so as not to provoke the appearance. Modern medicine says - you need to drink, but in moderation. A pregnant woman should drink at least 2 liters of fluid a day. It is water that helps to remove toxins from the body and prevents the formation of kidney stones.

You need to drink a little, a few sips, and choose the right drinks. It is clear that sweet multi-colored soda should be excluded from the diet. It is best to drink plain water. If you want something more tasty, you can choose a juice, but it should be diluted with water 1: 1 and the juice should be natural and not very sweet.

There are many questions regarding the use of caffeinated beverages during pregnancy. It is better to refuse black coffee during pregnancy, but if a woman is used to it, it is better to do it gradually or drink no more than 1-2 cups per day, gradually reducing its strength. Tea, both black and green, can be consumed within reasonable limits, a cup or two a day will not hurt. But this does not mean that you can drink two cups of each drink - you can drink no more than two cups of caffeinated drinks per day.

Often the usual teas are advised to be replaced with herbal ones. This is not worth doing. Reason - many herbs are abortive and the woman may not be aware of this. For example, the beloved hibiscus, which we know as carcade, is just such a plant.

Do I need to eat for two?

Very often, pregnant women are advised to eat for two. Of course, this does not mean that you need to immediately pounce on food, doubling the portion. Really, the need for energy in a pregnant woman increases, but not immediately doubled, but gradually. Therefore, it is not at all necessary to increase the portion size, you just need to monitor the quality of the food.

It is believed that a pregnant woman should consume an average of 2.5 thousand kcal per day. But this is an average figure, someone needs a little more, and someone less. That's why it is important to focus on the development of the baby and the well-being of the mother, as well as control weight gain. You also need to keep track of what you eat. All essential nutrients such as fats and carbohydrates should be sufficient in the food. Moreover in the second half of pregnancy, more proteins will be needed, but carbohydrate consumption will have to be reduced... This is especially true for sweets and flour.

If there is a constant desire to chew something, it is better to go for a walk or chew vegetables. Many girls during pregnancy allow themselves to overeat, believing that this baby wants to eat. Then it translates into a long and difficult weight loss.

Is there a need to take pharmacy vitamins?

Very often in the literature you can find recommendations to take vitamins during pregnancy. In most cases, this literature is either frankly outdated, or released by the vitamin manufacturers themselves. Today there are several points of view on taking vitamins. One of the most recent and supported points of view in the world is that it is necessary to take only folic acid and only at the planning stage and in the first trimester.

What about the rest of the vitamins? They are often recommended for use in the second and third trimesters. But in fact, if a woman was able to become pregnant and bring the pregnancy to half, she most likely does not have a pronounced vitamin deficiency. If a woman can buy herself an expensive vitamin complex for pregnant women, then she, most likely, can also afford to eat normally. In any case, good nutrition is much healthier than taking a synthetic vitamin.

There is another problem associated with taking vitamins - their overdose is extremely dangerous.... For example, an overdose during pregnancy can lead to impaired fetal heart formation. An excess of some vitamins is excreted from the body without harm to it, but at the same time the load on the excretory system increases. There is only one conclusion - with vitamin deficiency, which cannot be cured by proper nutrition, taking vitamins is needed, but only on the recommendation and under the supervision of doctors. These must be vitamins for pregnant women, which contain vitamin D and trace elements. Self-administration of vitamins "just in case" is contraindicated.

What are the dangers of food during pregnancy

Overeating during pregnancy, especially in the second half, is very dangerous. At this time, the woman's liver carries an increased load, and overeating increases it even more. The body can react to this with all the signs of intoxication. Therefore, overeating can lead to weakness and vomiting. Vomiting often causes cramps in the stomach and other organs, which can lead to premature birth.

It is very important to exclude too salty foods from the diet. An abundance of salt provokes venous congestion and the appearance of edema. And this is very dangerous, especially in the second half of pregnancy. Also, do not pounce on any exotic. This can provoke an upset gastrointestinal tract or allergic reactions. The earliest vegetables and fruits are also not the best choice for a pregnant woman - they can contain a lot of harmful chemicals from fertilizers and plant processing products.

It is important to avoid any strong allergens during pregnancy. This does not mean that they need to be completely eliminated, just do not overuse - one or two chocolates will not do harm, but five or six can provoke an allergic reaction or cause an allergy in a baby after birth.

Eating during pregnancy is better for feeling hungry, and not on a schedule, as over time, the need for nutrients may change, and the old schedule will lose relevance. It is better to limit the consumption of food after 19.00, you can drink kefir or yogurt, eat something non-nutritive and light.

It is important to eat slowly, slowly, chewing food well. It is very important to sit comfortably. Often the tummy supports the stomach and interferes with normal food intake, so you can eat in any position - if only it is convenient. As soon as the feeling of hunger is gone, the meal must be stopped.

It is better to give preference to simple products that our great-great-grandmothers ate. Cooking also needs to be simple - boil, steam, bake. You should not eat complex salads with a bunch of exotic ingredients, sushi, fruits from distant countries, and everything that our body has learned to digest relatively recently.

