What to Eat in the First Trimester: A Healthy Diet Plan for New Moms
Pregnancy is considered a roller coaster for different changes in the body. It is mainly because of hormonal imbalance in the body due to several changes. Progesterone like ones can trigger digestive discomfort, constipation, reflux and more. Additionally, it readily comes with symptoms like nausea, vomiting, morning sickness etc. But on set all these situations lead to lethargy, fatigue, food aversions and more. It becomes challenging to complete the meal with nutrition especially during the first trimester. Don’t make out for a load to complete an entire plate of meal instead focus on nutrition. Explore the nutritional needs for a healthy pregnancy diet plan to uplift the healthy growth of your baby.
Nutritional Needs in the First Trimester
Key nutrients needed during early pregnancy (folic acid, iron, calcium, etc.).
The main aim during pregnancy is to complete the nutrition with essential vitamins, minerals etc. Check out some of the particular ones to mainly focus during the first trimester pregnancy diet plan.
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Folic acid
It is considered as the most important micronutrient required during the first trimester with journey towards parenthood. Micronutrients are those nutrients which are mandatory to the body but in lesser amounts. Folic acid is also generally known as vitamin B9. It is considered as most essential for prevention of neural defects in the body. During the first trimester phase it is essential to intake about 600 micrograms of vitamin per day. The best source of this micronutrients are green veggies, strawberries, oranges, cereals, nuts, cauliflower, beets, beans etc.
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Calcium
Calcium is important to ensure the proper development of bones and teeth of your baby. The baby is totally dependent on the mother's body for nutritional needs. Hence, your deficiency in calcium may lead to brittle bones in babies. You need to uptake about 1000 micrograms of calcium from a balanced diet. Sources like milk, leafy veggies, and cheese are rich in calcium. Further, you can seek advice from healthcare experts about intake of food.
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Protein
Protein is proven essential for uterine development to hold the weight of a baby during pregnancy. It is responsible for muscle development for babies. You need to aim for 75 grams of protein throughout the day. Eggs, yoghurt, chicken etc are great to snatch protein.
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Iron
Iron is important in meals to trigger the blood supply to ramp up the needs of a growing baby. Lack of iron in the body during the first trimester can lead to risk for pregnancy anemia. To eliminate such issues it is essential to meet the need of about 27 milligram per day of iron. But it gets difficult to meet the needs of iron only from food. Hence, you should make sure to add a solid dose of iron in this phase. Beef, chicken, tofu, spinach, eggs etc should indeed be included into diet plans during pregnancy.
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Vitamin C
There are many sources of Vitamin C like strawberries, broccoli, oranges and many more source foods. These all supply the tissue and bones ability to make proper growth in the baby's body. Also, it helps in boosting maximum absorption of iron from the body. Aim for 85 milligram of vitamin C from meals per day.
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Potassium
Pregnancy, especially in the first trimester, comes with symptoms like vomiting and nausea. This situation leads to an imbalance of fluids in the body. Potassium plays a significant role here which combines with sodium to maintain fluid balance. Also, it is helpful in regulating blood pressure for mothers. Eat food items like banana, apricots, avocado etc to fulfil about 2900 milligram of potassium needs per day.
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DHA
You would have frequently heard about DHA supplements from healthcare experts and nutritionists. It is an omega 3 fatty acid essential for proper growth of babies. This is found rich in herring, anchovies, sardines like fishes. But you might not prefer to eat these items vegan or queasy to seafood. Replace these nutrients in the form of DHA supplements recommended from doctors.
Week-by-Week Diet Plan
Breakdown of the diet plan into weeks or stages of the first trimester.
Include meal ideas that incorporate essential nutrients.
Struggling with what to eat during pregnancy diet plans for Indian women? Here you can find some of the food to include as per stages of the first trimester. Including these foods in your diet can trigger the proper growth of a baby.
1st month: Week 1 to week 4
You might find some early symptoms of pregnancy during these weeks after conception. Therefore, it is very important to eat healthy and nutritious food during the first trimester to avoid any complications during the journey. Keep an eye on each of the food intake to meet daily requirements of nutrition.
Month 2: week 5 to week 8
It is a period where you might struggle with hormonal imbalance, nausea, stress, anxiety and more. These changes in the body are enough to disturb nutritions and immunity. Also, it might affect the growth of the baby leading to chances of miscarriage. Therefore, it is very important to eliminate such situations with proper uptake of nutrients as an early pregnancy diet plan.
Month 3: Week 9 to week 12
You can consider revising or altering the food every week as per cravings. But all of these combined are enough to fulfil daily nutrients needs for proper development of a baby. Third month is considered the end of the first trimester. You might now notice the normalization in symptoms of nausea, vomiting etc. Keep up with intake of nutritious food items to avoid any complications further.
Further you can make changes in diet as per your wish with altering food items mentioned as follows:
- Legumes
- Sweet potato
- Dairy products
- Eggs
- Dark leafy veggies
- Broccoli
- Salmon
- Berries
- Whole grains
- Avocados
- Protein and lean meat
- Fish liver oil
- Water
- Dry fruits
Addressing Common Dietary Concerns
Foods to avoid during the first trimester.
