Your baby makes special demands on your diet during pregnancy and breastfeeding. From now on, you must provide optimal nutrition for two individuals, because all the nutrition that the unborn/newborn baby needs, it gets through the umbilical cord or through breast milk.
| Follow the basic rules of nutrition during pregnancy: a pregnant woman should not thirst and should not starve. But: do not eat “for two”! |
In the first three months of pregnancy, you do not need extra calories. From the 4th month, it can be up to three hundred calories per day more. Be sure to eat a full and varied diet, considering all food groups as much as possible:
- Dairy products
- Fish/meat/eggs
- Fats
- Fruit
- Vegetables
- Cereal products
Proteins (protein)
Protein should be about 10% of the daily energy requirement. Good sources of protein are meat, fish, egg, dairy products and legumes.
Fats
The recommended amount of fat is approximately 35% of daily energy needs. Prefer vegetable fat spreads and cold-pressed oils (olive oil, linseed oil, nut oil). Eat walnuts and hazelnuts as well as fresh sea fish (herring, mackerel, salmon, turbot) once or twice a week. These contain the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids – EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) – which are of great importance for the rapidly growing organism of the unborn child for the healthy development of the brain, central nervous system and eyes. During breastfeeding, the newborn receives the omega-3 fatty acids through breast milk. Refrain from freshwater fish, smoked fish and salted herring.Watch out for hidden fats!
Carbohydrates
| The large proportion of the diet – circa 55% of the daily energy requirement – should contain only carbohydrates. Give preference to whole-grain products such as whole-grain bread, cereals, grain fritters, brown rice, whole-grain pasta and bran. |
Avoid white flour products and refined white sugar and dextrose.
Vital nutrients (micronutrients)
You should pay special attention to the adequate intake of the following vital substances:
- Folic acid – Make sure you have an adequate supply even before pregnancy; folic acid helps build and form the embryonic nervous system; it prevents so-called neural tube defects, such as “open back”.
- Iodine – According to WHO criteria, there is a mild iodine deficiency in Germany. Particularly at risk are heavy smokers / inside, pregnant and breastfeeding women and infants and young children.
- Iron – The amount of blood of the mother increases during pregnancy and at the same time the blood formation of the child also needs iron.
During pregnancy and lactation, according to the recommendations of the German Nutrition Society (DGE), the need for iron increases. The pregnant woman needs 30 mg of iron daily and breastfeeding 20 mg (instead of 15 mg per day for non-pregnant or non-breastfeeding women). Iron deficiency can lead to a higher risk of preterm birth, low birth weight, and fetal developmental delays. A good source of iron is, for example, lean meat (especially beef). Furthermore, favor green vegetables such as broccoli, as well as strawberries and cereal products (cereals and bread).
| Notice. Iron is better absorbed by the body if you take it with a vitamin C-containingfood – such as orange juice; tea andcoffee, on the other hand, inhibit the absorption of iron. |
Notes on the consumption of stimulants
Please do not drink more than two to three cups of coffee or black tea a day. In addition to inhibiting iron absorption, caffeine leads to increased fluid excretion, so you will excrete more of the important minerals calcium and magnesium in your urine. In addition, scientific studies show that more than three cups of coffee or black tea per day increases the risk of miscarriage, premature birth and stillbirth. Alcohol is prohibited during pregnancy and breastfeeding! Alcohol consumption can lead to growth retardation, malformations as well as brain dysfunction and addiction risk for the unborn child. Smoking and passive smoking should also be stopped before pregnancy.Tobacco use increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, cancers such as leukemia, mental retardation, behavioral disorders, hyperactivity, bronchial asthma, diabetes mellitus, and obesity.
Other important notes
During pregnancy, be sure to avoid raw meat, raw sausage – salami, Mettwurst, Teewurst – raw ham and tartar. These foods can transmit to you the so-called toxoplasmosis, which can seriously harm the unborn child. Please make sure to always cook meat thoroughly.The diseases listeriosis (bacterial infectious disease, multiplication of white blood cells) and brucellosis (bacterial infectious disease, flu-like, can affect organs) can be transmitted by eating raw meat, raw sausage, raw milk and raw milk cheese. Raw salmon can also transmit the disease listeriosis.
Ostipation (constipation)
Many women suffer from constipation during pregnancy. The cause is the changed hormone balance – the intestinal function is restricted.A high-fiber diet – fruit, vegetables, whole-grain bread, whole-grain products such as muesli or whole-grain flakes, prunes and prune juice – can prevent or relieve the symptoms. Drink about 2 to 2.5 liters of mineral water a day.Exercise also prevents constipation because it stimulates bowel function. Engage in moderate exercise such as swimming or 20- to 30-minute walks at a faster pace two to three times a week.
