Nutrition in pregnancy
By GOODLUCK UGWUMBA

STUDIES show that the better a pregnant woman’s nutrition, the more likely she is to deliver a healthy baby. Eating too little (or too little of the need foods) increases the risk of giving birth to a baby who may be born too soon or too small, have birth defects or have breathing and blood chemistry problems ranging from still birth to developmental delay as well as increasing chances of morning sicknesses, constipation and fatigue, heart burn and muscle cramps and obstetrical complications such as anemia.
Here are 10 reasons why your eating habits must change.
(1) Both nutritional needs and intestinal function change.
(2) Body cravings change. But you must match all cravings with your knowledge of good nutrition.
(3) Portion sizes change. You are likely to want to eat lighter, smaller portions more slowly and more frequently. There will be days when you graze like a toddler, snacking all day long, sometimes you’ll satisfy the “always hungry” feeling by eating all the time.
(4) Your calorie needs change. You will need to eat an extra 300-500 calories per day to ensure adequate nutrition for both of you.
(5) Your pregnant body needs specific nutrients: Proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals (mainly calcium and iron) and water. Balancing your nutrition during pregnancy means trying to get the right mix of these nutrients: 15 per cent of your calories from proteins, 50-60 per cent from carbohydrates and 20-30 per cent from fats plus the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamins and minerals.
(6) Your need for fats changes. The pregnant body needs fats. Besides being a valuable source of energy, certain fats (called essential fatly acids) are necessary building blocks of vital tissues especially the brain and nervous system. However, all fats are not created equal. Best nutrition is found in the fats of fish, nuts and avocados and all vegetable oils. Less healthy, but still necessary fats are found in diary products. Least healthy and least necessary fats are those that come from meat.
(7) Your need for cholesterol changes. Your pregnant body and your developing baby need extra cholesterol. Growing little brains need cholesterol. It is a building block for pregnancy hormones.
(8) Your protein needs change. Protein are the structural element of your body and the body of your growing baby. Your baby’s tissues and organs grow by piling up millions of proteins on top of each other until each organ has reached full growth.
Try these food combinations to get complete proteins
- Cheese sandwich (whole grain and dairy)
- Cereal and milk (grain and diary)
- Whole wheat pasta and cheese
- Peanut-butter sandwich
- Yoghurt
- Beans or lentil soup with whole wheat or rice
- Beans and rice
- Pasta with meat sauce
(9) Your carbohydrate needs change: Best sources of complex carbohydrates are: Pasta, potatoes, grains, legumes, nut butters and seeds.
(10) Your iron needs change: Iron is necessary to make the extra blood you need to nourish your baby and to make the billions of red blood cells the baby needs. Insufficient blood (anemia) makes a woman tired. Most women need to double the amount of iron in their diet when they are pregnant taking in at least to milligrams of elemental iron each day, more if anaemic or carrying multiples.