Sometimes pregnant women still don’t understand about the nutrition and vitamins that can make the healthy pregnancy. What vitamins needed during pregnancy?

Proper pregnancy nutrition is a vital factor in proper fetal development because the fetus is physically incapable of providing for itself, nor can it show any visible signs of malnourishment between monthly check-ups as a newborn can. That means that for the next nine months it’s going to be completely up to you to ensure that you are properly eating for two, taking in the vitamins and nutrients that are going to help you give birth to a healthy, happy baby while keeping yourself healthy at the same time.

Here the vitamins, the functions and the food source.

· Vitamin A

Vitamin A helps the development of baby’s bones and teeth, as well as their heart, ears, eyes and immune system (the body system that fights infection). Getting enough Vitamin A during pregnancy will also help your body repair the damage caused by childbirth.

Food Source: Liver, carrots, sweet potatoes, kale, spinach, collard greens, cantaloupe, eggs, mangos and peas.

· Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 helps your baby’s brain and nervous system develop. It also helps Mom and baby develop new red blood cells and help to solve morning sickness in some pregnant women.

Food Source: Fortified cereals, bananas, baked potatoes, watermelon, chick peas and chicken breast.

· Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 works hand in hand with folic acid to help both Mom and baby produce healthy red blood cells, and it helps develop the fetal brain and nervous system.

Food Source: Red meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs and dairy foods.

· Vitamin C

Vitamin C helps the body to absorb iron and build a healthy immune system in both mother and baby. It also holds the cells together, helping the body to build tissue.

Food Source: Citrus fruits, raspberries, bell peppers, green beans, strawberries, papaya, potatoes, broccoli and tomatoes.

· Calcium

Calcium builds your baby’s bones and helps its brain and heart to function. Calcium intake increases dramatically during pregnancy. Women with calcium deficiency at any point in their lives are more likely to suffer from conditions such as osteoporosis which directly affect the bones.

Food Source: Dairy products, fortified juices, fortified butters and fortified cereals, spinach, broccoli, okra, sweet potatoes, lentils, tofu, Chinese cabbage, kale and broccoli.

· Vitamin D

Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium, leading to healthy bones for both mother and baby.

Food Source: Milk, fortified cereals, eggs and fatty fish (salmon, catfish and mackerel).

· Vitamin E

Vitamin E helps baby’s body to form and use its muscles and red blood cells. Lack of Vitamin E during pregnancy has been associated with pre eclampsia (a condition causing excessively high blood pressure and fluid retention) and low birth weight.

Food Source: Vegetable oil, wheat germ, nuts, spinach and fortified cereal.

· Folic Acid

Also known as Folate or Vitamin B9, Folic Acid is a vital part of your baby’s development. The body uses Folic Acid for the replication of DNA, cell growth and tissue formation. A Folic Acid deficiency during pregnancy can lead to neural tube defects such as spina bifida (a condition in which the spinal cord does not form completely), anencephaly (underdevelopment of the brain) and encephalocele (a condition in which brain tissue protrudes out to the skin from an abnormal opening in the skull

Food Source: Oranges, orange juice, strawberries, leafy vegetables, spinach, beets, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, pasta, beans, nuts and sunflower seeds.

· Iron

Iron helps your body to form the extra blood that it’s going to need to keep you and baby healthy, as well as helping to form the placenta and develop the baby’s cells.

Food Source: Red meat and poultry, legumes, vegetables, some grains and fortified cereals.

· Niacin (Vitamin B3)

Also known as Vitamin B3, Niacin is responsible for providing energy for your baby to develop as well as building the placenta. It also helps keep Mom’s digestive system operating normally.

Food Source: Eggs, meats, fish, peanuts, whole grains, bread products, fortified cereals and milk.

· Protein

Protein is the building block of the body’s cells, and as such it is very important to the growth and development of every part of your baby’s body during pregnancy. This is especially important in the second and third trimester, when both Mom and baby are growing the fastest.

Food Source: Beans, poultry, red meat, fish, shellfish, eggs, milk, cheese, tofu, yogurt, fortified cereal and protein bars.

· Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)

Also known as Vitamin B2, Riboflavin helps the body produce the energy it needs to develop your baby’s bones, muscles and nervous system. Women with Riboflavin deficiency may be at risk for preeclamsia, and when baby is delivered it will be prone to anemia, digestive problems, poor growth and a suppressed immune system, making it more vulnerable to infection.

Food Source: Whole grains, dairy products, red meat, pork, poultry, fish, fortified cereals and eggs.

