The Pregnancy Diet

Pregnancy and diet don’t always go hand in hand but it’s amazing how many benefits there are to a well planned nutritional plan. In this article we’re going to introduce you to some cool tips on how to improve your pregnancy diet. However before we get into the details we just want to clarify a few things.

Firstly the term diet has nothing to do with starving oneself and going to extremes to lose weight for superficial reasons. When we talk about the pregnancy diet it’s about improving the foods that go into your body for the purpose of better health, for you and your baby.

Secondly what is good for one pregnant woman may not be for another. Your pre-pregnancy health, weight and general physical condition before you hit pregnancy is as much a factor in determining what’s good for you as the actual foods you’re eating. This means taking our tips and guidelines as broad recommendations that you can tweak and change according to your own personal needs and preferences.

Lastly if you’re in any doubt over your health or have a question about your pregnancy always consult your doctor who will be able to offer you the best advice for your situation.

Underweight Before Pregnancy

If at the start of the pregnancy you’re underweight then you really need to start adding some calories. You’re eating for 2 now, so you’ll need the extra energy and fuel to keep you both healthy.

However in adding extra calories don’t just throw in poor quality food, a good pregnancy diet is one that consists of a good portion of proteins, lots of vegetables and plenty of carbohydrates (the complex type e.g. wholemeal bread as opposed to white).

But Morning Sickness Kills My Appetite

Now we understand that pregnancy can often bring on different levels of morning sickness, which in many cases makes it extremely difficult to eat in the morning. For such cases taking meal supplements can help you maintain your calorie intake and energy levels.

Just remember that a pregnant woman who is underweight at the start of their pregnancy will often gain more weight than normal during pregnancy. The body has a way of helping you out and ensuring you and your baby are safe, but despite this most doctors will still recommend a higher calorie diet to get you going. Just remember to avoid the refined sugary foods to fill up your calorie consumption, their not good for you and won’t have a good effect on your mood.

Overweight Before Pregnancy

If you happen to be overweight before pregnancy then your body is probably already under stress from carrying unwanted extra weight. Now the thing here is not to panic, in most cases it’s probably not an issue of reducing your calories but switching them for better quality foods.

Some doctors may put you on a lower calorie diet but whatever they recommend will still be within healthy levels so it’s not like you’ll be starving during your pregnancy. We personally recommend switching the refined, high saturated fat foods out and switching them with wholemeal, and unrefined alternatives. Fruits, vegetables, olive oils and natural foods with good clean nutrients are the way to go.

Pregnancy is a tough time, so eating correctly will have huge benefits for you, not only throughout the early stages but even post pregnancy. Just remember that being overweight puts you at higher risk of diseases such as high blood pressure and gestational diabetes. So take your nutrition and diet seriously.

What About Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes is a diabetic condition that temporarily appears in around 2% of pregnant women and then fades away after the baby is born. We’re mentioning this because if you’re one of the few that gets affected you’ll need to include plenty of starchy foods such as wholemeal bread, pasta, rice and potatoes in your diet. Gestational diabetes isn’t easy but there’s plenty of help out there if you need it.

Well we hope you enjoyed this article and were able to gain some useful tips for your pregnancy diet.