What should we eat in the first 3 months to be good for the health of mothers and babies?

Pregnant women need to make sure their diet provides enough nutrients and energy for their baby to develop fully and properly. In particular, the first 3 months are very important. So what should be eaten in the first 3 months and what should not be eaten for the health of mother and baby?

To have a healthy pregnancy, a mother's diet needs to be balanced and nutritious - this involves the right balance between protein, carbohydrates and fat, and consuming plenty of vegetables and fruits.

What should pregnant women eat to supplement nutrition in the first 3 months of pregnancy?

As mentioned above, pregnant mothers should follow a varied, balanced and nutritious diet, and must include the following substances:

1. Fruits and vegetables contain vitamins - minerals to aid in calcium absorption for mothers and babies

Fresh fruit is an excellent source of vitamins and antioxidants. They contain a lot of fiber which is great for pregnant women.

Vitamin D in fruit contributes to the development of the fetal skeletal system, supports better calcium absorption. Vitamin C helps to support the development of bone cartilage, muscles, joints, muscles and also helps strengthen the blood vessels for the first 3 months fetus, creating a solid placenta, enhancing the resistance.

Foods rich in vitamins and minerals: Some kinds of green vegetables and fruits you should not miss are spinach, spinach, cauliflower, cabbage, citrus, grapefruit, apples, grapes ...

The amount to supplement: mothers need to increase the amount of fresh vegetables, potatoes, tubers, and fruits with the minimum quantity of 300g per day.

2. Add starchy foods (carbohydrates) to provide energy for mother and baby

Although carbohydrates are known to affect your waistline, carbohydrates provide energy for daily activities. Especially in the first 3 months of pregnancy, the mother's body will not be used to having a baby and needs a lot of energy to adapt and nurture the baby's development. Hence, carbohydrates are an important component of a healthy pregnancy diet.

Starchy foods: Potatoes, rice, pasta, bread, and whole grains are very beneficial for your health.

Content to supplement: for most pregnant mothers, the amount of carbohydrates should account for 40-50% of the daily calories in the diet. Particularly for pregnant women with gestational diabetes, it is necessary to comply with doctor's recommendations on carbohydrate intake.

See also: 12 carbohydrate-rich foods that are especially healthy!

3. Foods containing protein (protein) help mothers healthy in the early pregnancy

Protein, also known as protein, plays a role in regenerating and replacing new tissues in the body, transporting oxygen in the blood, and at the same time creating antibodies to the immune system, helping pregnant mothers have a healthy pregnancy.

Healthy animal-based protein foods include fish, lean meats and chicken, as well as eggs. There are also good plant-based proteins like:

Quinoa is a good source of protein and fiber, containing essential amino acids.

Tofu and soy products.

Legumes, seeds and nut butters.

Content to add: for every kg of weight, pregnant mothers need to add at least 1g of protein. Weight isn't the only factor, however. According to experts, the amount of protein pregnant women need will depend on the amount of calories consumed each day. On average, about 10-35% of the body's calories need will come from protein. Thus, if mothers' daily energy needs are about 2,200 calories, protein needs will be in the range of 55 - 192g protein.

4. Supplement foods rich in folic acid to help fight birth defects in children

Folic acid, also known as vitamin B9, is a very important nutrient that helps your body produce and maintain new cells and also helps prevent changes in DNA that can lead to cancer. Folic acid is one of the important micronutrients for the comprehensive development of the fetus and especially in the first 3 months of the fetus, because it helps to reduce the risk of neural tube defects, spina bifida. in the fetus. Lack of folic acid easily causes neural tube defects in children, causes an incranial pregnancy, brain-meningeal herniation, open spine and increases the risk of defects in the heart, limbs, urinary tract, cleft palate, cleft palate ...

Foods rich in folic acid: pregnant mothers can supplement through foods such as liver, poultry, cereals, green vegetables (the darker green the better, such as spinach, radish, broccoli ...), lima beans, beans Netherlands, soybeans, carrots, tomatoes, bananas, oranges, lemons, grapefruit ... are rich in folic acid. In addition, pregnant mothers can use oral folic acid tablets as prescribed by the doctor depending on the situation.

The amount to be supplemented: Currently the World Health Organization recommends that all women of childbearing age should supplement 400 mcg of folic acid per day to minimize the risk of neural tube defects in children. Usually pregnant mothers will need about 400-600 mcg of folic acid per day.

