Pregnancy is the most sensitive period of a woman’s life. As a mother, you must give the best nutrition to the tiny fragile being, developing miraculously deep inside your womb.
Your little pumpkin will develop a functional heart, eyes, kidney, vocal cord and genitals over this month. The chances of miscarriage are high in this fateful month, so you should feel responsible and take care of every aspect. So, the third-month pregnancy diet and nutrition is very crucial for both mother and fetus.
Symptoms:
- As the level of hormones in the blood reaches its highest levels, most of the women get relieved from nausea, vomiting and morning sickness but for some, it continues.
- Your belly and breasts grow a bit, which is a sign to go and invest in some maternity wear.
- Your weight starts to increase, so all you need to focus is on healthy and nutrient-rich foods which play a major part in the growth of your baby.
WHAT YOU SHOULD ACTUALLY EAT…??
Third Month Pregnancy Diet :
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Fresh Fruits –For the essential antioxidants:
Fruits contain loads of vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants which are very helpful for fetus growth. Do choose fresh fruits over canned or preserved once as they can cause acidity.
Choose fruits of all colors and at this point, you can also add weight gaining fruits in your diet (banana, guava, etc).
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Meats-For minerals and proteins:
If you are a meat-eater, this is an add-on to your nutrition. Chicken, mutton, and fish are excellent sources of proteins and minerals. But make sure that it’s prepared in good hygiene and cooked completely.
Other sources of minerals and proteins are soy, paneer or farmer’s cheese, legumes, green leafy vegetables, etc.
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Dairy Products-For calcium and mother’s milk
While we were in our twenties, most of us are asked to avoid cheese, clarified butter (ghee) and full cream milk to attain a good body shape. But now these dairy products are must for your entire pregnancy and also when you are breastfeeding.
Milk and milk products pasteurized and stored properly are a must for a healthy baby, as it needs the calcium and minerals found in them.
Iron and folate-to avoid mental and physical retardation:
These are the most important elements which a mother should have to avoid mild to severe mental and physical retardation in the fetus. Do make sure that your diet includes oatmeal, tuna, beetroot, bran, etc which are rich in iron and Eggs, broccoli, greens vegetables for folate. In most of the cases, doctors prescribe the supplements to make sure that the baby will be healthy.
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Vitamin B6- Reduces nausea
Have citrus fruits, eggs, potatoes, and greens regularly in your diet to incorporate this vital vitamin. Vitamin B6 helps reduce nausea and boosts your mood at this stage of your journey.
Vitamin B6 (also known as pyridoxine) plays an important role in the developments of the brain and nervous system of your baby.
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Carbohydrates-The main source of energy
These are the main source of energy for your baby, as they can be broken into simple sugars and pass easily across the placenta. One-third of your daily third-month pregnancy diet must have carbs.
But…again not all carbs are healthy, you should be smart and well informed to take a proper form of carbohydrates at this phase of your journey.
Types of carbohydrates:
Carbohydrates can be categorized into high GI and Low GI carbohydrates.
High glycemic index (High GI) foods include white bread, white rice, pasta; cakes, cookies, etc. can cause a sudden insulin spike in your body. Whereas foods that break down slowly and keeps the blood sugar levels more stable are categorized into Low glycemic index (Low GI) foods.
Bananas, oats porridge, chickpeas, whole-grain foods, pulses, etc. are some of the low GI foods. Intake of Low GI carbohydrates lessens the risk of pregnancy complications and gestational diabetes.
Also, try to include fiber-rich foods in your diet to keep your digestive system healthy and stay away from constipation.
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DHA-Docosahexaenoic Acid:
Ensure the intake of at least 450 grams of DHA every day for the good development of eyes and brain. Salmon, Liver, Fish oil are some of the very rich sources of DHA.
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Vitamin D-Healthy teeth and bones:
Inadequate amount of this vitamin can cause abnormal bone growth, rickets in a newborn. It’s always good to include fish liver oil, fatty fish, eggs, milk and cereals in your third-month pregnancy diet. And do take your doctor’s advice if you need vitamin D supplement too.
Now that we know the DO’s for the third-month pregnancy diet, let’s have a look at DON’T’s….
“There are not many DON’T’s but keep ourselves away from these Don’ts is the game-changer”
- Keeps yourselves away from late-night snacking, especially don’t snack on sweets and fats which don’t have any nutritional value.
- No Colas and alcohol. Consuming alcohol can result in miscarriage and may cause hyperactivity and decreases the learning ability of the child.
- Say “no” to Caffeine as it increases your blood pressure and heart rate.
- Avoid having too much of Vitamin A.
- Foods that contain raw eggs are a big “NO”, as they carry salmonella bacteria which can cause food poisoning.
- Seafood with high mercury levels may have harmful effects on the baby.
- Say a big “NO” to junk food.
It feels so good when we hear a heartbeat from inside us, see a small baby moving in ultrasounds, kicking us to make more place in the womb and finally coming out into the world as a healthy cute baby. And yes one glimpse of this tiny bundle of joy will take away all the sorrows, bad vibes, and negativities in our life.
Motherhood is the best gift of God. You are the prime responsible person to give birth to a healthy baby. What you eat and how you think will always affect the fetus.
“There is no better feeling than the movement of a little one inside you”
Always remember...Positive minds and positive vibes pave a way to positive pregnancy.
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