Tips for managing morning sickness and other common symptoms through diet.
The Foetus and body of the mother-to-be goes under several changes during the first trimester of pregnancy. It is basically a phase where the body of a woman gets prepared for a journey to welcome a little one. Hence, it becomes important to avoid some hazardous food during this period. It is because this directly affects the growth of the baby.
Meat may have the presence of listeria like bacteria which are responsible for causing food poisoning and vomiting. These foods are enough to increase the symptoms like morning sickness, nausea etc.
Raw eggs promote growth of millions of bacteria which leads to several diseases during pregnancy. Specially it contains bacteria like Corynebacterium, shigella, salmonella etc which causes food poisoning that directly impacts babies.
Uptake of fish having high mercury can lead to accumulation of same substances in body at longer time. It mixes with the bloodstream which can affect the growth and development of the nervous system of a little one.
Caffeine triggers the heart rate and blood pressure in the body. This both are proven detrimental for pregnant mothers. Even caffeine has the ability to pass further into bloodstream rich babies through placenta which is proven hazardous.
Yes, organ meat is a source for Vitamin A. But excess of this included in diet leads to conditions of congenital malformation in baby’s growth. Even it triggers the complications of miscarriage during the first trimester.
Babies tend to develop all facial expressions till the end of the first trimester. Alcohol consumption in this phase can lead to structural defects in babies including facial expression.
Sprouts are developed in neutral atmospheric conditions like moisture and hummus. But this is also an ideal condition for growth of most bacteria causing food poisoning. Therefore, avoid eating raw sprouts.
Intake of unwashed produce may have contamination from parasites like Toxoplasma gondii. These parasites are responsible for causing serious chronic disease in the human body. It is mostly found in unwashed vegetables and meat.
Pasteurization is a technique through which food items are boiled till temperature that kills all contamination present without affecting its quality. Unpasteurized food items have abundant growth of bacteria like Campylobacter jejuni, E.coli, Listeria, Corynebacterium etc. All of these are responsible for causing foodborne disease in pregnant women.
Processed junk food contains toxic substances like acrylamide in the body which is proven hazardous for baby’s growth.
Pregnancy strikes you with symptoms like morning sickness, hormonal imbalance, vomiting, nausea, high or low blood pressure, stress, anxiety, weakness, lethargy, upset stomach and more. Try to reduce such symptoms with intake of following food items with pre pregnancy diet plan menu indian.
- Smoothies, almond milk
- Ginger tea
- Citrus fruits
- Peppermint
- Easy to digest food like rice, applesauce, toast, banana etc
- High protein rich food
- Carbonated beverages
- Herbal tea
- Food having high source of vitamin B6 like salmon, avocados
Sample Meal Plans
Provide detailed daily or weekly meal plans.
Include recipes or food suggestions that are both nutritious and easy to prepare.
Your baby totally eats what you eat during the pregnancy period. Hence, it is essential to track the daily requirement of nutrition with a proper 9 month pregnancy diet plan. Do you want to enjoy healthy and delicious food yet maintain an amazing taste? If yes, then check out some quick to prepare recipes that are rich in fibers, protein and other nutrients.
Kale lies under dark leafy veggies which are rich in folate. It supports the proper growth of the brain and spine during the first trimester in a baby. It is a superfood to satisfy the requirement of iron, fibre, vitamins etc. Prepare the salad with crunches of almonds and other dry fruit. You can prefer to add any unsaturated heart healthy complimentary item.
It is the perfect breakfast to kick start your day with nutritious food. Oats are whole grain rich in fibres, protein and vitamins. To prepare this, you need 1 cup of milk, oats and a teaspoon of cinnamon. Let it sit in the fridge overnight. Add chopped apples and walnuts in the morning for a better crunch and enjoy this delicious dish.
Cravings can lead you to prepare this Mexican yet healthy dish. Break an egg in olive oil along with 1 cup of spinach and sauté these until wilted. Take a whole wheat bread or tortilla. Add shredded cheese, salsa and spinach mixture. Now just grab, roll and enjoy your morning snack.
Do you like muffins? Let’s prepare a healthier version of this diet plan for the third trimester of pregnancy. Slice the whole wheat muffin. Place the sliced pear and slice of cheddar cheese in between these. Bake it for about 2 minutes for melting cheese. Add peanut butter as complimentary.
It is perfect for dessert during pregnancy. Take a pumpkin and blend it into puree. Add maple syrup along with yoghurt into this mixture. Next, put in granola, raisins and some chopped cashews and enjoy your delicious sweet dish.
This salad will indeed make your journey to parenthood an amazing experience. Chop up lettuce, tomato, corn and mix it with black beans. Drizzle with some lime juice, chopped garlic, salt and pepper as per taste. You can also add some shredded cheese to the dish to make this salad more tempting.
