For the sake of the baby's health, maintaining a well-balanced diet is of utmost importance during pregnancy. To meet the demands of the growing baby, an expectant mother have to pay attention to her required nutrition. A pregnant woman's diet should include a combination of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, folic acids, minerals, and fat. A proper diet will take care of the baby's growth, make the mother feel better, and nourish the growing baby with the nutrients it requires. An expectant mother need to add about 300 extra calories to her regular diet to be able to provide enough nutrients to her baby. The normal Recommended Daily Allowance [RDA] for a healthy women is 2100 kilo Calories, while during pregnancy the RDA is 2100+300 = 2400 Kilo Calories.
The need of the hour is a proper dietary planning that has to be undertaken before, during and after pregnancy. Please find below the Recommended Daily Allowance [RDA] of various nutrients for an expectant mother:
A. Protein - 50 grams B. Fat - 70 grams C. Carbohydrates - 310 grams D. Sugars - 90 grams E. Sodium(Salt) - 2.3 grams F. Dietary Fibre - 30 grams G. Saturated Fatty Acids - 24 grams H. Folate / Folic Acid - 300 µg I. Vitamin C - 85-100 mg J. Vitamin D - 25-35 mg K. Minerals - Iron, Calciam, Iodine, Magnesium, Zinc, Copper - Prescribed dose
A Sample Health Chart:
Some of the women may develop strange inclination towards specific food items – this is known as food craving. Most women will experience food cravings at some point or another during pregnancy. An expectant mother may relish a certain food item which she deliberately tried to avoid in the past, while a few may relinquish some of their favorite foods during these days.
Also a few may develop poor appetite syndromes (food aversions) due to nausea and morning sickness; they are advised by the doctors to eat small portion of the meal at regular intervals. Here’s a sample chart to demonstrate what are the core food groups which a pregnant lady must eat to fulfill her daily recommended allowance of various food items:
Core Food Group
Bread and cereals (Carbohydrate) Fruit, nut and vegetables (Minerals, Folic acid, vitamins, fiber) Dairy foods (Protein, fat, fatty acids) Meat and alternatives (Protein, fiber) Extras (Vitamins, minerals, sugar, salt)
A Sample Meal Plan:
Break-fast:
1. Two slices of bread / Oat /Cornflakes (50 gms) 2. One hardboiled egg, 3. One banana 4. Dry fruits and nuts (15 gms) 5. A cup of milk (250 ml)
Lunch:
1. One bowl boiled rice / Wheat / Maize products (Roti / paratha / Chapati) / Sandwich (150 gms) 2. One bowl cooked mixed vegetables including carrots, cauliflower / leafy green vegetables including spinach, broccoli, lettuce (50 gms) 3. Well cooked chicken / mutton / fish (70 gms)** 4. Fresh green salads, 5. One scoop of ice cream (any flavor) with freshly cut seasonal fruits (apple, guava, orange, mango) / Yogurt
** Vegetarians can get the required amount protein from pulses, like black gram, lima bean, kidney bean, scarlet emperor bean, soya bean, lentils (masoor daal), mung bean (moong daal) and dairy products like paneer, yogurt, butter, cheese etc.
Evening Snacks:
1. Whole-grain crackers with cheese / Whole-wheat toast with little butter or fruit jam (30 gms) 2. One hardboiled egg, 3. One bowl fruit salad (70 gms) 4. Custards 5. Nuts like almonds or pecans etc (15 gms)
A pregnant woman should ideally eat a variety of food items ranging from different food groups such as cereals, whole grains, pulses, vegetables, fresh and dry fruits, milk and dairy products , meat, fist, fluids like water, fruit juices and glucose.
To Be Avoided:
Tobacco, alcohol, unpasteurized milk, processed food, uncooked meat/poultry/egg and any food items that one is allergic of. Some doctors also suggest to avoid pineapples and papaya as these two fruits are supposed to contain an element which may cause unintended abortion – although from a scientific point of view, this myth is yet to be proven. Also cut down on your daily intake of junk food and caffeine – more than 300 mg of caffeine a day increases the risk of miscarriage and also affect the baby’s weight.