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All your pregnancy questions answered

DIET WHEN YOU ARE PREGNANT

Eating well during pregnancy may not always be easy, but prenatal nutrition is serious business. It's necessary for your baby's growth, proper brain development, reduced risk of birth defects and a strong immune system. Since it's not how much but what you eat that makes the difference, here's how the Healthy Pregnancy Diet can help:

You do NOT need to ‘eat for two’    

• You only need about 300 extra calories a day during the second and third trimesters (and don't worry too much about extra calories during the first trimester -- especially if you feel nauseous frequently). In the first 3 months eat whatever you feel like without worrying about ‘healthy’ food. Forcing yourself to eat food that you do not like will only increase your nausea and sickness.

Supplements                                                                               

• It's important to get enough vitamins, minerals, folic acid and fiber in your diet when you're pregnant. Your doctor will start supplements in pregnancy, Folic acid for preconception and upto 12 weeks and later iron and calcium supplements till and after your delivery

Protein

• Protein provides materials for the growing tissues (including the placenta, the mother's blood and the baby). The following is high in protein so make sure you have atleast 2 helpings of any one of these every day:

1. Eggs

2. Milk/Curds

3. Thick Dals

4. Sprouts

5. Meat/Fish

6. Lentils-Rajma/Channa/Chawali

7. Cheese/Paneer

Calcium

• Calcium is needed (especially in the last three months of pregnancy as well as till you stop feeding your baby) for proper bone formation in the baby, as well as to help preserve strength in the mother's bones. This will be obtained from the supplements as well as milk and milk products such as curds, cheese, paneer etc.

What to avoid?

• Alcohol

• Smoking

• Excessive coffee

• Do not eat any shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish (also called golden or white snapper) because these fish have high levels of mercury.

• Raw meat/raw eggs-may lead to food poisoning

• Reduce liver-it contains high levels of Vitamin A which may not be good for your baby

• Artificial sweeteners, although declared safe is better avoided. This includes products such as diet colas.