A healthy baby comes from a healthy mother during pregnancy and the belief that says that a pregnant woman should eat for two has long been corrected by nutritionists and health experts. So, what can a pregnant woman do to keep the baby healthy? For sure, the answer is not by eating double portions. Eating excessively will only cause obesity or even worse diabetes while pregnant and if this occurs, a pregnant woman will even have double tasks: keeping the baby healthy during pregnancy and overcoming the obesity or diabetes issue. In order to focus on the mother’s and the baby’s health, a proper diet should be undergone by knowing what to eat and what not to eat while pregnant.
What to Focus on
First of all, the fetus needs vitamins from the mother so a pregnant woman should eat more varied fruit and vegetables than before she became pregnant to get all the needed vitamins. The vitamin that is most needed is vitamin C because it enhances the absorption of iron into the blood. When the iron is properly absorbed into the mother’s blood, the fetus can get enough iron which is very important for its immunity and growth. The same process also prevails for folic acid which prevents the fetus from malformation of palate and lip
The next essential thing that the baby needs is calcium for its bone to grow well. Make sure that the consumption of milk or other dairy products is sufficiently adequate otherwise the calcium will be taken from the mother’s calcium deposits. If this happens, it will cause the mother to have teeth and bone problems during pregnancy which will continue on in her life. So, consuming enough calcium sources is definitely one way of keeping the baby healthy during pregnancy.
What to Avoid
Caffeine is said to prevent calcium from properly absorbed by the body, so limit the consumption of coffee or even better stop drinking coffee while pregnant in order to keep the essential vitamins and minerals being well absorbed by the baby. The same process applies for tea and other drinks containing caffeine. Although some sources mention about the amount limitation of caffeine-contained drinks, a different woman does have different chemical reactions against caffeine during pregnancy, so it is really safer to stay away from it while pregnant.
The next food to avoid is any meat-sourced food that is not well cooked. Bacteria may still be present in the food that is not cooked well and pregnant women and their fetus are susceptible to bacterial infection, so make sure that the protein-sourced food is thoroughly cooked. Milk and other dairy products, while containing high calcium essential for keeping the baby healthy during pregnancy, can also be a danger if not pasteurized, so carefully read the information on the package before deciding to buy milk. Cheese made of sheep and goat milk, such as blue veined cheese products, is also likely to contain bacteria as it is not pasteurized. The best way to keep the baby from bacterial infection is by avoiding these types of cheese.
