Food Portions for Mothers-To-Be

Without a doubt, a well-balanced diet is one of the most important blessings you can give to your unborn child, for the food you eat on a daily basis doesn’t only affect your body functions, energy and ability to recover and grow, but it also meets your fetus needs, protects him from complications and premature labor, and determines the nutritional health he will born with and the nutritional activities he will acquire during childhood and later on in life.

Don’t take the extra calories you can consume during your pregnancy as a cover to eat plenty of sweets, candies and fast foods, for these types of food can badly affect your health and force your child to take his needs of vitamins and minerals from your body storage. Alternatively, make sure to consume lots of fluids and a wide variety of protein, calcium, Iron and Folic Acid sources, which play a major role in developing the baby, helping him grow and protecting him from malformations, as per these nutritional guidelines:

Bread, grains, rice and pasta: between 9 and 11 servings per day

These types of food contain carbohydrates that give energy to your body and grant your fetus the ability to grow, knowing that some of these foods may include Folic acid and Iron deemed necessary during pregnancy.

Vegetables: between 4 and 5 servings per day

Vegetables are a great source of vitamins A and C, Folic acid, Iron and Magnesium. Try to eat at least 2 daily servings of same a day!

Fruits: between 3 and 4 servings per day

Fruits contain Vitamins A and C, Potassium and fibers. Try to consume fresh fruits and natural fruit juices that have high nutritional value compared to canned fruits.

Dairy Products: 3 servings per day

Dairy products are a great source of Protein, Calcium and Phosphorus. Make sure you choose the low-fat types that won’t increase the cholesterol level in your blood.

Meat, chicken, fish, eggs, nuts and dry beans: 3 servings per day

These types of food are a great source of Iron, protein, Zinc and Vitamin B complex. Try your best to prepare healthy low-fat meals out of these foods!

Fats, oils and sweets: low amounts

These types of food contain empty calories. So be careful when you have them but don’t avoid them completely, as they might provide your child with energy on the long run.

Those were the basic nutritional requirements for pregnancy in terms of food quantity and quality; hope they were helpful. Regardless of the weeks you still have until delivery, it’s never too late to adjust your diet as well as food portions and help yourself have a better less painful labor.

Read More: Physical Exercises For Mothers-To-Be