What should we pay attention to in the early, middle and late stages of pregnancy?

The nutritional balance of pregnant women during pregnancy is related to the health of the next generation. During pregnancy, it is very important for the expectant mother to scientifically arrange three meals a day. A scientific diet during pregnancy can allow the fetus to absorb nutrients reasonably and enable the fetus to grow healthily during pregnancy. So, how should women plan their meals after pregnancy?

1. Nutrition during pregnancy should be rich, sufficient and of high quality. During pregnancy, you should pay attention to eating a variety of nutritious foods, increase animal foods, eat more fresh vegetables and seafood, avoid partial eclipse, and avoid overeating to avoid obesity, pregnancy poisoning or dystocia.

2. Pay attention to dietary balance and arrange meals according to the principles of the Balanced Diet Pagoda. Pregnant women should eat more iron-rich foods, such as lean meat, fish, spinach, etc. In addition to eating more fresh vegetables, fruits and seafood to provide vitamins and minerals, eat more dairy and soy products.

3. The diet of each period of pregnancy should be different. In the first three months of pregnancy, the fetus grows slowly, and the nutritional needs of pregnant women are similar to usual. The intake of nutrients does not need to be increased or may be increased slightly. However, attention should be paid to improving the quality of the diet. You can add high-quality protein appropriately. However, if there are early pregnancy reactions, you can eat small amounts and often.

Fetal growth accelerates from 4 to 7 months of pregnancy. Pregnant women generally have a very good appetite and their demand for nutrients increases significantly. In addition to three meals a day, you can add one meal in the afternoon. Eat more foods rich in a variety of nutrients. For food, you also need to eat more fresh yellow and green vegetables and fruits, and the staple food should be a combination of rice, noodles and grains.

The end of pregnancy is the fastest growing stage for the fetus. In addition to nutrients for the growth and development of the fetus, some nutrients must be stored, mainly to increase the intake of protein, calcium, iron, etc. You can choose small and Eat foods with high nutritional value, eat less foods with high energy, and eat less salt to avoid edema. Meals can be 4-5 times a day.

4. Pay attention to dietary hygiene. Dirty food can cause food poisoning, gastrointestinal diseases such as bacillary dysentery, and some chemically contaminated food can also induce fetal malformations.

5. Don’t eat irritating foods. Strong tea, coffee, wine, and spicy foods can cause dry stools and stimulate uterine contractions. Therefore, avoid eating the above foods in the third trimester of pregnancy. Smoking and drinking may be harmful to the health of the fetus and should also be prohibited.

So, what are the dietary precautions before, early, middle and late pregnancy?

The following will bring you dietary guidelines before, early, middle and late pregnancy.

Dietary Guidelines for Pregnant Women

1. Eat more foods rich in folic acid or supplement with folic acid. In addition to helping to prevent fetal neural tube defects, folic acid also helps reduce the risk of hyperlipidemia in pregnancy. It is recommended that daily supplementation of 400 μg of folic acid should begin no later than 3 months before pregnancy and continue throughout pregnancy.

2. Eat iron-rich foods regularly. Good iron nutrition in pre-pregnancy is a necessary condition for successful pregnancy. Iron deficiency before pregnancy can easily lead to premature birth, insufficient maternal weight gain during pregnancy and low birth weight of newborns. Therefore, women before pregnancy should store enough iron for use during pregnancy.

3. Ensure the intake of iodized salt and appropriately increase the intake of seafood. Iodine deficiency in women during periconception and early pregnancy can increase the risk of cretinism in newborns in the future. Since the need for iodine is high before pregnancy and early pregnancy, in addition to consuming iodized salt, it is also recommended to consume iodine-rich seafood at least once a week.

4. Quit smoking and limit alcohol consumption. Regular smoking or drinking by one or both spouses not only affects the development of sperm or eggs, causing sperm or egg deformity, but also affects the smooth implantation of fertilized eggs in the uterus and embryonic development, leading to miscarriage.

Dietary Guidelines for Women in Early Pregnancy

1. Eat light and delicious meals. Light, delicious meals can increase appetite, are easy to digest, and help reduce pregnancy reactions in early pregnancy, allowing pregnant women to consume as much food as possible to meet their nutritional needs. Arrangements can be made appropriately according to the preferences of the pregnant woman at that time.

2. Eat small meals frequently. Pregnant women with severe reactions in early pregnancy should eat small meals frequently to ensure their food intake. In order to reduce pregnancy reactions, a small amount of B vitamins can be taken orally to relieve symptoms. As morning sickness subsides, you should gradually transition to a balanced diet.

3. Ensure adequate intake of carbohydrate-rich foods. In the early stages of pregnancy, you should try to consume carbohydrate-rich cereals or fruits, ensuring that you consume at least 150g of carbohydrates per day (approximately 200g of cereals).

Pregnant women who are unable to eat at all due to severe pregnancy reactions should seek medical treatment in time to avoid the adverse effects of ketone bodies produced by fat decomposition on the early brain development of the fetus.

4. Eat more foods rich in folic acid and supplement with folic acid. Folic acid deficiency in early pregnancy can increase the risk of neural tube defects and premature birth in the fetus. After conception, you should continue to supplement 400 μg of folic acid every day until the end of the entire pregnancy. In addition to helping to prevent fetal neural tube defects, folic acid also helps reduce the risk of hyperlipidemia in pregnancy.

5. Stop smoking and drinking. Smoking or frequent passive smoking during pregnancy may cause fetal intrauterine dysplasia and developmental delay. If pregnant women drink alcohol, alcohol can cause intrauterine fetal dysplasia, abnormal development of the central nervous system, and mental retardation. In order to give birth to a healthy baby, pregnant women should continue to quit smoking, abstain from alcohol, and stay away from smoking environments.

Dietary Guidelines for Women in Second and Late Pregnancy

1. Appropriately increase the intake of fish, poultry, eggs, lean meat, and seafood. Fish, poultry, eggs, and lean meat are good sources of high-quality protein. It is recommended to increase the daily intake of fish, poultry, eggs, and lean meat by a total of about 50g to 100g from the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. In addition to consuming iodized salt, eat seafood at least once a week to meet your iodine needs during pregnancy.

2. Appropriately increase milk intake. Milk or dairy products are rich in protein, which is important for protein supplement during pregnancy. It is also a good source of calcium. Starting from the second trimester, you should consume at least 250mL of milk or an equivalent amount of dairy products and supplement 300mg of calcium every day, or drink 400mL~500mL of low-fat milk to meet calcium needs.

3. Eat iron-rich foods regularly. With the increase in blood volume and hemoglobin starting from the second trimester, pregnant women become a high-risk group for iron deficiency anemia. It is recommended to increase iron intake from the second trimester of pregnancy, eat iron-rich foods regularly, and supplement small doses of iron under the guidance of a doctor when necessary.

4. Maintain appropriate physical activity and maintain appropriate weight gain. Because appropriate physical activity is conducive to maintaining appropriate weight growth and natural childbirth, outdoor activities can also help improve the nutritional status of vitamin D to promote fetal bone development and the mother's own bone health.

5. Stop smoking and drinking, and eat less irritating food.

Finally, I would like to remind everyone that you should pay attention to a reasonable nutritional mix and a balanced diet during pregnancy. Avoid picky eaters, partial eclipses, and overeating to avoid overnutrition. Overnutrition may also lead to fetal enlargement, various complications, and difficult labor.