#Collaborative post
We’ve all heard the stories about pregnancy and cravings. Once, I had a friend who woke in the middle of the night convinced that she needed to eat as many of a particular brand of fast food burger as she could – she got dressed, drove to the drive-thru, and did exactly that (I’m not convinced that our ancestors went mad with the inability to meet the needs of the same cravings as they were hundreds or thousands of years way from burgers and drive-thrus being invented, but you try telling my friend that her midnight feast was not inspired entirely by mother nature – some would say she was looking for any excuse!).
Getting your pregnancy diet right is going to take research, practice, and trying what works for you while sticking as closely to the medical advice as possible. If you’re anything like most women, you’ll be reading about things like how to protect your baby through your diet, including blood sugar levels, getting enough protein, and even going as far as researching birth defects such as hip problems and understanding Erb’s palsy. There’s a lot to consider. Let’s get into pregnancy diet tips.
No special diet required (sort of)
For most women who eat a healthy and balanced diet, very little change (if any) is required in terms of the meal time menu. However, you may want to research that you are getting the right balance of vitamins and nutrients – including folic acid. Eat five portions of fresh fruit and veg per day, mixed with starchy foods for energy (e.g. potatoes, pasta, rice, bread). Protein rich foods include beans, eggs, nuts, poultry, pulses and meat (but be sure to avoid liver).
Avoid the urges (choose healthy snacks)
Unhealthy urges include chocolate, ice cream, pastry, butter, and cake. Remember, anything you eat is broken down by your digestive system and transported in your bloodstream to your baby – if you don’t think your baby should be eating pudding, don’t eat pudding. Instead, consciously decide to make better dietary decisions and choose to snack on apricots, low-sugar yoghurts, lean ham, sardines, salad, baked beans, and malt loaf or fruit bread. These foods may not be typical of your dietary choices to date, and may not remain at the top of your shopping list once you have given birth, but it’s important to make the changes during pregnancy