Healthy Pregnancy Diet for Trimester 1

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Diet plays a vital role throughout pregnancy since nourishing the body also nourishes the growing baby inside it. Simultaneously, the body also goes through a lot of changes, which to cope up with, needs to be healthy and fed with optimum nutrition. A healthy pregnancy diet chart can help you eat right and cope up with these changes in a better way.

Here’s a guide to healthy eating in Trimester 1

Your body in Trimester 1

The first trimester includes the initial thirteen weeks. Physically, the body experiences an increase in pregnancy hormones, especially progesterone and estrogen. This increase can cause feelings of morning sickness and nausea. The hormone HCG (Human Chronic Gonadotropin) also rises, which could cause nausea and frequent urination. The hormone progesterone slows down muscle movement in the body, which can cause constipation in women. One can also experience light bleeding as the embryo implants in the uterus (this isn’t something to worry about unless you experience severe bleeding, in which case you should contact the doctor). You might also expect very sore breasts, which mean your body is ramping up for milk production.

List of essential nutrients for Trimester 1

  1. Folic Acid:Essential for good birth weight of the child and reducing the risk of congenital disabilities. The formation of Red Blood Cells formation and Haemoglobin depend immensely on this micronutrient.
  2. Calcium:This mineral helps in the child’s bone development and is vital for avoiding Osteoporosis in the later stages of your life.
  3. Iodine:This micro-nutrient is important for its role in the cognitive abilities of the growing baby.
  4. Vitamin A, B, and C:These vitamins are important for the overall physical as well as immune development of the baby. They are also an essential part of pregnancy care, as they help take care of your wellness throughout pregnancy. They are also important for lactation.

Eating guidelines for Trimester 1

  • Avoid junk foods since they are high in sugar and calories and can increase the risk of gestational diabetes
  • Smoking, alcohol, and consumption of caffeine should be avoided. If you’re pregnant, whatever you put into your body can reach your baby too. Drinking alcohol, smoking, or drugs can be detrimental to your baby’s growth, development, and health
  • Eat more homemade and organic food, as they are rich in proteins, vitamins, and essential minerals. Eat a variety of food which is rich in folate, calcium, and iron.
  • Avoid consuming street foods to prevent gastrointestinal infections.
  • Avoid consuming raw papaya and raw pineapple.
  • Eat small frequent meals at regular intervals, along with sufficient liquid intake. Drink at least 1.5 litres of fluids every day, making water the majority of the consumed fluid.
  • Avoid foods that have pesticides and preservatives in them.
  • Avoid foods that cause constipation.
  • Throughout pregnancy, consume foods such as blueberries, yellow bananas, red apples, carrots, oranges, and dark green spinach as they contain antioxidants.

The above guidelines are general rules of thumb that you should follow. Ensure that you get your customized pregnancy diet chart from a certified dietician or gynaecologist as individual needs will always vary.