Every expectant mother is eagerly looking forward to the arrival of her baby, as it is the embodiment of their love. Expectant mothers want to give their babies the best of everything. So, during pregnancy, which foods should expectant mothers eat more of and which foods should they avoid? Today, I will share some information with you.
Dietary Tips During Pregnancy
1. Choose foods that stimulate appetite.
Most pregnant women experience a decrease in appetite or changes in taste preferences. Whether it's sour, spicy, salty, or bland, try to cater to the cravings of expectant mothers and avoid excessive restriction. The goal is to provide ample nutrition to the mother.
2. Choose easily digestible foods.
Foods like congee, crackers, steamed buns, biscuits, and sweet potatoes can help reduce vomiting.
3. Eat when you feel like it, but in smaller portions and more frequently.
Especially for pregnant women with severe morning sickness, don't be bound by meal times. Eat whenever you feel like it. For example, have a few cookies or bread as a snack before bed or in the morning. This can help alleviate vomiting and increase food intake.
4. Supplement 400-600 micrograms of folic acid daily.
When the fetus implants in the mother's womb, the neural tube begins to differentiate and develop. To prevent neural tube defects, it is important for women planning to conceive to start taking folic acid. Inadequate folic acid intake can have various negative effects on pregnancy, including low birth weight, placental abruption, and neural tube defects.
5. In cases of severe morning sickness where eating is not possible, intravenous nutrition may be necessary.
Several Fruit Juice Recipes to Relieve Morning Sickness:
1. Apple and Lemon Juice: Lemon helps with fetal development and apple juice can help relieve nausea.
2. Tomato and Papaya Juice: Tomatoes are rich in vitamin C, carotene, protein, and trace elements, while papaya can regulate the spleen and stomach and stimulate appetite.
3. Sugarcane Juice: Squeeze sugarcane juice, add a few drops of ginger juice, and drink it as tea after meals or between meals. It can help relieve nausea and has a noticeable antiemetic effect.
Dietary Taboos During Pregnancy
1. Hawthorn and its products should be avoided by pregnant women. Modern medicine has confirmed that hawthorn has a contracting effect on the uterus. If pregnant women consume large amounts of hawthorn products, it can stimulate uterine contractions and even lead to miscarriage.
2. Pregnant women should avoid eating hot and spicy foods as they can increase internal heat in the body, which hinders the accumulation of blood and nourishment for the fetus. Lychee and longan are examples of such fruits.
3. Pregnant women should avoid eating spicy foods, coffee, strong tea, alcohol, and exposure to husband's smoking, as these can have adverse effects on fetal development and even cause birth defects.
4. Processed and canned foods should be consumed in moderation. Although these foods may be delicious, they often contain additives such as artificial colorings, flavors, sweeteners, and preservatives, which pregnant women should try to avoid.
5. Pregnant women should avoid consuming raw or undercooked fish, meat, and eggs. Raw fish and meat often contain parasites such as tapeworms and cysticercosis, which can cause infections. The protein in raw eggs is not easily digested by proteolytic enzymes in the intestines and can easily cause gastrointestinal inflammation. Smoked, pickled, and grilled foods should also be avoided as much as possible.
All expectant mothers, pay attention! Your dietary habits are crucial for your baby. Every expectant mother should take this seriously.
