The first trimester is a confusing time, whether you have been planning to conceive for a long time or if falling pregnant is a complete surprise. No-one really knows how to prepare and what to expect for pregnancy first time round. It is completely surreal and unless your hit with 'morning sickness' (for most all day nausea), most women do not tend to even really 'feel' pregnant in those early weeks. From finding out you are pregnant, your health is priority number 1. You need to start putting yourself first! Pregnancy is all about doing what is right for you, this means listening to your body.
The foods you eat and lifestyle choices you make will directly affect your pregnancy and the future health of your baby.The first trimester is often the most hardest and tiring for many women. One of the first symptoms of pregnancy can be extreme tiredness, which is not surprising considering your body is working over time with many hormonal changes , including increased progesterone and oestrogen. The most important thing to do during this time is to rest when you feel you need to rest, and eat what your hungry. Do not beat yourself up about not making your usual food choices. So many women message me feeling guilty about their eating habits changing in early pregnancy, beige foods are the usual go to as it is the only thing they can stomach. My one piece of advice is do not feel bad, if you fancy something have it. Your baby will take everything it needs from you to be healthy and leave you without, so eating well in pregnancy is as much for you and your energy levels.
Making sure you are getting the following nutrients will benefit you throughout pregnancy and your baby's growth and development especially during those first 12 weeks:
CALCIUM
Your body cannot make calcium, so you need to get it from foods or supplements. Most people assume they can only get calcium from dairy foods (milk, cheese, yoghurt) but dark green leafy vegetables are a rich source of calcium also, think spinach, kale, broccoli. Whilst pregnant the advice is to get 1,000 mg of calcium daily. This will help support your circulatory, muscular and nervous systems as well as strong bones and teeth for you and baby. For women following a plant based diet it is worth checking your pre natal supplement includes calcium (most do) and in addition to your greens, opting for fortified cereals and milks.
FOLIC ACID
To avoid any confusion, folic acid is the synthetic form of folate. No nutrient is more vital during pregnancy especially during the first trimester. It is advised to take a daily minimum of 400 micrograms folic acid (which can be found in a pre natal supplement) when trying for a baby continuing until12 weeks pregnant. Why? Many foods are rich in folate including beans, green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits and seafood however the folate in these foods is not as easily absorbed as a folic acid supplement. Folic acid will help reduce the the risk of birth defects including neural tube defects such as spina bifida, to read more about the importance of folic acid you may find this NHS article helpful.
IRON
Iron is a particularly important nutrient in pregnancy to prevent iron deficiency anemia. Your body need's double the amount of iron during pregnancy to make more blood to supply oxygen to baby. Not getting enough iron from food sources including lean red meat, poultry, seafood, beans and green vegetables can lead to developing anemia and becoming extremely fatigued. A severe deficiency can increase the risk of premature birth and postpartum depression. Most pre natal vitamins include iron but if your worried about your iron intake, this natural iron supplement is recommended. It is worth remembering iron is better absorbed in the body when taken with vitamin C such as orange juice, tomato juice, strawberries, spinach.
PROTEIN
Protein is essential for your baby's growth including the development of fetal tissue including the brain, making hormones and developing antibodies for their immune system. Every day, your baby will grow at a rapid rate so it is important to make sure your getting enough protein daily, a minimum of 75g to100g during pregnancy. Try including a portion of protein in your lunch and dinner including lean meat, poultry, fish, seafood, beans, eggs, nuts and tofu.
ZINC
In pregnancy, your baby will grow from a single cell to a little person with trillions of cells, so getting enough zinc in your diet is essential during this time for healthy brain development and function and a robust immune system. To reach the daily 7mg per day of this mineral, a healthy well balanced diet including wholegrains, milk products including products breakfast cereals fortified with zinc, red meat, poultry, chickpeas, cashews and almonds.
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Lisa x