See also: 7 foods rich in folic acid good for pregnant mothers

5. Iron-rich foods help boost the child's immune system

Iron makes up a major part of hemoglobin (hemoglobin). Hemoglobin is the pigment responsible for transporting oxygen and complex proteins in red blood cells around the body and to the fetus, supporting fetal brain development. In addition, iron is also involved in the formation of immune system enzymes, helping to strengthen the body's immune system.

During pregnancy, the mother's blood volume increases by nearly 50% compared to normal. That is why pregnant mothers need more iron to create more hemoglobin for this increased blood volume.

Iron deficiency not only makes pregnant women always in a state of fatigue, discomfort, depression during pregnancy ... but also causes premature birth, low birth weight, stillbirth ...

Iron-rich foods:  include meats such as beef, poultry, salmon, tuna, oysters (should be cooked) and kale, spinach, spinach, whole grain breads and whole grains, legumes - lima beans, soybeans, kidney beans, dried beans and peas ...

The liver is rich in iron, but doctors and most nutritionists advise pregnant women to avoid liver. The liver is rich in vitamin A, which can harm the baby during pregnancy.

The amount to supplement: as recommended, with a normal pregnancy, pregnant women should pay attention to supplementing about 30mg of iron per day.

6. Calcium-rich foods help mothers and babies' bones strong

The addition of calcium in the diet during pregnancy is very important, as it helps to strengthen the bones and joints of mother and baby. Not only that, calcium also helps to form bones, develop teeth, muscles, nerves.

If there is not enough calcium during this period, pregnant mothers may feel tired, muscle pain, cramps ... more severe is the appearance of seizures, hypocalcemia. Fetus calcium deficiency will be malnourished right in the womb, causing bone defects, congenital rickets, short, short ...

Calcium-rich foods: Calcium is found in seafood such as crab, shrimp, milk and dairy products or from plant sources such as sesame, carrots, green vegetables, beans, bean sprouts ...

The amount to be supplemented: Normally, in the first 3 months of pregnancy, the needed calcium for pregnant women is 800 - 1,000mg and gradually increases in the following quarters. Specifically, the second quarter needs 1,000 mg of calcium and the last 3 months until breastfeeding, the amount of calcium needed by the body is up to 1,200mg - 1,500mg calcium / day.

What should pregnant women not eat in the first 3 months of pregnancy?

If pregnant women consume too much caffeine during pregnancy, they will have a lower risk of weight gain, health effects in the future and a higher risk of miscarriage.

Many caffeinated foods and beverages include coffee, tea, certain sodas, energy drinks, and chocolate. Some cold and flu medicines also contain caffeine. You should consult your doctor or pharmacist before taking any medication.

According to doctors, you don't need to cut out coffee completely, but don't exceed 200 mg per day. One standard cup of instant coffee contains 100 mg of caffeine.

See also: Small tips to know about pregnant women drinking coffee

Notes in the diet for pregnant women in the first 3 months of pregnancy

Your calories will increase during pregnancy, but that doesn't mean you're eating for two. It is simply that the amount of calories the body consumes increases by several hundred calories per day and that is normal for most pregnant women.

In particular, the first 3 months is an important period to create a premise for the development of the fetus in the next 6 months. So can consider the first 3 months is the most dangerous time for pregnancy. At this time, the baby is not completely implanted, the mother's body has not yet adapted to the presence of the baby.

The first 3 months of pregnancy is also the time when the fetus starts to form major organs such as spinal cord, brain, heart, lungs, liver ... so the role of nutrient enhancement in this period is very important. This source of nutrition will be loaded from the mother and transported with the blood, to nurture the growing fetus every day.

Therefore, pregnant women need to pay special attention to diet, monitor weight, take iron supplements, folic acid , and micronutrients according to the recommendations of nutritionists. A woman's body absorbs iron more efficiently and blood flow increases during pregnancy, so pregnant women have to consume more iron to ensure that both mother and baby are provided with enough oxygen.

The adequate supplementation of nutrients for pregnant mothers will help the baby develop well, on the contrary, a poor and improper diet can lead to serious effects for the baby such as defects and birth defects. birth , even stillbirth , miscarriage ...

Note: Pregnant mothers may not need to supplement much energy in the first 3 months of pregnancy, only provide 200-300 calories per day and increase 1 - 2.5kg is good for your health. mother and baby because the fetus is still too small, so the pregnant mother does not need to gain much weight.

See also: What pregnant women should not eat in the first 3 months to avoid birth defects?

A menu regimen for pregnant women in the first 3 months is exactly enough that is indispensable in any motherhood handbook of any woman. In addition to books, newspapers and references about pregnancy nutrition, pregnant mothers can completely consult the consultation of obstetricians, nutrition counselors to have a healthy pregnancy.