Essential Nutrition for a Healthy Pregnancy (Day by Day).
September 2, 2024
Maintaining a healthy, balanced diet during pregnancy is crucial for both the mother-to-be and her baby. Everything a pregnant woman eats directly impacts her baby’s nutrition, as the baby relies on the mother’s diet for essential nutrients. A well-rounded diet should include a variety of healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, and proteins to support the baby's growth and development. However, choosing the best foods for your health and your baby's can be challenging.
If you're unsure about what to eat during pregnancy, here’s a list of recommended foods packed with the nutrients necessary for your baby's optimal growth.
|
Week Days |
Pre-Breakfast Snack |
Morning Breakfast |
Mid-Morning Snack |
Lunch |
Evening Snack |
Dinner |
|
Day 1 |
8-12 pieces of dry fruits including soaked almonds, walnuts. |
Moongdal chilla-3 +pudina/chanadal or peanut chutney-2 tsp |
Almond milk or strawberries milk shake (1 cup) |
1.5 cup paneer biryani + Cucumber onion Raita (½ cup) |
Sweet potato salad (cooked with 200 gms of sweet potato, 1 pinch of chat masala, and 1 tsp lemon juice) + light tea (1 cup) |
Wheat dosa 3 + ½ cup bitter gourd sabji |
|
Day 2 |
Homemade fruit juice with strawberries, pomegranate, guava, or oranges (1 glass) |
Wheat dosa-4 + Tomato sabji (½ cup) |
Vegetable soup made with brocolli and garlic (1 bowl) |
1.5 cup rice + 1 piece of chicken + 1 cup carrot sabji |
Mixed fruit salad made of apple,guava, and berries of your choice (1 medium-sized plate) |
Moongdal chilla-3 +pudina/peanut chutney-2 tsp |
|
Day 3 |
Banana dryfruit milkshake (1 glass) |
Veggie-rich sevai or upma (1 cup) + 2 medium-sized parathas |
Bottle guard soup or pumpkin soup (1 bowl) |
1.5 cup fish biryani + Cucumber onion Raita (½ cup) |
Roasted makhana 1 cup and 2whole wheat toast |
Multigrain toast (2 in no.) with two sunny side up eggs |
|
Day 4 |
Carrot , beetroot juice (1 glass) |
Oatmeal (1 cup) with nuts and seeds,+ 2 boiled eggs |
Almond milkshake (1 glass) and 1 fruit of your choice |
1.5 cup rice, soychunks curry + 1 bowl masoor daal |
Mixed fruit salad made of apple, mango and berries of your choice (1 medium-sized plate) |
Veggie-rich poha (1 cup) + 2 moong dal chillas |
|
Day 5 |
1 plain glass of milk and nuts |
Veggie-rich poha (1 cup) + 2 moong dal chillas |
Tamatar or tomato soup (1 bowl) |
1.5 cup chicken biryani + cucumber onion raita (½ cup) |
Vegetable salad (1 plate) made with voiled chana, carrots, cucumber, tomatoes and onions |
Multigrain toast (2 in no.) with two sunny side up eggs |
|
Day 6 |
Soaked Overnight almonds and walnuts 10 |
Oatmeal (1 cup) + 2 boiled eggs |
Kaddu or pumpkin soup (1 bowl) |
1.5 cup rice, 1 piece fish + 1 bowl masoor daal |
Roasted moong or roasted chana 1 cup and 1 apple. |
Wheat roti -3 + Tomato sabji (½ cup) and yogurt |
|
Day 7 |
1 plain glass of milk with 2 tsp dryfruits powder |
Veggie-rich sevai or upma (1 cup) + 2 medium-sized parathas |
2 boiled eggs and 1 tbsp each sunflower and pumpkin seeds. |
1.5 cup vegetable khichdi + 1 piece chicken + 1 small bowl of dahi |
1 medium-sized avocado with 2 Multigrain toast |
Veggie-rich poha (1 cup) + 2 moong dal chillas |
READ: Nutrition During Pregnancy
Foods and Beverages to Avoid During Pregnancy
- High Mercury Fish: Fish with high mercury levels can accumulate in your bloodstream, potentially harming your baby’s developing nervous system and brain.
- Undercooked or Raw Fish: Raw fish may harbor parasites, bacteria, or microorganisms that could pose a risk to your baby’s health.
- Undercooked, Raw, and Processed Meat: Processed meats may contain listeria, which can cause food poisoning and vomiting. Raw and undercooked meats may carry bacteria and microorganisms that could lead to illness.
- Raw Eggs: Avoid raw eggs as they can harbor salmonella bacteria, which can cause food poisoning, vomiting, and diarrhea.
- Organ Meat: High in vitamin A, organ meat can lead to excessive levels of this vitamin, potentially causing congenital malformations and miscarriage, particularly in the first trimester.
- Caffeine: Caffeine increases heart rate and blood pressure, both of which can be detrimental during pregnancy. Additionally, caffeine can cross the placenta, affecting your baby.
- Raw Sprouts: Raw sprouts thrive in warm, humid conditions ideal for bacterial growth, such as Salmonella and E. coli, which can make you ill.
- Unwashed Produce: Consuming unwashed fruits and vegetables can expose you to Toxoplasma gondii, a harmful parasite often found in undercooked meat and contaminated produce.
- Unpasteurized Milk, Cheese, and Fruit Juice: These products may contain harmful bacteria like E. coli, Listeria, and Campylobacter jejuni, which can lead to foodborne illnesses.
- Alcohol: Drinking alcohol, especially in the first trimester, can cause structural defects and abnormal facial features in the baby.
- Processed Junk Foods: These foods can increase toxic substances like acrylamide in your body, which may be harmful to your baby.
For personalized dietary recommendations, especially if you have food allergies or specific health concerns, consider consulting with a nutritionist for a tailored plan.
Dt. V Krishna Deepika
Consultant Dietician
Apollo Cradle & Children’s Hospital, Kondapur, Hyderabad
For appointment, call 1860 500 4424
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