Eating a balanced diet during pregnancy is important for you and your baby’s health. It is also a factor that will affect the amount of breast milk you will produce when you start breastfeeding your baby.
Of course, this does not mean “eating for two”. A pregnant body uses calories much more efficiently than a non-pregnant body and you don’t need to take in any extra calories for your baby until the seventh month of pregnancy. From the seventh month until delivery, you only need an extra 200 calories a day.
It is best to eat a healthy diet during pregnancy, eating little and often. This diet will also protect you against discomfort and heartburn during pregnancy. When you start breastfeeding, remember that breast milk is the best thing you can give your baby.
What should you eat during your pregnancy?
- At least five servings of fruit and vegetables a day
- Protein foods such as fish, eggs, chicken, soy and legumes
- Various carbohydrates (bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, cereals)
- Milk and dairy products for calcium (half-fat if possible)
- Green leafy vegetables, meat and legumes for iron
What shouldn’t you eat during pregnancy?
- Soft cheeses with moldy exteriors, such as Brie and Camembert, blue cheese, or any kind of meat or vegetable pate (these foods may contain listeria, a highly dangerous bacteria)
- More than two servings of oily fish in a week (e.g. fresh tuna, sardines, mackerel, trout. These fish can contain high levels of mercury, which can damage your baby’s developing nervous system)
- Atlantic swordfish, shark or regular swordfish or more than 4 cans of tuna within a week (these fish also contain high levels of mercury)
- Offal or pureed meats, such as pate or sausages (these foods contain high levels of Vitamin A, which can be harmful to your unborn baby)
- Raw shellfish to prevent food poisoning
Can I drink alcohol while pregnant?
Alcohol enters the bloodstream of the unborn baby through the placenta and drinking large amounts of alcohol can seriously harm your baby. Avoid drinking alcohol if you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant. Drinking alcohol can reduce your chances of getting pregnant.
Can I consume caffeine while pregnant?
High levels of caffeine intake can lead to a decrease in your baby’s weight or miscarriage. Authorities recommend a daily caffeine intake of no more than 200 milligrams. Remember that chocolate, cola and energy drinks also contain caffeine, along with tea and coffee. A can of cola contains about 40 mg of caffeine and a 50-gram bar of dark chocolate contains about 50 mg of caffeine. Milk chocolate contains half as much caffeine as dark chocolate.
Cravings
There is a lot of research on why women crave when they are pregnant, but the reason is still a mystery! So we still don’t know why some women nibble on a whole jar of pickles or a bar of soap.
What we do know is that this is partly due to hormonal changes in your body and that you can crave anything. There are theories that cravings are what your body wants. For example, if a mom craves a big meatball and a plate of French fries, it could be because her body needs protein, sodium or potassium.
Whatever you are craving, try to control it so that you can eat healthy.