In addition to pregnancy and labor troubles, your pregnancy diet plan is closely linked to birth disorders. Getting the right amount of folic acid will almost single handedly make your baby’s chances of developing neural tube disorders slim to none. Vitamins essential to a healthy pregnancy include: thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, folate and vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, E and K – basically all your major vitamins.
Deficiencies in any of these vitamins has been linked to defects such as malformation of brain and spine, cleft palette, skeletal muscle problems, water on the brain and a whole host of other problems. The most well-researched of these is the effect of folic acid on neural tube disorders.
Your Baby is Not A Thief
To get enough of these important nutrients moms need to understand some things about gestation and nutrition.One of the biggest fallacies about pregnancy and baby’s eating habits during those 9 months is this: baby steals what it needs from mom. This is absolutely false. Baby does not steal from mom. While moms everywhere will consciously do anything and everything to protect, nurture and love their babies in this matter they just simply have no choice!
The body will always self protect. If there is a shortage on vital nutritional elements the body will put its own needs first. This means baby will only get what he needs if mom has what she needs.
Nutrients for Baby’s Gestational Stages
To enable your healthy baby to get what she needs at every gestational stage there are a few key nutrients you should know by name. Folic acid: needed in early pregnancy, so early in fact that you should start taking it when you begin trying to conceive. Folic acid has been linked to a marked decrease in neural tube defects!
Protein needs to be on the plate at every stage, but especially during the 8th month when baby’s body as well as brain begins to develop at break neck pace. Omega 3 fatty acids help in fetal heart development as well as mom’s brain and heart function. Calcium is needed to build strong bones. Vitamin C during pregnancy is needed for immune support and faster post partum healing.
The best pregnancy diets will support the gestation of the world’s cutest and healthiest little bundle of joy and more. Healthy eating during pregnancy aids in post partum return to the skinny jeans. Pregnancy nutrition ensures sufficient breast milk supplies for baby after birth. Food choices while pregnant have also been shown to lower rates of post partum depression.
Now that you are in the know, get into the kitchen and make the best pregnancy diet meal plan that really eats for two!