Baby Weight - What Do I Eat?

As soon as I announced my pregnancy, I heard all the myths about what I should and shouldn't be eating, what the cravings would be, what would make me sick; but I did wonder what dietary plan would be best for me and my baby. I knew I didn't have a bad diet, the odd indulgence maybe but nothing too extraordinary. Your diet though is surely different when your body is in a normal mode and when it is carrying around another person? Suddenly I didn't know if that egg a day was such a good idea now. Were all dairy products bad? Should I indulge those cravings? Would I seriously be living off pickles and ice-cream?!



1. The Myths I think we must start with the pickles. If you are craving a particular type of food, see what type of food it is and evaluate what it consists of in terms of minerals, sugars etc. Women may crave extra minerals during pregnancy as their bodies increase blood volume by up to 20% so the minerals can become diluted. A craving for pickles may be as simply explained as the pregnant woman is deficient in a mineral such as sodium. Every craving has a meaning and is trying to tell you something about your body. "Eating for Two' is simply a myth and a very ficticious one at that. There is no need to eat for two, while I agree that you need extra of certain vitamins, minerals etc., it is simply not necessary to eat the same amount as two people. Your body will tell you what you need, just learn to listen to it. Stick to a healthy diet, your doctor will tell you if there is anything out of the ordinary with regards to both your weight and your baby's. In the last trimester it is normal that the baby should be gaining approximately half a pound a week and Mammy should be gaining slightly more.



2. When pregnant and you are loaded down with all sorts of text books, you will learn an awful lot about vitamins and minerals that you never knew before. It is important to maintain a healthy balance and in doing so you are ensuring that you are giving baby the best start in life and making sure that your body is armed and ready for the tough time ahead. Folic Acid is one nutrient to take notice of, it is worth making sure you take it, as a lack of it has been directly linked with neural tube defects such as Spina Bifida. It is also very easy for pregnant women to become deficient in Iron so it is important to eat some red meat, pulses and green vegetables. Although, here's another myth buster, stay away from liver.



3. Liver is a great food when you need iron but during pregnancy it is not a food that you should eat in abundance as it provides Vitamin A aswell. The upsetting thing about Vitamin A during pregnancy, is that too much of it may be harmful to your unborn child. Fish is one food that gets focus from both the Pro and Con Camp when you are pregnant. I would never warn anyone off fish however, when pregnant, you do have to be careful that you avoid particular types altogether and that you eat some in very limited or infrequent amounts. Try to limit the amount of tuna that you include in your diet as there is a chance that it may contain mercury. Mercury can affect your baby's nervous system while it is developing.





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