Junks are always a craving. But why don’t you convert it into a healthier and nutritious alternative. Grill out onions along with mushrooms. Slice into half for a whole wheat burger. Spread the pesto with the help of a spoon. Top this with Swiss cheese, grilled mushroom, onion and other preferable veggies. Cover it with the remaining half of the burger. Serve it with your favorite dip along with 2 carrots.
Tips for Following the Diet Plan
Advice on grocery shopping, meal preparation, and dietary tracking.
How to adapt the diet plan to various dietary restrictions or preferences (e.g., vegetarian, gluten-free).
Pre pregnancy diet plans include many dietary restrictions and preferences. As per this, you need to choose only grocery items which proves fruitful for your health. You need to stay very careful about meals to make it nutritious and beneficial for the growth of the baby. Following, make a regular dietary track to ensure daily nutrient requirements. Here is a general guide to follow tips for following a diet plan.
- Plan a balanced meal
While meal preparation ensures to make balance between required daily nutrients and vitamins. It mainly includes balance for carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, proteins, healthy fats and more.
- Identify dietary restrictions or preferences
A person might have several restrictions or preferences in their body. It includes lactose intolerance, veganism, vegetarianism and more. Identify these and avoid or priorities the same during pregnancy to avoid any complications.
Include tempeh, nuts, seeds, lentils, beans, tofu etc to ensure proper intake of proteins. Further ad fortified fruits, whole grains, vegetables, fruits which allow a rich source for vitamins and minerals. It mainly includes Vitamin D, iron, calcium, Vitamin B12 etc.
Choose to consume the natural gluten free grains as a part of the diet plan in the third trimester of pregnancy. It mainly includes items like millet, quinoa, rice, buckwheat and more. Try to use gluten free flour available in the market for baking. You might face deficiency of iron and Vitamin B as it is only available in fortified products. Therefore, ask your healthcare expert to provide supplements for the same.
Some people are lactose intolerant. Hence, you can alter the dairy products with soy milk, almond milk and other lactose free items. To fulfil the requirement of calcium as a lactose intolerant make your focal point on leafy veggies, plant based milk consumptions.
The Benefits of a Healthy First Trimester Diet
Discuss how good nutrition benefits both the mother and the developing baby.
It is very crucial to maintain a healthy diet plan before pregnancy. Explore the benefits gained from intake of good nutritious food on mother and developing baby inside womb.
Nutritious food like leafy veggies, fortified cereals etc contains folic acid which helps to prevent neural defects in babies. It is very important to maintain folic acid during the first trimester as the neural tube develops in this phase.
A nutritious diet serves the mother and baby with essential nutrients like protein, calcium, iron, folic acid etc. These all together have a significant role in the development of a baby. It is needed especially during the first trimester for proper organ development in the fetus.
Pregnancy might hit you with symptoms like fatigue, lethargy, nausea, vomiting etc. Nutritious food full of carbohydrates, proteins, healthy fat helps to maintain energy level entire day,
Proper diet is beneficial to maintain the health of a mother-to-be during pregnancy. Regulation of blood sugar levels, healthy weight, reduction in gestational diabetes etc are handled easily. These factors are essential to manage for proper growth of baby and maternal health.
Intake of a healthy diet having minerals, vitamins, antioxidants etc can help to improve the immune system. This helps the mother’s body to fight against common infections and illness.
In the first trimester an expectant mother usually faces symptoms like morning sickness, digestive discomfort and more. It is eliminated with certain foods like ginger, grains, frequent and small meals etc.
Conclusion
Overall, you should understand the importance of nutritious food during the first trimester. Follow a proper diet plan for the 8th month of pregnancy and make this journey soothing. Choose to intake nutrient dense food which could support overall growth of baby and maternal health. Try out some new and healthy dishes to fulfil your cravings in a beneficial way. Further, also keep an eye on restricted food in this phase as it can directly affect the little one in the womb. If you are into any confusion then don’t hesitate to consult your healthcare provider to seek personalized dietary advice.
FAQ Section
- What are the best foods to combat common first trimester symptoms (like morning sickness)?
Generally, food with high fibers, banana, strawberries, ginger tea, smoothies, peppermint, herbal tea, citrus fruits etc are the best foods to combat common first trimester symptoms.
- How many calories should a pregnant woman consume in the first trimester?
Healthy weighted pregnant woman can consume about 1800 calories per day during the first trimester.
- Are there foods or beverages that should be avoided during the first trimester?
Yes, you should avoid beverages which contain caffeine or any other artificially added items. It is because these foods can directly interrupt the growth of a baby.
- What are some easy-to-prepare, nutritious meal ideas?
There are many easy-to-prepare nutritious meals like poha, upma, egg wrap, rice with dahi and dal, fruit salad etc.
- How does a healthy first trimester diet benefit the baby?
Baby during the first trimester goes under most of the changes and differentiation in body organs which need various nutrients and vitamins. A healthy diet in this phase can help babies to get proper growth.