Diet During Pregnancy and Nutrition
And the majority of pregnant moms' blunders may be related to diet during pregnancy. What does one of the extremes - "eat for two, because now there are two of us" - is just as harmful and even dangerous as the second extreme: a strict diet during pregnancy, so that later "get in shape quickly."
What should be the diet during pregnancy? To begin with, I would like to clarify the difference between nutrition and diet, which is sometimes not taken into account. Nutrition is the consumption of certain foods constantly. A diet is a temporary transition to a certain diet to achieve a certain result. Most often, they talk about a diet as one of the ways to lose weight, but there are diets for gaining weight, treating certain diseases, etc.
A diet during pregnancy can be discussed when a woman needs to normalize her body weight, or if she suffers from any - or chronic disease (for example, the digestive system) and needs to limit some products.
Normal weight for a pregnant woman
It is widely believed that any weight gain during pregnancy is natural, justified, and physiological. This, of course, is not the case: there is a certain rate of weight gain during pregnancy and it is important to adhere to it, otherwise, the doctor may recommend a diet for weight loss to the expectant mother. Of course, the goal of such a diet will only be the normalization of body weight, and not the achievement of "model" parameters.
What is the average weight gain during pregnancy? It is made up of a woman's pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI, a particular ratio of height and weight) and the actual steady weight gain throughout the pregnancy. You can calculate it using online calculators.
In the article Diet During Pregnancy, what is the normal weight for a pregnant woman? It consists of the body mass index (BMI, a special ratio of height and weight) of a woman before pregnancy and the actual gradual weight gain corresponding to the duration of pregnancy. You can calculate it using online calculators.
In this case, BMI is calculated by dividing the body weight expressed in kilograms by the height expressed in meters and squared. The rate of weight gain during pregnancy depends on the initial BMI: if it is less than 19.8 before pregnancy, body weight is considered reduced and the first column of the table should be used to calculate the gain.
BMI in the range of 19.8-26 is the norm and the middle column of the table is taken to calculate the increase. A BMI above 26.1 indicates that the woman was overweight before pregnancy; to calculate the increase, the values \u200b\u200bare taken from the right column of the table.
Accordingly, by the time of childbirth, weight gain is normally about 10-15 kg. It is made up of:
- the mass of the baby, which by the time of birth reaches 3-3.5 kg;
- amniotic fluid masses (usually about 1 kg);
- thickening of the walls of the uterus (can reach several kilograms);
- masses of the placenta with the umbilical cord (about 500-800 g);
- breast enlargement;
- increase in blood volume;
- an increase in the volume of adipose tissue in the abdomen and thighs in early pregnancy;
- moderate retention of tissue fluid against the background of the action of hormones.
If a woman is healthy, eats properly, and weight gain is maintained within the physiological norm, within a few months after childbirth, “extra” kilograms “leave” without much effort.
What are the risks of gaining weight when pregnant?
How, it would appear, can being overweight be harmful to a prospective mother? Can certain kilos be considered unnecessary while the baby "takes" so much from her body? They can, unfortunately. Being overweight during pregnancy causes considerably more harm than it does for non-pregnant women.
The danger for the mother's body: excess weight creates an extra load on the joints, spine, blood vessels, and heart. Even with normal body weight during pregnancy, varicose veins or back pain are not uncommon, and in the presence of excess weight they are almost always disturbing, they can be significantly complicated.
In addition, excess body weight, or rather, the disorders of carbohydrate and fat metabolism associated with it, can serve as prerequisites for the onset of gestational (occurring during pregnancy) diabetes. It is known that adipose tissue takes part in the processes of hormonal metabolism - accordingly, its excess can lead to endocrine disruptions. Also, with excess weight, an increase in blood pressure and blood clotting can occur.
Danger to the fetus: children of overweight women are more likely to suffer from oxygen and nutrient deficiencies. Metabolic disorders that occur in the body of the mother inevitably affect the condition of the fetus. Quite frequent among these children are heart defects, and overweight. Compared to women with normal body weight, the likelihood of premature birth, miscarriage, miscarriage, as well as "walking" - delaying the onset of childbirth up to the 41st-42nd week is higher.
Dangers in childbirth and the postpartum period: with excess body weight, labor weakness often occurs, childbirth lasts longer and is more difficult, and injuries and ruptures of the birth canal occur more often. With a cesarean section, the healing time of the sutures can be lengthened, and complications in this process are not uncommon. Postpartum rehabilitation and restoration of the muscular and tendon corset of the anterior abdominal wall also take longer. Psychological moments should not be discounted either: yes, motherhood is a natural dominant for a woman, but the desire to quickly return to shape is no less natural. Excess weight before pregnancy or gain during it becomes a serious obstacle to this.
Given these circumstances, the best solution may be a diet to lose weight even at the stage of pregnancy planning, or if pregnancy has already occurred against the background of extra pounds (or there is excessive weight gain during pregnancy) - following a special diet for pregnant women.
Diet during pregnancy overweight women
A diet for pregnant women implies the observance of several important rules:
- careful quality control of food products;
- variety of food;
- stimulation of the intestines by eating appropriate foods (beets, prunes);
- balanced diet: 30% for breakfast, 40% for lunch, 10% for lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner. It is important to have a balanced intake of animal and vegetable proteins (90-130g/day), fats (90-130g/day), carbohydrates (mostly "slow", 350-400g/day), and fiber into the body of the expectant mother.
An important point: a diet for pregnant women for weight loss should not lead to a restriction of the intake of vitamins and minerals in a woman's body. At the same time, it is known that even the use of high-quality products these days is far from always able to satisfy the body's needs for biologically active components.
