Pregnancy Foods

What foods you should eat if you are a pregnant women. Know details on safe foods during pregnancy.

1. Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, beans, lentils, and legumes. They provide vitamins, minerals and fibre.
2. Eat wholemeal bread and whole grain cereals.
3. Iron is essential for adequate blood supply to the growing baby and the placenta. For your iron requirement, eat iron rich foods for pregnant woman such as green leafy vegetables, dried fruit, and nuts.
   You may need to take iron and folic acid supplements regularly. Consult your Doctor before starting any iron supplement.
4. For your requirement of Vitamin C, include citrus fruits, tomatoes, broccoli, and potatoes in your diet. They help absorb iron.
5. You are responsible for the supply of calcium to your baby inside that is necessary for baby's healthy bones. Depending on your age, you may include 1000 mg - 100 mg of calcium and 200IU of Vitamin D in your diet.
   Dairy products, bread, nuts, fish, and green vegetables are rich in calcium. Milk, cheese and yogurt (all low-fat or skim varieties) contain calcium and other nutrients needed for your baby's growth. calcium rich foods
6. The diet should contain proteins like paneer, cereals, lentils, dals, fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, chicken, etc.

   Healthy Diet Plan Articles
   Pregnancy diet & recipes
   Iron foods for pregnant woman
   Diet for breastfeeding mothers
   Nutrition need of pregnant woman
   Foods to avoid during pregnanacy
   Complexion of unborn child
   Conceive a boy or a girl
   Diet for lactating mothers
   Foods for lactating mothers
   Post pregnancy weight loss exercise
   Prevent pregnancy stretch marks
   Vaginal yeast infection treatment
   Head lice treatment
   vitamin D deficiency
   Diet for Infants, 0 - 6 months old
   Weight Gain Diet

7. Eat Brussels sprouts to meet out the need of of folic acid. A cup of Brussels sprouts supplies 93.6 mg of folic acid and Vitamin K. Brussels sprouts recipe
8. Eat cumin as it is believed to increase lactation and reduce nausea in pregnancy.

Food Cravings during Pregnancy

Many women have cravings for certain foods or feel changes to certain food taste and smell during their pregnancy. These are very normal, lasting for a short period. These may be due to the hormonal changes of pregnancy.

Some of the items of craving are sweets, pickles, tamarind (imli), clay, ice, toothpaste, etc. The cravings for a food may not be due to your lack of certain vitamin or mineral in your body.

In the beginning of the pregnancy, you may have morning sickness with vomiting, headache and dizziness. This can prevent you from getting adequate nutrients for you and your baby.

• Eat small meals several times a day.
• Drink fluids between meals, total 8 to 10 glasses daily to avoid dehydration. Morning sickness is the signal of dehydration. When the mother is not drinking enough water, she is dehydrating the baby and herself.

  Alcohol Drinking During Pregnancy

  Pregnant mothers who indulge in alcohol consumption during pregnancy can disrupt their children''s sleep for years afterwards, researchers say as reported in August issue of the journal SLEEP. According to Dr. Katri of the department of Psychology at the University of Helsinki, Finland, even low levels of weekly prenatal exposure to alcohol have adverse effects on sleep quantity and quality during childhood.

• Try cold dishes.
• Try a few mint essence drops (Pudinhara) in water 2-3 times.
• Drink a mixture of 1/2 teaspoon juice of curry leaves or curry patta with 2 teaspoons lime juice and 1 teaspoon sugar.
• Check up with your doctor.