The best food for every stage of pregnancy and post birth

by Pooja Late so cut

Rather than lurching from good food habits to indulging in chocolate, tailor your diet for each stage of your pregnancy period. It is time to say hello to a different eating habit. Studies have indicated that 50% of women are confused about the food advice given to them during pregnancy. With the general advice, “you are supposed to eat healthily,” however, they are not told what to eat and when. The latest strategy is to tailor your diet to support the development of the baby at every stage of your pregnancy. Furthermore, if it is what your body needs and suits your cravings, bring it on.

Stage 1: The Early Weeks

During this early week, you will be storing nutrition for the baby. For starters, greens especially spinach and broccoli have rich content of folic acid. They provide the building blocks required for the cells in the baby’s body. Additionally, folic acid is crucial for early spinal development.

Stage 2: Weeks Four To 12

Starting from the fourth week, the baby will start developing very fast. But by the sixth week, the baby’s heart starts beating and red blood cells start forming. At this stage, it is time to start boosting your own iron intake. There are two types of iron – non-heme iron contained in leafy greens and heme iron contains in meat. Both types are beneficial; however, heme is used easily compared to the vegetarian cousin. If you don’t eat meat, you can drink orange juice with your meals to help with absorption.

Stage 3: Weeks 13 To 28

As you clock the fifteen weeks, starts adding carrots and other orange foods like sweet potato to your diet because they have rich beta-carotene content. Your baby’s eyes are starting to develop their functional components now, and beta-carotene benefits eye health.

Stage 4: Weeks 29 To 40

Once you hit 30 weeks of pregnancy, you can add Swiss chard or spinach to your meals because they contain vitamin K, which helps the baby’s blood to clot. Ensure to drink enough milk because the baby will be storing reserves of magnesium and calcium. During the 38 weeks, the baby will be fully-formed but the lungs may still be developing. At this stage, ensure to eat Brazil nuts to increase your selenium levels because it contains a mineral connected with healthy lung capacity. Furthermore, it is time to think about yourself for a moment. Remember that the stronger your immune system, the more immunity your transfer to the baby. Therefore, get stuck into fish, wholegrain, and antioxidants such as artichokes, cranberries, and tomatoes.

Stage 5: Post-Birth

Finally, after days to months, your baby has arrived. It is time to get your strength back after labor and starts regular breastfeeding. During this period, your baby will benefit from copper. Copper helps in reducing soreness, inflammation, and aches after labor. Sesame seeds are a rich source of copper. As your baby’s eye continues to grow within the first six months, it is important to take pumpkin and squash. You don’t need to worry much about beta-carotene because the baby will get it through your milk.

Remember you need to eat enough. Within the first few months of breastfeeding, you will need around 300 additional calories. Though you should not eat biscuits all day, however, you can treat yourself.

Author’s Bio

Lawson Gab in this article enlightens first-time mothers what to eat during the different week of their pregnancy. This piece is an eye-opener for those who are considering food during pregnancy to eat.