............................................................................................................................................................................ Articles

Delightful as it is, pregnancy places several demands on your body. Your baby is beginning her life. Her needs are given precedence over yours. Your baby needs a lot of nutrients to grow. If nutrients needed are not available in your diet, some of them will be taken from your body. Lack of nutrition during pregnancy, therefore, endangers both you and your baby.
Conventional wisdom says that you should “eat for two”. Well, not literally. But you do need to modify your diet. Eating right during pregnancy is necessary to ensure that your baby develops in a healthy way.

First Things First

You need a balanced diet that provides all necessary nutrients for growth of your baby. This includes energy, proteins, vitamins, minerals, etc. You need to pay attention to the following while planning your diet.

Energy. Having a child requires about 75000 calories! You need to eat about 300 calories a day extra throughout your pregnancy. Avoid empty calories like butter, dressings, jelly and jam. Opt for healthy calories like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etc.
Protein. Protein is basic building block of the body. A good chunk of your additional 300 calories should come from proteins. High protein foods (lean meats, poultry, beans, peanuts) should be regularly included in your meals.

Calcium. Essential for bones and teeth. Your calcium requirement increases substantially during pregnancy. You need 1000-1300mg of calcium a day. Low fat dairy, tofu, green leafy vegetables, broccoli and sardines are good sources. Consider a supplement if you are not getting enough.

Iron. Essential for ensuring that you and your baby get enough oxygen. You need about 27mg every day. Sources include green leafy vegetables, lean meat and poultry.

Folic Acid. This is the tricky part. You need Folic Acid before pregnancy and during first one month. It reduces risk of having a baby with serious brain and spinal cord defects. While it becomes difficult to meet this requirement in an unplanned pregnancy, it is important that you begin early. Food sources include green leafy vegetables, veal and legumes. Look to add a supplement if you are not getting enough (minimum is 0.4mg a day).

Weight Gain

Weight gain during pregnancy is essential for growth of the baby. You need to gain 25-30 pounds during pregnancy if you have a normal body type. According to American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), you need to gain 28-40 pounds if you were underweight before pregnancy and 15-25 pounds if you were overweight.
Gaining more than 35-40 pounds, however, puts extra fat on you and the baby. It raises your risk of hypertension, gestational diabetes and puts the baby at a higher long term risk of disease.
Steady weight gain of 2-4 pounds per month during the first trimester and 3-4 pounds per month later is ideal.
Tips for Creating a Healthy Diet
The best way to get everything you need is a balanced diet. Frequent, small meals are better than 2-3 large meals a day (better absorption and reduced bloating). You can build your diet plan around the following.

Avoiding some Common Problems

Your body makes several adjustments as the baby grows. Some of them are not very pleasant. Following the right diet plan can go a long way in dealing with some common problems.

Morning sickness. Eat smaller meals, distributed more frequently during the day. Avoid greasy, oily, spicy or fried food. It will make your morning sickness worse. Snack frequently between meals. Try combining fruit/vegetables with protein (carrot with peanut butter, fruit with yoghurt).

Constipation. More soluble fiber helps, so do plenty of fluids. Whole grains, fruits and vegetables are good bets.
Hypertension. A frequent problem in pregnancy. To avoid a flare up, limit your salt intake. A balanced diet gives you all the sodium you need (so no need to add any salt to food). To reduce your salt intake without losing taste, try adding black pepper or lemon juice to your food to enhance flavor.

Diabetes. Your body’s demand for insulin increases 2-3 times during pregnancy. If the amount of insulin is not sufficient or insulin is not working properly (e.g., due to obesity), you are likely to get high blood sugar levels. Unchecked, it can cause serious damage to your baby. Eat frequent, small meals throughout the day to maintain a stable sugar level. Avoid excessive sugar and sugary drinks.

Allergies

Pregnancy can exacerbate existing allergies and trigger new ones. If you suspect that food is involved, watch out for items that worsen the symptoms. Symptoms of allergy typically appear immediately after eating but not later than 2 hours. That makes it easier to identify the food in question.
Try eliminating some of the known allergenic foods from your diet and see if it helps. Usual suspects are:

• Seafood. Particularly shellfish like crab, lobster, shrimp, etc.
• Peanuts/peanut butter. One of the most allergenic foods in the world, they may also contain aflatoxins that rank among the most potent carcinogens known to mankind.
• Tree nuts. Almonds, walnuts, etc.
• Tomatoes
• Fish. Fish higher up in the food chain also tend to concentrate pollutants. There are several health warnings regarding high mercury levels in Tuna.
• Food additives, dyes, monosodium glutamate (MSG), preservatives. MSG may also have the additional problem of being a neurotoxin. Animal studies have shown its ability to damage the nervous system of infants.
• Fruits. Strawberries and pineapples are prime candidates, apart from tropical fruit like melons.

Intolerance

If symptoms like stomach upset, cramps, indigestion, diarrhea and bloating are occurring more than 2 hours after eating, you are probably suffering from food intolerance and not an allergy. Primary suspects are:

• Milk and milk products containing lactose. Try low-lactose foods like hard cheeses, yoghurt, lactose-free calcium fortified milk. Tofu is also a good replacement, though you should limit the amount of soy foods you eat. They contain phytoestrogens that can be harmful to you and your baby if consumed in excess.
• Wheat and other gluten containing grains.
• Corn products and products that contain corn starch.

Supplements

To ensure that you are getting all the necessary nutrients you need, consider taking supplements (particularly a good pre-natal vitamin). All supplements are not created equal. Discuss with your doctor which product meets your specific needs.
Final thoughts
Pregnancy is a special and beautiful phase of your life. Following a healthy lifestyle and diet not only helps you avoid problems but also makes it a better experience. Eat right during your pregnancy, lead a healthy lifestyle and above all, enjoy this beautiful time.

About the Author

Dr Kevin Lau is a Chiropractor and Nutritionist. In 2006, he was awarded the "Practitioner of the Year Award" by the Straits Time, Singapore. To date, Dr. Lau has successfully treated patients with scoliosis, disc herniation, sciatica and other chronic conditions. Special offer for readers please check www.spinal.com.sg for more details.