-ByFalguni Kothari.

Getting Ready For Your Baby.

As with many of the really special events in our lives, having a baby means lots of change and excitement.

During the pregnancy your baby depends on you for the nutrition it gets so it is very important to eat well and safely.

Even before you are pregnant preparations should begin to get your body in good condition.

A healthy pregnancy will be a happy pregnancy and taking good care of yourself is the key.

One of the most vital factors to be kept in mind during Pregnancy

DIET

Worried About What To Eat?

• Eat smart and make sure that most of your choices are healthy ones.

4 GROUPS OF FOOD

1. Proteins

2. Carbohydrates

3. Fat

4. Vitamins, Minerals,

Micronutrients, & Antioxidants.

EAT WELL.

• If you normally eat well and enjoy a wide variety of foods you will probably have to make only a few changes to your diet. If your diet isn’t as good as it could be, now is a good time to make some changes - both you and your baby will benefit.

• It is essential to take healthy Balanced Diet during pregnancy. Pregnancy diet plan needs to make that are rich in protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals.

• A proper nutritious diet helps to grow your upcoming baby bones, organs and cell tissue.

• You also need more calcium for bones and teeth. If the pelvic bones become soft without calcium it leads to osteomalacia and causes severe difficulty during labour.

• Burkha women (Those who cover their body with thick black cloth) suffer from this disease and the child born to her will also have calcium and vitamin D deficiencies leading to skeletal deformities.

 • This will make the mother weak if she doesn’t take adequate

balanced diet. It is equally important that she should not over eat and become obese. Obesity in pregnancy due to excessive intake of rich food without enough physical activity to spend that energy, can lead to many complications during pregnancy and delivery.

1.Supply Energy to the mother and the fetus

2.Help in building and repairing tissues and organs

3.Protect the mother against infection and disease, help in the proper functioning of all the systems including that of the fetus.

3 groups of Essential Food substances in Pregnancy

Don’t give up all the foods you love when you are pregnant.

Whatever foods are healthy for mom are healthy for baby

CAUSES FOR MALNUTRITION

1. IGNORANCE

2. POVERTY

3. UNSCIENTIFIC CUSTOMS.

Misconceptions and False beliefs about diet in pregnancy.

1. Banana & Orange…….. Contains vitamin-A,C and iron.FALSE BELIEF: May cause Abortion & Respiratory problems.

2. Brinjal & Green Vegetables…….. Contains vitamin A, Proteins and ironFALSE BELIEF: May cause Diarrhea, Allergy & Skin marks.

3. Dhals Contains abundant Proteins. FALSE BELIEF : May cause arthritis and gas formation which may affect the baby.

4. Tender-coconut Water And Other Common Fluids. Contains lot of minerals and vitamins and help in preventing urinary infection which is common in pregnancy. FALSE BELIEF : Causes cold, cough, fever and is harmful to the growing child.

Diet to be taken in the 1st trimester of pregnancy

• Along with the normal food containing proteins, fat and carbohydrates, you must take plenty of fluids such as fruit juices, lime juice, orange juice, tomato juice, thin butter milk and tender-coconut water, as per the calorie requirements.

Diet in the 2nd and the 3rd trimesters

• Because of the gradual increase in the pressure on the chest by the gravid uterus you should take frequent small feeds which are easily digested and should avoid very hot spicy or excessively salty preparation.

ADDITIONAL FOOD.

1. Pregnancy is physiologically and nutritionally a highly demanding period. Extra food is required to satisfy the needs of the fetus.

2. A woman prepares herself to meet the nutritional demands by increasing her own body fat deposits.

3. Daily diet of a woman should contain an additional 300 calories;

15 g of protein;

10 g of fat from mid-pregnancy.

Important Nutrients

Important Nutrients & their Role

Sources.

FOLIC ACID• Reduces the risk of congenital

malformations• Increases birth weight.

• Enriched White Rice, • Ready-to-eat Cereals, Cornmeal, Wheat

Flour, Cowpeas, (Black-eyed Peas) Beans, Chickpeas, Okra, Spinach, Asparagus

• Cooked lentils• Cooked spinach • Orange juice

• 2 slices multigrain bread

IRON• High demands of erythropoiesis

(RBC formation)

• Spinach, Garden-cress seeds, Beetroot, Tomato juice, lean meat, celery, fenugreek seeds, lentils, oatmeal, raisins, soya flour,

carrot, radish, almonds, Rajma.

IODINE• Ensures proper mental health of

the growing fetus and infant

• Sea vegetables, Cow’s Milk, yoghurt, strawberries, Eggs

VITAMINS• Required during lactation

to improve child survival.

Vitamin C:citrus fruits, green peppers, broccoli, green leafy vegetables, strawberries, raw cabbage and potatoes.Vitamin E– Important sources include wheat germ, nuts, seeds, whole grains, green leafy vegetables, vegetable oil and fish-liver oil.

CALCIUMProper formation of bones and teeth of the offspring.• Secretion of breast milk

rich in calcium• Prevents osteoporosis in

the mother

Cow's milk, Paneer, curds, Ragi, yoghurt, hard cheese, fortified bread, orange juice, broccoli, lentils, okra, spinach, sweet potatoes, chickpeas.

Contd…

ADDITIONAL CARE

1. Periodic health check-up

2. Blood pressure

3. Hemoglobin

4. Receive tetanus toxoid.

5. Physical

exercise

6. Rest for

2-3

hours

during

the day.

Craving for Certain Foods

1.Pickles

2.Ice-cream

3.Chocolate

4.Sour foods

5.Tamarind

6.Jaggery

Things to be Avoided During Pregnancy

• Caffeine

• Drugs

• Cigarettes

• Alcohol

• Green and leafy vegetables like cabbage, and spinach are loaded with iron, folic acid and vitamins A, C, K. These minerals help to grow baby tissue.

• Sweet potatoes are considered healthier than white potatoes.

Fish is among the foods that cause concern because of mercury, a metal that can be toxic to babies, children, and even adults.

Allowable Quantity of Fish

• The FDA suggests pregnant women should not eat more than two average-size servings of fish per week.

• Avoid swordfish, shark, king mackerel, and tilefish

The key component of fish is omega-3 fatty acids, which are critical to fetal neural development.

Those who abstain from fish, some very good sources of omega-3 fatty acids are flaxseed, nuts (particularly walnuts), soybeans, and eggs.

Sources of Water.• The best source of water is

plain, pure drinking water.

• Sodas have a lot of sugar in them and aren't a good source.

• Herbal teas that aren't diuretic are fine.

• Sports drinks contain electrolytes and may be beneficial.

REFERENCES:

• Krause & Mahan-Clinical Nutrition & Diet Therapy.-12th Edition

• Pregnancy-wikipidea.com information.

• PubMed Journal.

• Nutritionguide.com

Thank You.