I know you are hungry; I was hungry all the time too. The good news is that there are some great tasting nutritious meals that you can munch on to fill the empty hungry gap you have in your stomach.
You can make eating healthy during pregnancy fun and delicious. I will give you some advice on nutrition and a one day meal planner that you can use to make the best food decisions for you and your baby. I just hope this will give you some inspiration and give you some delicious ideas as to spice up your meals and give you the inspiration you need to pack each and every meal as full of essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients that you and your baby need.
Let’s have a look at the one day meal planner:
Breakfast: Two slices of French toast, which is prepared with low fat milk, and one cup of your favorite 100% fruit juice. Add some bananas to your toast. This is rich in protein, calcium, vitamins C and B, iron, fiber and folic acid.
Mid-morning snack: A fruit smoothie is a great idea, one that you make yourself that is packed with proteins, calcium and vitamins.
Lunch: Have a nice veggie wrap, you can even add a piece of cheese to it, together with plain low-fat yoghurt, and some fresh fruit. Your lunch will be filled with protein, calcium, vitamins A, B and C, some folic acid as well as much needed fiber.
Mid afternoon snack: Some plain rice cakes, with hummus.
Supper: Have some spaghetti with meat sauce; you can top it with some cheese. Then add a nice green salad with olive oil, lemon juice and seasoning with it. This will make sure you get some more proteins, vitamins C and A, some folic acid and iron.
I keep talking about calcium, fiber, folic acid, iron, protein and Vitamins A, B and C, and you might just be asking by now but why do baby and I need it all? Well, let me shed some light on the very importance of all the above to you and your baby.
Calcium is essential for you and your baby, as it helps with healthy development of bone and teeth. You should make specially sure that your calcium intake in the third trimester is enough as your baby will tap into your calcium resources to meet its own needs. Then calcium is also very important to you during labor, it helps to maintain your heartbeat, helps with your muscle contractions, your nerve transmissions and it is very important in helping alleviate blood clotting.
Fiber is a must for any pregnant woman, as it helps decrease constipation which is a very common pregnancy complaint. And in some cases it also lowers blood pressure. Lots of fiber is always a good thing, whether you are pregnant or not.
Folic acid plays an essential role in cell division, as well as the manufacturing of DNA, as well as molecules that take generic information and turns it into tissue. Neural tube defects such as spina bifida can be greatly reduced when folic acid is taken in the first trimester.
Iron is essential for carrying oxygen to the blood. Iron is vital to help protect you from complications due to blood loss during pregnancy and child birth.
Protein is essential for your baby’s brain development, muscle and tissue formation. Proteins are the essential building blocks on which your baby’s entire development rests. But for you protein is also important for the increase in maternal blood volume. Also for the formation of amniotic fluid, as well as the development of the placenta. You need about 70 grams of protein every day.
Last but not least, we have the Vitamins A, B and C. A is vital for the production of cells, bone and tooth formation, for vision and for healthy skin in your baby. Fruit and vegetable sources of vitamin A should be taking daily. B is for converting carbohydrates into energy, and also for promoting a healthy nervous system, and to body growth and also the production of red blood cells in your baby. C is for help in healing, for healthy teeth and gums. C also helps with iron absorption, and to boost your and your baby’s immune system. But beware not to take too much Vitamin C, it can cause rebound scurvy in your newborn baby.
Eating healthy and looking after yourself is the greatest gift you can give your unborn baby and yourself.
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