Pregnancy can be an exciting yet challenging time, as the anticipation for your baby is mixed with the anxiety of providing the best nutrition for the human that is quickly growing inside your belly.
Eating a healthy and balanced diet is crucial for your baby’s development, both inside and outside the womb. Multiple studies have shown that prenatal nutrition pretty much determines the outcome of a child’s cognitive development and sensory function, even well into adulthood.[1]
However, eating for your baby isn’t as hard as it seems – what an average adult would call a healthy and well-rounded diet is pretty much what your baby needs, too. In addition, there are specific nutrients that you’d have to consume more of, or even take supplements for, as these are deemed crucial for fetal development.
These nutrients will also help the mother herself in coping with the overwhelming changes to her body. Because your baby will absorb a portion of the nutrients that go inside your body, you’ll have to eat a bit more than the usual to accommodate your body’s needs as well.
According to existing research, here are the nutrients an expectant mother needs the most, how these affect your baby’s development, and what foods are best to eat to maximize nutritional value.[2,3,4]
- Folate and Folic Acid: For Preventing Birth Defects
Folate is arguably the most important nutrient that a woman must take before and during her pregnancy. Folic acid is the synthetic version of folate, which is widely available as supplements.
Folate is a B vitamin that is essential to the development of the brain and spinal cord, the two organs that develop first within a fetus’ body. In adults, folate is used by the body to produce new cells and produce DNA, which makes it required for normal growth and development throughout all stages of life.
Approximately after 28 days of the date of conception, the neural tube develops into the spinal cord – and when the neural tube doesn’t close properly, it can lead to serious defects that can either cause permanent disabilities, or the baby won’t survive at all (through anencephaly). Increasing your folate intake before and during pregnancy can help prevent these serious defects.
Other birth defects that can be prevented with appropriate folate supplementation include cleft lip, cleft palate, and congenital heart defects.
Examples of Folate or Folic Acid Rich Food: Spinach, Beans, Asparagus, Oranges, Peanuts, and Cereals fortified with folic acid
- Calcium: For Stronger Bones
Calcium is essentially the building block of our skeletal system. In fact, our skeleton contains 98% of our total body calcium.
As your baby starts developing its bone structure in the womb, you’ll need to consume more calcium to ensure that your baby’s bones and teeth grow properly, as well as to make sure that your own calcium stores will not be depleted. Calcium is also needed by your baby’s heart, muscles, nerves, and hormones.[5]+
Calcium can be mostly sourced from dairy products and a few plant sources. You can also take calcium supplements if you are under a restrictive diet, and if your doctor deems it safe to do so. However calcium supplementation is quite rare, as there exists a wide variety of calcium food sources.
Examples of Calcium Rich Food: Milk, Cheese, Yogurt, Kefir, Kale, Collard greens, Broccoli, Bok choy, Soybeans, and Almonds
- Protein: For Promoting Growth
In our bodies, protein makes up not just the muscles that make our limbs move, but it is also the structural component of our organs and tissues.
Thus, your baby will need an adequate amount of protein to build nearly every single part of its body.
On the mother’s side, protein is also essential for increasing blood supply (which allows more nutrients to be sent to your baby), as well as breast and uterine tissue growth. As your pregnancy progresses, your protein requirements increase, so make sure you’re getting enough lean meat when you can!
Examples of Protein Rich Food: Lean Beef and Pork, Chicken, Salmon, Nuts, Peanut Butter, Cheese, Beans
- Iron: For Preventing Iron Deficiency Anemia
Iron is an essential nutrient that is used by our bodies to make hemoglobin, which are the proteins in our blood that carry oxygen throughout the body. Getting enough iron ensures that your baby is supplied with an adequate amount of oxygen through the bloodstream.
A pregnant women needs at least double the amount of iron that a nonpregnant woman typically needs. This prevents iron deficiency anemia, since your baby will need your body to produce more blood than the usual. Anemia during pregnancy can cause fatigue and increase the risk of premature birth, postpartum depression, and having a low birth weight baby.
Examples of Iron Rich Food: Lean Red Meat, Poultry, Fish, Iron-Fortified Breakfast Cereals, Beans, Legumes
- Vitamin D: For Stronger Bones (with Calcium)
Vitamin D is the nutrient that most people may know as the “sunshine vitamin”, as it is primarily sourced from the sun’s UV rays.
Vitamin D works in conjunction with calcium when it comes to strengthening the bones. If calcium serves as the building blocks of bones, then vitamin D ensures that your body effectively absorbs calcium.
Unfortunately, not a lot of mothers get enough sunlight, especially during the winter season or if she leads a sedentary lifestyle. If you are unable to get adequate exposure to sunlight, consider taking vitamin D supplements to make sure that you’re getting enough for you and your baby’s health.
Vitamin D is also present in some foods, such as in oily fish, eggs, and red meat. Some cereals are also fortified with vitamin D (along with other nutrients).
Examples of Vitamin D Rich Foods: Salmon, Mackerel, Sardines, Red Meat, Liver, Egg Yolks
Dealing With Cravings and Food Aversions
As you progress through your pregnancy, you may notice a change in your food preferences. Sometimes, you’ll unusually crave specific food times. At the same time, you may suddenly feel disgusted with foods that you used to enjoy.
These cravings and aversions are just a normal part of pregnancy. Unfortunately, researchers have been unable to explain the reasons behind these cravings, although some believe hormones play a major role.
It’s okay to indulge with your cravings, especially if they’re completely healthy – in fact, it may be your body or baby’s way of saying that it needs certain nutrients. If you crave certain junk food, however, it is best to seek healthier alternatives instead. For instance, if you’re craving for French fries, a healthier alternative would be to prepare your own oven roasted sweet potatoes, which contain less unhealthy fats and sodium, while providing more fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants.
Conclusion
Pregnancy is a time when a mother should focus on getting the right nutrients for her baby and her own well-being.
Although a healthy diet is generally easy to follow, there are specific nutrients that mothers must eat more than others: folate or folic acid, iron, vitamin D, protein, and calcium. Thankfully, these can be sourced from common food that are easy to incorporate in most expecting mothers’ diets. Another option would be to take supplements, but this should be done with the recommendation of your doctor.
References
[1] Dawes, P., Cruickshanks, K. J., Moore, D. R., Fortnum, H., Edmondson-Jones, M., McCormack, A., & Munro, K. J. (2015). The Effect of Prenatal and Childhood Development on Hearing, Vision and Cognition in Adulthood. PloS one, 10(8), e0136590. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0136590
[2] Mayo Clinic. (2019, December 19) Pregnancy diet: Focus on these essential nutrients. Retrieved on November 18, 2020 from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/pregnancy-nutrition/art-20045082
[3] Clark, C. (2020, July 13) Nutritional Needs During Pregnancy. Retrieved on November 18, 2020 from https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/nutrition
[4] Nierenberg, C. (2018, January 10) Pregnancy Diet & Nutrition: What to Eat, What Not to Eat. Retrieved on November 18, 2020 from https://www.livescience.com/45090-pregnancy-diet.html[5] Murray, D. (2020, March 5) Calcium Needs During Pregnancy. Retrieved on November 18, 2020 from https://www.verywellfamily.com/calcium-needs-during-pregnancy-4580491
