Diet for pregnant women

Hi all

Can the expert ladies here give the menu (diet) plan for pregnant women, which includes fiber, proteins, and other essential nutrients like folate and iron. Thought that it will be much more helpful for most of the ladies living away from their parents including me

Pls give for breakfast, lunch, evening snack, dinner.

Expecting ur participation ladies.

thanks in advance
san

Hello,
I followed a good diet during my both the pregnancies.
My both kids were above 9lbs when they were born.

1. Calcium -- low fat milk, yogurt
2. Fiber -- green salad , cucumber, carrot, fresh vegetables sabzi
3. Protien - egg (only white part), dals, fish
4. Plenty of water and orange juice.
5. few dry nuts (almonds, walnuts and pista)
6. Chapathi and little rice.

Breakfast : cereals with milk.
After 1-2 hrs : I used to eat indian breakfast (upma , dosa etc)

Around 12 noon : green salad
Around 1pm lunch - rice
Walk for 10 mins

Around 3 pm : dry nuts, fruits

Around 4 PM : do pregnacy aerobics and yoga (alternative days) for 20 mins
Around 5 pm : Milk (no coffee, tea)

Around 7-8 pm : dinner
Walk for 10 mins

9PM : go to bed.

Keeping your stomach empty may cause nauseous.

I reduced salt intake.

According to the baby's growth in every week , I used to follow the diet.

Eg. 15 week : baby's brain development : I used to eat fish
12 week : baby's eye development : I used to eat lots of carrots
I monitored the weight every week.

"What to expect while your expecting" is a very good book to follow.

There are couple of websites to follow your weight and baby's growth.

Hope this might of useful,
Punitha

Dear punitha

thanks for the info. It seems to be useful.
what do u refer to green salad, do u follow the same diet daily, isnt it boring??

I need others also to give suggestions in this pls.

Hello Sanvi,
I might be boring in a long run, but I always think about the good effects from that. Now it has become a habit for me to have green salad every day.

Good luck,
Punitha

Dear Sandhya,

Yes diet for a pregnant woman. Well you have already got a good list from Punitha. My only suggestions: please avoid fruit juices. Eat the fruit whole as is. We usually do not realise, and think that juices are good , but they are the highest contributor for weight gain during pregnacy. stick to water. have diet sodas like sprite or ginger ale if you like.

Also , just eat what makes you feel good eating. We go through so many hormonal changes and day to day our likes and dislikes vary. For each pregnant lady too, it is so different, some cannot hold any food down, some can. Some can hold only certain foods etc... I have gone through it. I had a dislike for rice during my whole pregnancy, so used to eat oats, ragi etc.. some days i used to eat only pineapple( i know people say avoid pineapple and papaya, but there is no reason to). There was couple of week when i would only eat masala dosai .. so it keeps changing.
My advice is eat what you like. I would suggest that you cut down on the rice intake though. have only 1 cup of cooked rice a day.( get your comples carbs from other sources like wheat, oats, ragi, jowar, bajra etc) Include atleast 5 servings of fruits and veggies. Also watch the amount of sweets and chocolates you have ( just as a precaution against Gestational diabetes). And exercise( walk) right from the begining at least for an hour a day. you will be fine.

During your thrid trimester, as the baby gets bigger, eat smaller meals more frequently to avoid heart burn.

Don't forget your prenatal vitamins. And yes, there is no strict "good diet" for all pregnant ladies to follow. Just follow a general rule of thumb. If you get in your 5 a day fruit and veggies, you will get enough fiber in your diet too.

Good luck.

Vandhana

Dear vandhana

thanks for ur reply.

I was expecting ur post and i got it

pls keep posting more reg this whenever u get new ideas...

thanks agn

san

Originally Posted by puni88

Hello Sanvi,
I might be boring in a long run, but I always think about the good effects from that. Now it has become a habit for me to have green salad every day.

Good luck,
Punitha

Good, hope I too get used to good foods like this

Punitha

U have mentioned abt the pregnancy aerobics and yoga, cud u pls give me the site from where i can learn myself and do.

thanks
san

Hello,
For aerobics, I used this VHS. For Yoga I don't remember, but I brought it thru amazon.com.

Denise Austin: Fit & Firm Pregnancy

You can even look into your nearby public library, they will have good collections about excercise, parenting techniques, breathing techniques, pain management, baby massage etc.

Good luck,
Punitha