And the last rule - if you can't, but you really want to, then quite a bit you can. Remember - pregnant women should not worry and feel unhappy if you are sure that a candy, cake, strawberry, etc. will make you happy - allow yourself just a little. Remember - not for you.

Proper nutrition of a pregnant woman by trimester - diet and menu

At any stage of pregnancy, it's not too late to start eating right. But the sooner you do this, the better for the child. Diet of a pregnant woman, the optimal calorie content of food differs depending on the period. This is due to the peculiarities of the processes of fetal development and physiological changes during pregnancy.

• Nutrients
• Minerals and vitamins
• Nutrition during pregnancy, depending on the trimester
  • 1 trimester
  • 2 trimester
  • 3 trimester
• What else is important?

Principles of catering for a pregnant woman

The fundamental factor in the choice of food and the composition of the diet of a pregnant woman is BMI - body mass index. This indicator is defined as follows: weight (kg): (height (m)) ² = BMI.

	The weight	Recommended weight gain for the entire period of pregnancy, kg	Increase per week in the 2nd and 3rd trimester, kg
≤ 19	Short	12–18	0,5
19–25	Normal	11,5–16	0,4
25–30	Excess	7–11,5	0,3
> 30	Obesity	Less than 7	0,25

Through the mother's blood, all the necessary substances are supplied: oxygen, food components, biologically active compounds, trace elements, vitamins, macronutrients, hormones. The fetus is freed from decay products also through the mother's blood. Therefore, the diet during pregnancy should contain a minimum amount of artificial products and meet criteria such as naturalness, variety, the right combination of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. During pregnancy, it is important to monitor your drinking regime. You need to drink 8-10 glasses of water a day and exclude hot spices. From the seventh month of pregnancy, the baby is already able to distinguish between taste.

Nutrients

The foundation for a new life is 3 elements: protein, fats, carbohydrates.

Protein

Protein is the component from which new cells of the embryo (fetus) are built. It is necessary for the growth of the uterus, the formation of the placenta, and maintaining stress resistance. Proteins are part of the amniotic fluid. With their participation, hormones are synthesized, the level of glucose in the blood is regulated. A sufficient amount of protein allows you to get rid of the nausea characteristic of the early stages, to avoid the manifestations of toxicosis at the later ones. The presence of proteins in the diet of lactating and pregnant women is mandatory.

All proteins are divided into incomplete - vegetable and complete - of animal origin (more complete in terms of amino acid composition).

Complete proteins are found in foods such as:

• Meat (veal, lean lamb, dark chicken, horse meat, turkey).
• Seafood (lobster, shrimp, crabs, fish). You should eat freshly caught seafood that you previously eaten in order to exclude allergic reactions.
• Dairy products (, cottage cheese, sour cream, yogurt, kefir, yogurt, feta cheese).
• Eggs.

During pregnancy, regardless of trimester, give preference to protein-containing foods with a low amount of fat.

Incomplete proteins are found in legumes, nuts, mushrooms, seeds. These products are more valuable in the content of vegetable oil, and the quantity and quality of proteins in them cannot compensate for the lack of complete proteins of animal origin.

Fats

Fats are an important energy reserve and a structural part of body tissues. They are called lipids. They affect the functioning of the nervous system and endocrine glands, reduce the influence of fluctuations in the temperature of the external environment, and maintain the proper level of blood clotting. Lipids are necessary for the assimilation of a number of vitamins and minerals: tocopherol, retinol, calcium, magnesium.

Fats are divided into two large groups:

• Solid fats are a source of vitamins A and D (included in animal products - butter, lard).
• Liquid fats are a source of vitamin E (included in vegetable oils).

A pregnant woman's diet should include both groups. Each of them is useful and necessary for the developing fetus and its mother.

Carbohydrates in the diet during pregnancy

Carbohydrates are a source of rapidly released energy. As the fetus grows, its cells divide rapidly and organs develop rapidly. The child draws energy for this by receiving carbohydrates.

The body cannot synthesize carbohydrates on its own, so their intake should be regular and moderate. When there is a lack of sugars, proteins are consumed for energy production. With an excess of carbohydrates, the weight of the child and mother increases, fluid is retained and the threat of allergic reactions increases.

During pregnancy, the predominant source of carbohydrates should be foods with a slow release of sugars - bread, wholemeal cereals, or whole grains. Vegetables and fruits should take a significant place in the diet of a pregnant woman. They contribute to good peristalsis, which allows you to eliminate nausea in the 1st trimester, and constipation in the 2nd and 3rd trimester.

Minerals and vitamins during pregnancy

Rational nutrition is the key to a variety of micro- and macroelements, vitamins during pregnancy.

Calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D

With a deficiency of vitamin D and magnesium, the bioavailability of calcium decreases (it is not absorbed from the intestine). The daily requirement for calcium during pregnancy is 1000 - 1200 mg. The source is dairy products, dates. The body absorbs 10-40% of dietary calcium. The source of vitamin D is butter, eggs, liver. A sufficient level of phosphorus is also important (source - milk, meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts, legumes, cereals).

An increased but unbalanced intake of phosphorus and calcium can lead to a decrease in their reserves in the body.

Antioxidant complex

Vitamin and mineral complex with antioxidant properties consists of substances that complement each other: ascorbic acid, selenium, vitamins A and E, copper, zinc and iron. They must certainly be present in the diet of a pregnant woman.

The main component is vitamin C, the daily requirement for which is 50 mg. It protects the hemoglobin molecule from destruction, participates in the neutralization of foreign compounds, increases the absorption of non-heme (ionized) iron, and strengthens the vascular wall. During pregnancy, the concentration of vitamin C in the mother's plasma decreases, and in the fetal blood increases, especially at the time of birth (2-4 times).

Selenium - takes part in production, prevents the development of atherosclerosis. The trace element is found in whole grains, poultry, fish, vegetables and fruits.

Magnesium

Magnesium is involved in the activation of more than 300 of the most important enzymatic reactions occurring in the body, regulates the work of the heart, helps to maintain blood clotting, prevents the deposition of calcium salts in blood vessels, and affects the formation of the cardiovascular and nervous system of the fetus.

Sources of magnesium are nuts, grain bread, beans, leafy vegetables, and fish.

Sodium and potassium

These two minerals maintain a constant volume of extracellular fluid. With an increased sodium level, anemia may develop, an increase in the load on the heart, and vasoconstriction, which negatively affects the course of pregnancy.

Iron

During pregnancy, women are often faced with. Therefore, iron is an essential component of proper nutrition in the 2nd and 3rd trimester.

The daily requirement for an element for pregnant women is 12.5 mg. Iron is better absorbed from animal products. Its bioavailability ranges from 1 to 37%. 50 gr. fish in a vegetable diet increases absorption by 3 times, and meat by 2 times.

Iodine

Iodine is a trace element that a person needs for growth and development. For pregnant women, the daily requirement for iodine is 200 mcg. Consumption of the required amount of iodine is of great importance for the prevention of hypothyroidism in the mother and newborn.

Lack of iodine has a negative effect on the fetus from the 8th week of pregnancy. Sources of the trace element - fish, iodized salt, seaweed.

B₉

Folic acid is an important vitamin for the intrauterine development of a child. The daily requirement for pregnant women is 370-470 mcg. В₉ - necessary in the menu of a pregnant woman, regardless of the trimester. It does not accumulate, so it must be ingested daily. Sources of vitamin - kidneys, spinach, yeast, cabbage, nuts, beans, eggs,.

Nutrition depending on the trimester

Proper nutrition for the trimesters of pregnancy has specific characteristics for each of the periods.

Nutrition for a pregnant woman in the 1st trimester

In the 1st trimester, nutrition for pregnant women should be relatively high in calories - 1940 kcal per day. Meals should be frequent and small (up to 5 times a day).

Raw vegetables, fruits, herbs, juices should prevail among food products. It is imperative to introduce fermented milk biological products, decoctions of dried fruits, rose hips into the diet. Now the cells of the fetus divide especially quickly, so one should not forget about cereals from whole grain cereals.

The increase in body weight in the first three months can be very different and does not actually depend on what the woman eats.

Nutrition during pregnancy in the 2nd trimester

Proper nutrition for pregnant women in the 2nd trimester implies an increase in the calorie content of the daily diet to 2140 kcal. It is best to switch to 3 meals a day. In the 2nd trimester, it is recommended to reduce the amount of carbohydrates consumed - sugar, jelly, biscuits, chocolate and other sweets.

More protein is required for the development of the baby. Proteins of animal origin are especially valuable at this time. From the second half of the trimester, the need for calcium increases, so dairy products are an essential component of proper nutrition for a pregnant woman.

Nutrition during pregnancy in the 3rd trimester

Proper nutrition for pregnant women in the 3rd trimester means reducing the calorie content of the daily diet to 1900 kcal. It is necessary to return to more frequent meals. The uterus has increased in size, the internal organs are displaced, some are compressed. Therefore, the amount of food should be less than in the 1st and 2nd trimester.

With special care, you need to monitor the sufficient intake of iron, folic acid, calcium. To overcome constipation, it is necessary to increase the amount of raw fruits, berries and vegetables in the diet. Starting from the second half of the 3rd trimester, the calorie content is reduced by 200-300 kcal (due to bakery and confectionery products). It is important to reduce fat intake along with meat products, cheese, sour cream.

What foods are not allowed during pregnancy?

Any food should not be abused during pregnancy. , lots of red berries, mushrooms, canned food and smoked meats. It is categorically impossible to adhere to diets.

Nutrition during pregnancy should not change dramatically from your usual menu. If you used to have, so to speak, not quite correct eating habits, then change them gradually. This will avoid stress for the body and for yourself.