· Thiamine (Vitamin B1)

Also known as Vitamin B1, thiamin helps develop your baby’s organs and central nervous system.

Food Source: Whole grains, pork, fortified cereals, wheat germ and eggs.

· Zinc

Zinc is vital for the growth of your fetus because it aids in cell division, the primary process in the growth of baby’s tiny tissues and organs. It also helps Mom and baby to produce insulin and other enzymes.

Food Source: Red meats, poultry, beans, nuts, grains, oysters, dairy products and fortified cereals.

The quality eating healthily in pregnancy is more important than the quantity. Here some food that useful for healthy diet in pregnancy.

• Fruit and vegetables

You can eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, because those are providing the vitamin and minerals. Those contain the fiber which prevents constipation. Frozen,tinned and dried fruit and vegetables are good too.

• Cereals, bread, potatoes, rice, pasta Those are an important food of your diet. You can combine then with vegetables to make any meal. They are containing the vitamin, fibre, and contain not too much calories. You can try to eat wholemeal bread and wholegrain cereals in your diet menu.
• Lean meat, fish, poultry, eggs, cheese, beans and pulses

You can eat some of them everyday; they are all good sources of nutrients.

• Dairy foods such as milk, cheese and yoghurt

Those are contains calcium and other nutrients needed for your baby’s development.

Choose low-fat varieties if possible.

Some food that should be cut down in your diet to make healthy pregnancy:

• Sugar and sugary foods such as sweet, biscuits, cakes and sugary drinks like cola.

Those are contains calories without providing any other nutrients the body needs. Sugar and sugary food can add the risk of tooth decay.

• Fat and fatty foods

Try to cut down on fat and fatty foods as well. Most of us eat far more fat than we need. Fat is very high in calories. Eating too much fat can cause excess weight gain and increase the risk of heart disease and it can contribute to being overweight. Avoid fried foods, trim the fat off meat, use spreads sparingly and go easy on foods such as pastry, chocolate and chips which contain a lot of fat. Choose low-fat varieties of dairy products, for example semi-skimmed or skimmed milk, low-fat yoghurt and half-fat hard cheese.

]]> http://www.pregnancy-stages.info/eating-healty/feed 0 http://www.pregnancy-stages.info/pregnancy-and-nutrition http://www.pregnancy-stages.info/pregnancy-and-nutrition#comments Sat, 13 Sep 2008 01:20:51 +0000 Lianny http://pregnancy-stages.info/?p=10 Pregnancy and nutrition

Nutrition is one of the most important things that must be keeping by pregnant woman to get the healthy pregnancy. Just try eating as good as you can through out most of your pregnancy. The first trimester in pregnancy might be a little difficult to eat balanced meals when you get the morning sickness and food aversion problems. If you are one of the rare lucky ones whose stomach doesn’t so much as move during your first trimester, then you can take full advantage of eating healthy right out of the gate. Healthy pregnancy is very important for you and your baby.

You must try to eat balanced nutritious meals to laying down the foundation for your baby. The baby’s growing such us the bone development and the organ formation is also depends to yours, what you eat is what your baby’s eat too. Try not to eat the junk food during the pregnancy. Your baby and your body need calcium and vitamins to make the perfect pregnancy.

Eating well during pregnancy is going to help your baby eat well after it is born and on solid foods. As your pregnancy progresses, some of what you eat will cross the placenta and the taste will be in your baby’s amniotic fluid. Babies swallow this fluid and their taste buds are so develop that even in the womb they are able to taste the flavours. Doctors believe that babies who are exposed to a wide variety of fruit and vegetables while in utero have less of a chance of being a fussy eater later in life. They believe that these are the babies who will eat their fruit and vegetables without putting up any fight.

Doctors also believe that moms who drink their milk through out their pregnancy have an easier time weaning their babies from formula or breast milk to regular milk. This however is only one benefit, the other benefit of drinking milk throughout your pregnancy is all the calcium you will be giving your baby’s bones. Many doctors recommend that you drink at least one eight oz glass of milk, usually fat free a day. Calcium is a must have your baby’s bones and his teeth, even though you won’t see his teeth for at least a few months.

This isn’t to say that you have to stay away from all sweets all the time. You can indulge every now and then and thanks to cravings you may find yourself wanting sweets more often than not. You do have to keep it in moderation. Being pregnant should not be looked at as an excuse to eat whatever you want for nine months. Both you and your baby could pay a dear price.