Baby excitement and anticipation also mean adaptations. Not many people can claim to live a perfectly healthy lifestyle and that’s not 100% necessary either.
However, there are already quite a few things to consider at the point when the big decision is taken. This is particularly true for your nutritional habits. No worries though, your diet will not have to be made up of chewing roots, nettle salad and seaweed. Nevertheless, there are vitamins and minerals that are essential for yourself and your future child: Calcium, Folic Acid, Magnesium or Zinc for example. Find out with us, how to assure a plentiful supply of these and other goodies that will help you feel good during pregnancy, and that can positively contribute to reducing the risk of birth defects or complications during labour.
The base for a good pregnancy
At the point when the decision to have a baby is a done deal, worries start gripping the soon-to-be parents. The main preoccupations now revolve around the risks of pregnancy and birth, and quite frankly with anything and everything to do with the future wellbeing of the future child. These parental fears are completely natural, even helpful, as they start sharpening the motherly and fatherly instinct that is innate to every woman and man. Being passive about this in not an option anymore, instead there are ways to actively protect yourself and your little one.
Tailored nutrition
Nutrition plays a central role in this and it can be nicely adapted to the special requirements that the mum and the unborn child now have. Admittedly, terms like Calcium and Folic acid are not particularly appetising, but a little research into where these nutrients can be found are worth the while.
Balanced and nutritious
The main rule of a good nutrition, that applies to the period before pregnancy, is that varied and nutritious foods are indispensable. The foundation is made up of cereal (wholegrain where possible), fibre-rich fruit, vitamins, minerals and trace elements. Quality protein, multiple vitamins from the B-group and abundant calcium are best found in milk and other dairy products.
To be consumed in some moderation are meat, eggs and fish, albeit fish a little more since it offers quality protein, essential fatty acids and iodine.
An even smaller but nevertheless important amount of oils and fats should still be consumed. Besides from adding a little taste, some fats can help with the absorption of important nutrients. Vegetable oils such as olive, canola or sunflower are good sources of unsaturated fatty acids.