Pregnancy is perhaps one of the most fulfilling phases of a woman’s life. Birth of a child is the most miraculous gift we have and it is no wonder that a pregnant woman brings joy for the entire family. While anticipations run high, it is important to remember that the diet of a pregnant woman is extremely important. After all, the fetus needs all the nutrition it can while in the womb for health growth of bones, hair, brain, limbs and blood. A nutritious diet is needed for two reasons: to feed the growing fetus inside and to take care of your changed body constitution.
While planning a pregnancy diet it is important to remember that every morsel of food which the mother takes has an impact on the baby inside. In fact, recent research shows that not only physical development, the mother’s diet also affects the intellectual development of the child. A poor diet which lacks in essential nutrients can cause several disease conditions for the would-be mother like anemia, mood swings, tiredness, leg cramps, constipation, etc.
Planning a nutritious pregnancy diet involves knowing that pregnancy goes through several phases and different nutrients are beneficial at different phases. For instance, during the first three months of pregnancy, an average woman would not require any extra calories but her diet must contain adequate quantities of protein, calcium, and vitamins like B12, B6, vitamin D, iron, zinc and folic acid. Minerals, essential fatty acids and significant amounts of calories are important for the overall growth and development of the fetus.
Inclusion of more proteins is necessary with the progress of the pregnancy. During the last 6 months of the pregnancy a woman would need 300 calories more than average. Regarding body weight, which is a main concern for doctors as well as mothers, the first three months, can see an increase of 3 to 5 pounds but during the last 3 months, weight gain should not exceed more than 3 pounds in a month. All pregnancy diet charts must be designed with these types of weight gain goals in mind.
A pregnancy diet should include wholesome and fresh fiber foods like porridge. Dairy products for calcium, red vegetables like carrot and tomatoes for carotene and orange fruits like apples and oranges for vitamin B complex; nuts and raisins for vitamins and minerals; green leafy vegetables for calcium and iron; rice, sprouts and lentils for protein and of course plenty of milk for calcium are all nearly mandatory for maintaining a healthy pregnancy and an equally healthy baby at the right time.
Pregnancy is a time to rejoice not only for the mother but for the entire family. if you plan a healthy pregnancy diet, you can be sure that you would be blessed with a healthy bundle of joy.
General Health 
