Balanced Diet and Weight for Pregnancy

A balanced diet is a basic part of good health at all times in your life. The foods you eat are the main source of the nutrients for your fetus, the term used to refer to the baby while it is growing inside you during pregnancy. As the fetus grows and places new demands on your body you will need more of most nutrients than you did in the past. A good pregnancy diet is the best to ensure that you and your baby start out with the nutrients you both needs.

 Your body functions best when it is well fueled with a balanced diet. To choose that diet you should be aware of what nutrients your body requires, how much of each nutrient you need, and which foods are good sources. Healthy eating practices are not just for pregnancy, but for the best of your life. An appropriate healthy diet can easily be modified during pregnancy to provide the extra calories you need. Nutrition is general and the extra needs of pregnancy.

Special Diets:

Your doctor may detect needs in your diet that should be met before you become pregnant. The factors listed below can affect how your body uses nutrients. If any of these factors apply to you, consult your doctor, because you may need to change your diet.

Do you take medication (prescription or over-the-counter) regularly?

Do you follow a strict vegetarian diet?

Do you run long distance or perform strenuous exercise on a regular basis?

Do you fast?

Do you follow a reducing diet?

Do you have history of anemia?

Phenylketonuria is an inherited condition that keeps the body from processing an essential amino acid found in foods that contain protein. As a result, the levels of this amino acid build up in the mother’s body and can cause birth defects and mental retardation in the fetus. If you were treated for phenylketouria probably as a child, you still have the disorder, even if there are no signs of it. However, by following a special diet before pregnancy you can help keep this condition from affecting your body during pregnancy, even though there is still a small chance that the baby will inherit the disorder. Before trying to become pregnant, you should consult a doctor and be following a special diet if you have phenylketouria.

Weight :

Every woman would like to maintain an ideal weight for her height. If you are planning to have a baby, however, it’s important that you not be excessively underweight or overweight before pregnancy. Under weight women tend to have smaller babies. This is not an advantage, however, because smaller babies have more problems during labor and in the nursery. In general, being overweight is a health hazard. During pregnancy, being overweight is linked to having high blood pressure or diabetes. Extreme obesity puts a strain on the heart that becomes an added burden during pregnancy. Women who are overweight are also more prone to discomforts during pregnancy. It is not a good idea to be on a weight-loss diet while you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, however. This type of diet could deny you and your baby the nutrients you both need. The best way to plan for your pregnancy is to try to reach an ideal weight before you become pregnant. You will be more comfortable during pregnancy, and the extra weight you gain will be easier to lose later.