Nutrition during pregnancy is important. Pregnant women's food has an affect on the pregnancy, on the fetal development and also on the health of the mother and child. The pregnant mother's body is subject to greater demands to ensure fetal development as well as the growth, health and functioning of the uterus, placenta and amniotic fluid. A daily increase of 150 calories in food consumption is recommended at the start of pregnancy, which will eventually reach an extra 250 calories a day by the end of pregnancy. This entails a "double-shot" in the form of a daily glass of milk during the first trimester and an additional piece of fruit or slice of bread during the final six months. While weight gain is normal, the mother-to-be should not let herself starting "eating for two" (or more). The average weight gained is between 9 and 12 kg (20 to 26 lbs), although there is a natural variation between individuals. With overweight women, it may be less, while thinner women may gain more.
It has always been known as a wives tale that you could somewhat change your diet to determine the sex of your baby. Many thought that they could eat certain foods that would give them a better chance for a girl or boy. Well now there has been a study by British scientists that proves that you can indeed determine the sex of your child through food!!Therefore food plays a very important role in determining not only the healthy formation of a baby but also the sex of your child.
I was lucky enough because I didn’t go through vomiting or leg swelling.I did not experience much problems with my first pregnancy but I did go thru with bleeding with my second pregnancy.As for food I eat ,I have to admit I was not very serious about it. No restriction .I was crazy of nasi lemak ,that I think I have visited several stalls around Melaka hunting for the best Nasi Lemak!!Even when I went outstation I hunted for Nasi Lemak stalls.Seriously no one would advised you to take Nasi Lemak frequently as its rich with coconut milk!When I was 7 months pregnant I felt like drinking cincau(grass jelly).The woman who sold the drink advised me not to drink because its not good for the baby.Ever since then I was careful .
It has always been known as a wives tale that you could somewhat change your diet to determine the sex of your baby. Many thought that they could eat certain foods that would give them a better chance for a girl or boy. Well now there has been a study by British scientists that proves that you can indeed determine the sex of your child through food!!Therefore food plays a very important role in determining not only the healthy formation of a baby but also the sex of your child.
I was lucky enough because I didn’t go through vomiting or leg swelling.I did not experience much problems with my first pregnancy but I did go thru with bleeding with my second pregnancy.As for food I eat ,I have to admit I was not very serious about it. No restriction .I was crazy of nasi lemak ,that I think I have visited several stalls around Melaka hunting for the best Nasi Lemak!!Even when I went outstation I hunted for Nasi Lemak stalls.Seriously no one would advised you to take Nasi Lemak frequently as its rich with coconut milk!When I was 7 months pregnant I felt like drinking cincau(grass jelly).The woman who sold the drink advised me not to drink because its not good for the baby.Ever since then I was careful .
Once you are pregnant start to decide where you want to deliver your baby. Consult a gynaecologist in the early stage of pregnancy.See a doctor to get screened for any health conditions that may threaten a full term pregnancy.Known risk factors include diabetes ,anemia,high blood pressure,hypothyroidism ,obesity,STDs and urinary tract infections . In this way, you will be advised if there are any complication during child delivery.The mistakes most couple do is that they only start consulting a gynea at about 6 months of pregnancy or some even around 8 months. Sometimes certain complication can be avoided with the advice of a gynea.
No women ever expects to give birth prematurely,yet eight percent of babies born in Malaysia are born before the 37th week of pregnancy. These babies need extra care and special healthcare to make them gain the correct weight.There is another type of babies born known as light due babies.These babies have reach the full 37th week of pregnancy but are underweight.My first born was one such baby.This could be due to my dislike towards milk. The smell of milk kinds of give me the vomiting sensation in the pit of my stomach!!
You’ve probably heard about DHA and AA ,and how they can help support your baby’s brain development.But did you know that your own body is one of the best sources of DHA and AA?What you need is essential Fatty acids or EFA (also known as Omega 3 and Omega 6).Eating salmon would help give you the suffient omega 3 since its rich with it.Your body naturally converts EFA into appropriate amounts of DHA and AA your baby needs at different stages of pregnancy.Thats why it is important to increase your intake of EFA while you are pregnant.The trouble is ,your body does not produce EFA naturally.You can get it from your daily diet.Drink plenty of milk as these will help in the development of your baby.There are many milk products available in the market for pregnant mums.For those who don’t like milk, there are flavoured milk available nowadays like chocolate and strawberry flavours. Try consuming that for the benefit of your baby.