Therefore, it may be expedient to supplement a balanced diet with a modern vitamin-mineral complex. which will serve as an additional source of vitamins D3, E, C, B1, B2, B6, B12, niacin, folic acid, biotin, pantothenic acid, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, selenium, iodine.
Another important point is the calculation of calorie intake for a pregnant woman. With normal weight and adequate weight gain, it is believed that the calorie content of the daily diet of the expectant mother should be 300-400 kcal higher than the calorie content of the usual diet before pregnancy.
That is, it is recommended to consume 2000-2800 kcal per day. At the same time, it is important to take into account that with an increase in the duration of pregnancy, the activity of a woman gradually decreases, moreover, doctors recommend bed rest for some pregnant women to save the child. In this case, the calorie intake should be reduced by 20%. If the expectant mother is overweight, you should also consult a doctor to individually determine the optimal calorie intake.
If possible, especially during a long pregnancy, it is worth organizing fractional nutrition: eating small portions of food, but often. In recent weeks, this is already an objective necessity: the enlarged uterus compresses the organs of the digestive system, the volume of the stomach decreases, and the use of the usual portions can lead to nausea. On the other hand, frequent small meals eliminate the feeling of hunger, which often causes unhealthy snacks.
Recommended Products
The list of recommended products includes those that, on the one hand, saturate the body of the expectant mother with nutrients, vitamins, and microelements, and, on the other hand, help to avoid excessive weight gain. This is:
- vegetables - cabbage (white and red cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts), root crops (carrots, beets), zucchini, pumpkin, cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplant, and onions. Potatoes are not prohibited, but consumption should be moderate. It is better to give preference to seasonal and local vegetables, however, in winter, you can supplement the diet with dishes from frozen raw materials;
- fruits and berries - apples and pears, plums, apricots and peaches, watermelons, melons, citrus fruits, raspberries, strawberries, cranberries, etc. Grapes and bananas contain a lot of sugar, their use is not prohibited, but should be moderate. Dried fruits are useful, especially prunes that stimulate the intestines, raisins and dried apricots rich in potassium;
- meat - daily, better lean and dietary: veal, turkey, rabbit, chicken breast, and fish - several times a week. In the last weeks of pregnancy, doctors sometimes recommend limiting meat consumption to increase the elasticity of perineal tissues;
- eggs - chicken, quail;
- cereals (buckwheat, brown rice, pearl barley, oatmeal, barley), legumes, whole grain bread, durum wheat pasta;
- dairy products - kefir, yogurt, milk (in case of intolerance, you can replace it with kefir), sour cream, cottage cheese, medium-fat cheeses;
- vegetable oils - sunflower, olive, corn, linseed.
It is important to drink enough liquid: about one and a half liters of water, teas, compotes, and juices. At the same time, do not forget that there is a lot of sugar in packaged juices, it is better to give preference to homemade fresh juices diluted with water. If swelling occurs, you should consult your doctor and adjust your fluid intake.
Recommended cooking methods are steaming, baking, boiling, and stewing. Salt and spices should be consumed in moderation.
Prohibited Products
Recommendations regarding prohibited foods are universal. Under the ban for the expectant mother:
- fast food;
- semi-finished products;
- excess sugar and simple carbohydrates (cream cakes, muffins, sweet soda);
- products that are oversaturated with food chemicals and preservatives
- fatty meat, grilled;
- home and industrial canned food;
- marinades, pickles.
Diet menu for pregnant women
The range of products and their quantity depends on the gestational age. During the first trimester, the body of the expectant mother actively accumulates nutrients - right now it is important not to "eat", focusing on the quality of food, and not on its quantity.
More on Diet During Pregnancy, on the other hand, some women in the first months of pregnancy suffer from debilitating toxicosis, nausea, and vomiting, and some complain of a change in taste preferences and paradoxical food requests. It is important to understand that this is a natural reaction of the body to the fetus and eat wisely, if necessary, adjusting the menu with the doctor leading the pregnancy. The calorie content of the diet should not exceed 2000 kcal.
A sample menu for the first trimester is as follows:
- breakfast - muesli with milk;
- lunch - tea, whole grain bread;
- lunch - vegetable soup with chicken;
- afternoon snack - cottage cheese with berries;
- dinner - fish cutlet, salad;
- at night - a glass of kefir.
The second trimester is a time of intensive growth of the fetus, which needs nutrition. Therefore, the calorie content of the diet at this stage increases and is about 2500 kcal. It is important to limit sugar and "simple" carbohydrates.
A sample menu for the second trimester is as follows:
- breakfast - soft-boiled chicken egg, tomato, cheese sandwich;
- lunch - cottage cheese with dried fruits;
- lunch - fish soup with rice and vegetables;
- afternoon snack - pear;
- dinner - baked turkey, salad;
- at night - a glass of kefir.
The third trimester is a period of active growth of the fetus and at the same time preparing the mother's body for childbirth. Caloric content during this period should not exceed 2800 kcal, it is important to exclude “simple” carbohydrates, and, on the contrary, enrich the diet with fiber and protein. The diet in the last month of pregnancy implies the restriction of meat, salt, and fluid intake depending on the presence of edema.
A sample menu for the third trimester is as follows:
- breakfast - scrambled eggs, sandwich with butter;
- lunch - fruit;
- lunch - lean borscht;
- afternoon snack - cottage cheese with prunes;
- dinner - salad with tuna and vegetables;
- at night - a glass of kefir.
Rational nutrition during pregnancy is one of the most important conditions for the health of mother and baby, easy physiological childbirth, and quick recovery after them.
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