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DIET |
Your dietary requirements do not change immediately after you get pregnant. The requirements gradually increase and you have time to research this especially in the first 4 months. Pregnancy is a good time to learn good dietary habits.
So take it easy. This is especially when the start of pregnancy is usually associated nausea and vomiting in up to 7 out of 10 women. The Malaysian diet is not the healthiest with too much carbs and fat. The simple formula is as follows: Divide your plate into imaginary thirds. 1/3rd is for meat/fish. 1/3rd is for vegetables/fruits/salads and the remaining 1/3rd for carbs. Rice and noodles are the worst of all carbs. Replacing these with pasta/wholemeal flour/potato is healthier. The trick is healthy snacking as most will get hungry frequently. Also, as pregnancy progresses you fill up with far more little than usual, requiring more more eating in between proper meals. The following are foods that can be healthy snacking: cucumber, carrots, salads, plain biscuits. TIP: Starting with a glass of water when you get struck with a hunger pang will calm you down before you decide how much you want to take in. Lots of water at hand is always recommended : 2-3L/day. |
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SUPPLEMENTS |
The only supplement recommended from preconception to the 3rd month of pregnancy is 0.4mg of folic acid per day to reduce the risk of certain malformations in the baby. This benefit is only seen if folic acid is started 3 month before conception and continued up until the 3rd month of pregnancy.
There is an increase in the requirement of the following nutrients during pregnancy, especially in the final 5 months: Protein, Iron, Calcium, The increase in protein and iron requirements can be met by the following: RED MEAT - DAILY SERVINGS The increase in calcium requirement can be met by: 2 tall glasses of milk per day. Calcium supplementation is recommended from the 4th month of pregnancy for the health of mother's and baby's bones and reduction of hypertension of pregnancy. DHA is marketted for its beneficial effects on the baby's brain. This has not been proven to be case. However those on DHA may experience reduction in their risk of premature birth. Supplements other than the above is not routinely recommended. |