I have a created a simple tofu recipe for pregnant mums. Most recipes of steamed tofu have very limited vegetables in it, the sauce plays a very important ingredient that gives taste to a bland tofu.The vegetables here is enough to give the proper servings for a pregnant mum.
This does not mean only a pregnant mum should eat this dish , its a wonderful dish that can be served for family and friends. When handling the tofu be very careful. The tofu I used is water base, therefore it will break when handling with hand. Place a heat proof plate upward the tofu and turn the tofu packet upside down so that it slowly fits on a plate.
Tofu is manufactured from soya beans. The beans are ground into an emulsion, then curdled with salt or a mild acid. The very mild flavour characteristic of tofu makes it an extremely versatile product which can be used in both sweet and savoury dishes. It contains the eight essential amino acids and is easily digestible. Tofu is usually packed in water and should always be packed in water in the fridge. Tofu is a low-calorie, easily digested source of protein. The nutritional breakdown below compares a half-cup (100gms) of water-packed silken tofu with the same amount of roasted, skinless chicken breast. Tofu is a calorie bargain: 100 grams have roughly half the calories of 100 grams of chicken. Gram for gram, tofu is slightly higher in fat, but it packs a whopping 20% of your daily calcium needs.
Folic acid, sometimes called folate, is a B vitamin (B9) found mostly in leafy green vegetables like kale and spinach, orange juice,broccoli, and enriched grains. Folic acid plays a large role in cell growth and development, as well as tissue formation of a child.
Asparagus is low in fat and high in fibre,asparagus is also rich in vitamins A,C and K and potassium.Recent research shows that it contains folic acid too,which is crucial for a healthy cardiovascular system as well as preventing birth defects if you are pregnant.
Folate is also found in cauliflower, which is a B vitamin that is needed for cell growth and replication. For this reason, it is often recommended that women who are pregnant or may become pregnant eat significant amounts of cauliflower in order to help their unborn children develop properly. Therefore add in all these vegetables in your daily diet.
I came across a healthy food guide for pregnant women and am sharing it with all of you.
Eat most :rice,bread,noodles,cereals (8 to 12 servings)
Eat more :Vegetables and Fruits(at least 3 to 5 servings)
Eat in moderation: Meat,fish ,poultry,eggs,dry beans,nuts (2 to 3 servings)
Eat in moderation: Milk,yogurt and cheese (1 to 2 servings)
Eat little: fats,oils,sugar and salt
300gm (1 packet) smooth tofu
4 asparagus (cut diagnolly)
½ a cup of sliced red,yellow and green capsicum
4-5 snow pea (halve)
2 baby corns (cut diagnolly)
A few pieces of broccoli and cauliflower
2 sprigs spring onion (the bottom part only,cut into a few segments)
2 calamansi leaves/ daun limau purut
2 lemon grass(bottom part only,bruised lightly)
1 garlic (chopped finely)
1 tbsp minced chicken meat
½ tsp sesame oil
½ tsp cooking oil
Sauce
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
½ tbsp oyster sauce
2 tsp sugar
11/2 tsp cornflour
¼ cup water
Garnishing
Half a red chilli
Chopped spring onions
Mix all the sauce ingredients in a bowl , keep aside.
In a wok, heat both cooking oil and sesame oil , saute chopped garlic until aromatic .Add in minced meat stir so that it does not tangle.Dish out.
In a heat proof plate , place the tofu in the middle, Place in a circular motion broccoli,cauliflower, asparagus,baby corns, spring onions, clalamansi leaves, and lemon grass. Steam for 4 mins in rapid boiling water.Open the lid, add in capsicum, snow pea, and chicken pieces. Pour in the sauce all over the vegetables and tofu slowly. Steam for another 3 mins.Garnish with red chilli and spring onions. Serve immediately.
This recipe is my contribution for the event Food for 7 stages of life - Pregnancy (Zero hour)hosted by Sourashtra Kitchen and Sudeshna's 'Cook like a bong'
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