
Do you know where the weight gain 25 to 35 pounds (on average) during your pregnancy?
* 7.5 pounds: average baby's weight
* 7 pounds: extra stored protein, fat, and other nutrients
* 4 pounds: extra blood
* 4 pounds: other extra body fluids
* 2 pounds: breast enlargement
* 2 pounds: enlargement of your uterus
* 2 pounds: amniotic fluid surrounding your baby
* 1.5 pounds: the placenta
Thus maternity should have useful nutrients for baby.
Here are some of the most common nutrients you need and the foods that contain them:
Nutrient use for Sources
Protein cell growth and blood production lean meat, fish, poultry, egg whites, beans, peanut butter, tofu
Carbohydrates daily energy production breads, cereals, rice, potatoes, pasta, fruits, vegetables
Calcium strong bones and teeth, milk, cheese, yogurt, sardines or salmon with bones, spinach
muscle contraction, nerve function
Iron red blood cell production lean red meat, spinach, iron-fortified whole-grain breads and cereals
Fat body energy stores meat, whole-milk dairy products, nuts, peanut butter, margarine,
vegetable oils
(Note: limit fat intake to 30% or less of your total daily calorie intake)
Folic acid blood and protein production, green leafy vegetables, dark yellow fruits and vegetables, beans, peas, nuts
effective enzyme function
Vitamin D, C, B6
B12, A (limit Vitamin A)
Folate in your diet
Excellent food sources of folate include:
* Asparagus
* Bran flakes
* Broccoli
* Brussels sprouts
* Chick peas
* Dried beans
* Lentils
* Spinach.
Very good food sources of folate include:
* Cabbage
* Cauliflower
* Leeks
* Oranges
* Orange juice
* Parsley
* Peas
* Wheat germ
* Wholegrain bread.
Good food sources of folate include:
* Hazelnuts
* Vegemite
* Parsnips
* Potato
* Salmon
* Strawberries
* Tomato
* Unsalted peanuts
* Walnuts.
? The government’s Food Standards Agency has recommended that pregnant women and children under 16 don’t eat shark, swordfish or marlin, as it may contain potentially unsafe levels of naturally occurring mercury. They also advise that pregnant and breastfeeding women, and those who intend to become pregnant, should eat no more than four medium-size cans of tuna, or two fresh tuna steaks per week. This advice is based on two medium-size cans with a drained weight of 140g per can.
Avoid some food as following:
? Raw seafood, such as oysters or uncooked sushi
? Cheeses with a white, ‘mouldy’ rind, such as Brie and Camembert, and blue-veined cheeses like Stilton
? Pate, raw or undercooked meat, poultry, and eggs. All are possible sources of bacteria that can harm your fetus.
? Liver and liver products (pate, liver sausage) should be avoided, because they may contain large amounts of the retinol form of vitamin A, too much of which could be bad for your developing baby.
? For some women, it is also important to avoid peanuts and foods that contain them. If you, your partner, or any of your other children have a history of allergies such as hayfever, asthma, or eczema.
? Many women choose to avoid or cut down on alcoholic drinks during pregnancy, too. Drinking too much alcohol can cause physical defects, learning disabilities, and emotional problems in children, so many experts recommend that you give up alcohol while you are pregnant. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) recommends that you drink no more than one or two units of alcohol, once or twice a week, when you are pregnant.
? If you smoke, it is best for you and your baby to give up, the sooner the better.
? You might want to cut down on caffeine, too. This may be easy for women who are suddenly revolted by the stuff during their first trimester, but not so for everyone. Why is caffeine a potential problem? Research has linked consuming more than 300mg of caffeine a day with an increased risk of miscarriage and low birth weight. To be on the safe side stick to no more that three mugs of instant coffee or six cups of tea or eight cans of cola per day. Or, although there is no evidence that moderate amounts of caffeine will harm you or your baby, you may want to switch to decaf hot drinks and colas, instead.
References
http://www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnancy/nutrition/diethealthypregnancy/
http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/nutritionfit/nutrition/eatingpregnancy.html