Pregnancy might just be the single most intricate, miraculous and often demanding task the female body can perform. If you really think about it, your body has been preparing for this task since you were a teenager going through puberty.
Also see: Foods to not eat during pregnancy
Each menstrual cycle brings you closer to this point… growing a real human life! Cell by cell, your body is building a little human for a total of 270 days.
If we consider the bodily and nutritional preparation of an athlete before a big event, we might better understand the increased nutritional demands of a pregnant woman.
Closely matching the energy intake to meet the increased expenditure, while focusing on specific nutrients to allow the body to perform at its best, is very similar for the athlete and the pregnant woman.
But “because we often don’t consider pregnancy to be a high-demand, extreme bodily task, we often miss the opportunity to properly prepare and fuel the body to grow a strong, healthy baby and recover optimally,” notes Caréne Joubert, the founder of Bump to Babe) and spokesperson for BabyWombWorld.
So, let us refer to pregnancy as a marathon and find out how best we can prepare for this spectacular event.
Why does nutrition during pregnancy matter?
Nutrition is important in all stages of life, from infancy to seniority, but especially during pregnancy. Your diet will not only affect your own body, but that of your baby.
Poor nutrition during this phase poses significant risks to both mother and baby, such as increased risk for preterm birth, gestational diabetes, hypertension, excessive weight gain and other birth complications.
Diet during pregnancy is a delicate balance between meeting increased nutritional requirements and gaining just enough weight with nutrient-dense foods to sustain the growing fetus.
It is very easy to go full-on cowboy mode and eat junk food because you may think you have an excuse to do so.
The research suggests that the flavours of foods you consume during pregnancy and lactation prime your baby to have an affinity for this food when they get older.
It is thought that the flavours can transfer to the baby, causing them to become accustomed to it and enjoy those familiar tastes and smells as they mature.
So, a healthy and nutritious diet not only meets the baby’s changing demands but also essentially primes your baby’s dietary behaviour as early as pregnancy.
Consider the diet during pregnancy to perform 3 major functions:
- Create a healthy environment for growth in the uterus.
- Meeting the higher nutrient demands for the baby’s growth.
- Meeting your nutritional requirements as you prepare for birth.
We cannot discuss energy requirements without touching on adequate weight gain during pregnancy.
The weight that you gain during pregnancy should be that of the growing baby and not necessarily your own body fat. Did you know that the amniotic fluid can equate to approximately 1 kg in weight?
Creating a healthy environment in the uterus
When we think about the uterus and the surrounding structures that will be supporting the fetus, we can immediately picture the muscles providing structural support, the fluid surrounding the fetus and, of course, blood flow. This leads us to focusing on energy, protein and fluid intake. Let’s call them macronutrients.
Also see: The benefits of choosing to stay fit while pregnant
Your energy requirements will dramatically increase during the second and third trimesters. You may require over 300 to 450 extra calories as you progress to the third trimester.
To put these numbers into food, you may need to eat an extra slice of toast with peanut butter and a 125ml tub of full-cream yoghurt.
Protein is an extremely important component during pregnancy. Proteins form the building blocks for the physical structures of the growing fetus, such as the brain, organs and muscles.
The additional protein requirements also form part of the mother’s uterine and breast tissue growth. It is estimated that a pregnant woman requires about 71g of protein daily to meet these requirements.
Proteins can be found in various food sources such as lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs, beans, lentils, tofu, and dairy products.
A pregnant woman should aim to consume at least 2l of water per day. You might need even more water on hot summer days or during exercise. Finding a trusty water bottle may be a valuable attribute to both your pregnancy and breastfeeding journey.
A prenatal vitamin can help fill any nutritional gaps in your diet, especially for key nutrients like folic acid and iron.
Always consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplements.
Final thoughts
Good nutrition actually starts prior to falling pregnant. Nurturing your own body as the mother-to-be is the key to ensuring that you are at optimal health for the task of growing a healthy, strong baby.
While supplementation of these nutrients plays an important role during pregnancy, the dietary intake of these nutrients should be the main source.
Always consult with your healthcare provider to personalise your dietary needs, and remember that every pregnancy is unique.
By Caréne Joubert.
Also see: Think you’re pregnant? Here’s a list of early symptoms
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