To maintain a healthy pregnancy, approximately 300 extra calories are needed to be taken each day. These calories should come from a well-balanced diet of protein, fruits, vegetables and whole grain. These will help with pregnancy symptoms.
It is usually hard to obtain these extra calories from just food therefore some supplements are necessary in order to make sure the pregnancy symptoms are minimized or completely avoided.
List of foods required during pregnancy
- Vegetables e.g. carrots, pumpkin, tomatoes, spinach, greens etc.
- Fruits e.g. mangoes, bananas, oranges
- Dairy products e.g. yoghurt, milk, soymilk
- Grains\ready to eat cereals
- Proteins e.g. beans, salmon, beef
All these are rich in several vitamins necessary for a healthy pregnancy that is to say vitamins A, K, D, and Iron, folic acid, calcium and many others
Note: avoid alcohol during pregnancy
Prenatal vitamins and supplements
It may be quite the task to ensure that all your nutritional needs are met from just the diet. There is no need to “eat for 2” in order to acquire the rightful amount of nutrients. Prenatal supplements are usually recommended to ensure that the nutritional needs are met while maintaining a normal healthy diet.
During pregnancy, you need more folic acid and iron than usual; therefore you’ll require some supplementation.
Folic acid
It reduces the risk of neural tube defects, (birth defects of brain and spinal cord) that may lead to disability of the baby.
It is important to take folic acid during the first 28 days after conception when most neural tube defects occur. Though unfortunately most women might not realize they are pregnant therefor it is advisable to start folate intake before conception if one is trying for a baby.
A high dose of at least 400micrograms of folic acid is recommended.
Iron
It supports the development of the placenta and fetus.
Iron helps your body make blood to supply oxygen to the fetus. Iron also helps prevent anemia, a condition in which blood has a low number of healthy red blood cells.
Beyond checking for folic acid and iron, be sure to check for a prenatal vitamin that contains calcium and vitamin D. They help promote the development of the baby’s teeth and bones.
It is also beneficial to look for a prenatal vitamin that contains vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E, B vitamins, zinc and iodine.
Another key nutrient is omega 3. Adequate consumption of omega-3 fatty acids is vitally important during pregnancy as they are critical building blocks of fetal brain and retina.
Examples of prenatal supplements include:
- Pregnacare max
- Pregnacare original
- Pregnacare plus
- Pregnacare conception
- Pregnacare gummies
All these are available at our store simply add to cart to order.
