It just makes sense that proper nutrition and diet should play an important role in any woman’s pregnancy. After all, your body undergoes a long string of changes – both hormonal and physical – during these crucial months in preparation for the arrival of your baby. Therefore, it’s highly recommended to strive for regularly spaced and well-balanced meals throughout the duration of your pregnancy. Of course it won’t always be easy to do. One of the common symptoms of pregnancy is the strong urge to overindulge in food – and not necessarily a healthy one at that. This can be an insatiable craving for ice cream, or an obsessive love for chocolates. While you may still give in to these urges once in a while – with the consent of your doctor – you also need to consciously strive for proper nutrition and diet. You’ll be able to keep yourself healthier during your pregnancy, not to mention care for your unborn baby. It goes without saying that it will take a dose of self-discipline to be able to pull through a healthy diet, but it’s also not impossible. Here are a couple of things you can do during your pregnancy:
Opt for variety
Pregnancy calls for healthy food, but it doesn’t mean you have to be stuck with bland meals. You can make your diet more interesting by choosing to get a wide variety of food. For example, throughout the duration of your pregnancy you can have 6-11 daily servings of breads and grains. Go to your local grocery or bakery and see what they have. You can choose different kinds of bread loaves, and maybe treat yourself to a sweet pastry occasionally. You also need to have four or more servings of vegetables and three servings of protein sources like meat, poultry and fish. This can be the perfect opportunity for you to look up a cookbook and try different recipes to help ward off unhealthy food cravings that are common symptoms of pregnancy.
Take vitamins
Just because pregnancy entails you to always be conscious of what you eat, it doesn’t necessarily spell out that you get all of your dietary requirements from food alone. You also need to take prenatal vitamin supplements every day. Depending on your specific health condition, your doctor would most likely prescribe a vitamin that is most suitable for you.
Proper nutrition may be a challenge during your pregnancy, especially if you have a strong urge to indulge in sweets or junk food. However, you’re bound to realize that eating healthy food will go a long way in helping you feel better – and just as importantly, your baby healthier.
