Pregnant Women Nutrition

The importance of feeding a pregnant woman lies in her being the only source of nutrition for the fetus,

so what are the ideal feeding rules for a pregnant woman?

Learn about it in the next article.

During pregnancy,

you may have a craving for pickles and ice cream – this is good if done moderately.

However, remember that everything you eat during pregnancy affects your developing baby in your guts.

During pregnancy,

you are the only source of nutrition for your child,

every food item your child needs must be eaten, only you can guarantee that your child gets the best food.

And you need to know which foods provide your baby with the proper nutrition.

The role of calories in feeding a pregnant woman

The importance of nourishing a pregnant woman is embodied in the fact that obtaining sufficient energy is important for the growth and development of the fetus and the ability of the mother to cope with stress,

such as infection or bleeding episodes.

Additional energy is required during pregnancy to:

Production of new tissues in the fetus and the mother.
New metabolism required by new tissues.

The increased need for the energy required to move additional body mass during physical activity.

Pregnant Women Nutrition

Because the body mass of a woman increases by 20% during pregnancy,

strong motor activities require additional energy by 20%. So,

the total caloric intake was calculated to be around 80,000 calories – 300 calories per day.

The energy requirements must be adjusted according to the frequency and size of the physical activity carried out by the pregnant woman,

since the energy consumption varies greatly, the optimal indicator for eating enough quantities is to gain the appropriate weight.

This relatively small increase in daily calories is important for proper pregnancy,

the additional calories required daily are equivalent to about one cup of ice cream or a piece of cheese news.

increase in calories in the first half of pregnancy leads to an increase in the mother’s fat,

the fat that is deposited is an important energy reserve that supports the increasing needs in order to keep the fetus growing rapidly in the last third of the pregnancy.

The calories consumed in the second half of pregnancy will support the increased requirements of the expectant mother for metabolism and physical activity, as well as for the rapid development of the fetus.

The role of proteins in feeding a pregnant woman

Pregnant Women Nutrition

Proteins are one of the most important nutrients for a pregnant woman’s nutrition,

as they provide the necessary growth component of body tissues, including the developing baby, the placenta, and the increase in the blood volume of the mother and the fluid surrounding the baby.

During pregnancy,

it is recommended to eat 3-4 protein meals a day,

Meat
Eggs
Other foods

such as legumes, are excellent sources of protein. Fish are a good source of proteins and other nutrients, but fish contain mercury,

which can be especially harmful to the fetus’s nervous system, so it is preferable to reduce the amount of fish that a pregnant woman eats.

Pregnancy instructions for eating fish

The United States Environmental Protection and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends

that a pregnant woman follows the following three guidelines in her nutrition:

Don’t eat sharks
swordfish or mackerel

because these fish have high levels of mercury.

Eat less than 12 ounces (two average meals – equivalent to 340 grams) each week of low-mercury fish:

The five most common types of low-mercury fish are shrimp, canned light tuna

salmon
pollock
catfish.

Beware when eating white tuna,

as it contains more mercury than canned light tuna, so reduce your white tuna intake to 6 ounces (one medium serving – 170 g). Complex new tissues are produced during pregnancy at a rate higher than any other time in a woman’s life,

proteins are essential for this. But during pregnancy,

protein requirements cannot be separated from caloric and nutrient requirements. Since energy needs are a priority during pregnancy, proteins will be used to provide energy, if carbohydrates and fats are not consumed in sufficient quantities.

Protein ration recommendations for pregnant women
It is recommended that a pregnant woman eat 70 grams of protein per day,

which is approximately 25 grams more than that of a non-pregnant woman daily, which is equivalent to:

Two cups (16 ounces – equivalent to 453 grams) of milk.
one ounce (equivalent to 28.35 grams) of cheese.
3 ounces (the equivalent of 85 grams) of meat.

Special dietary adjustments are rarely needed to counter this increase, as most Americans eat more of the recommended amounts of proteins.

Caring for a pregnant woman with carbohydrates

Carbohydrates should be the largest part of the calories you eat, as they are the main source of energy in the body. There are two types of carbohydrates:

Simple or refined carbohydrates.
Complex or whole carbohydrates, the last of which are whole grains.