Just the other day, someone in the family casually commented on my toddler’s hair quality. The first thought that came to my mind was, I should have probably eaten eggs. And I instantly felt guilty for not doing something that could have helped my child. But, unfortunately, I had a lousy aversion to strong-smelling foods during my pregnancy. It was the very reason I was not too fond of anything non-vegetarian. So I hardly ate an egg or chicken up until the last weeks of my pregnancy. 

Nutrient-Rich Diet Plan For Pregnant Ladies!

My toddler is over a year now, and I still wonder if I could have done things otherwise. As mothers, both expecting and otherwise, we try to give in our very best to our children. We try not to miss out on anything that could help the child now or in the long run. At most times, this takes a big sacrifice from our side. On a side note, we need to take a breather from that mentality. Understand that your child’s wellness depends on your sanity. You will have to think for the two of you right now. So cut yourself some slack. The fact that you are thinking about this makes you an alert and proactive mother already. 

Nutrition is one such aspect that stays at the forefront for mothers at all times. Nutrition plays a role in the child’s life from as early as the first single digited weeks. Fortunately, this Nutrition is derived from the mother. This puts things in the control of the carrying mother. However, with great power comes great responsibility. 

The growing child needs many healthy and nutritional foods throughout its growth within the mother’s body. However, it has specific requirements during different stages of its growth. The fetus’s growth is a gradual and steady process. The embryo gradually grows from a tiny cell to a blueberry’s size and then to the size of a raspberry. And as time progresses, the size of the baby develops further to that of melon and more. It’s a beautiful journey, and the baby starts responding to you eventually to make it all worth it for you. 

Why Trimester-Wise Pregnancy Diet Chart Is Helpful? 

A baby takes a little over nine months or 38 plus weeks to grow ultimately. During this time, it undergoes a world full of changes. It starts as a cell and rises to become a fully functional human. Coming to think of it, it’s a miracle in itself. Imagine creating a fully operational machine without seeing it for real. The baby has a fully developed digestive system and so much more. How do you think it happens so perfectly? As a mother, complete control lies with you. Nutrition in terms of food is a major booster for the child’s growth and development. 

Different trimesters have different necessities. For example, while the initial trimesters are when the baby needs many folates, the last weeks ask for more fats. 

A trimester-wise pregnancy food chart helps you provide your fetus with precisely what she needs at a specific time. 

• Supplying the fetus with the proper Nutrition at the right time ensures that they use it to the maximum benefit. 
• Allows you to eat an exciting and nutritionally rich variety of foods. 
• Trimester-wise, food charts make it easier for you to plan the proper meals and snacks. 
• A chart also helps you track what you have consumed and what food groups you might have missed. 
• It’s easy to get overwhelmed when advice on food keeps flowing from all possible sources around you. 

1️⃣ First Trimester 🤰

Your body is new to the surges of hormones and getting used to morning sickness now. The hormone progesterone makes things worse in terms of constipation and reflux etc. Some women lose the appetite for previously preferred foods during this trimester. Fortunately, things change during the second trimester. 

Your body’s calorific needs do not change much now as the fetus is still tiny. So you can aim at eating quality food. It means you can focus on touching base with your nutritional needs.

Nutritions Needed For First Trimester

Folate: The body needs lots of Folate, Folic acid, or Vitamin B9 is the most crucial nutrient related to prenatal health. It helps in avoiding neural tube defects. 

Requirement~ 600 mg per day. 

Protein: Protein helps in developing the muscles. It is something that both the developing fetus and the new mother need. Protein also helps in keeping uterine tissue growth in check. The uterus’s development and health are crucial as eventually, it will carry the fetus’s weight. 

Requirement~ 75 mg per day. 

Calcium: Your baby will need a lot of calcium to grow her new teeth and bones. Calcium deficiency will ensure that your body takes from your reserves and supplies the fetus’s growth. The lack can lead to bone problems later in life. 

Requirement~ 1000 mg per day. 

Iron: Iron helps in avoiding pregnancy anemia. 

Requirement~ 27 mg per day. 

Vitamin C: This nutritional group helps in bones and tissue development. It is also known to help in iron absorption. 

Requirement~ 85 mg per day. 

Potassium: This nutrient is more required for you than it is for the fetus. Potassium helps to keep your blood pressure in check and also looks after your body’s fluid balance.

Requirement~ 2900 mg per day. 

Omega-3 Fatty acid: It plays a significant role in developing the growing fetus’s brain. You will eventually see your baby’s head during your scans.

Best 1st Trimester Foods

Lean Meats: You don’t want to feel loaded with spicy and heavy foods during this stage of your pregnancy. Use leaner cuts of meat and stir fry them or boil them to make a proper meal. 

Yoghurt or Curd: These are rich in calcium and vitamin C. The sour and creamy cold texture makes them even more appealing. Have them with salads, as dips, or fix a smoothie. 

Beans and Lentils: these are versatile little powerbombs. They are packed with nutrients and rich in vegetable proteins. You can make soups or make salads with them. Green leafy vegetables, kale & spinach are rich in minerals and fibers. 

Soybean and related products: These carry folate, calcium, proteins, and some iron too. These are everything you need now. However, excess consumption could make you gassy too.

2️⃣ Second Trimester 🤰

You have settled in now and are feeling a lot better. It is said that the second trimester is the honeymoon period of pregnancy. The risks of a miscarriage are comparatively low now. You are more likely to feel very calm and energized too. This period is when the child’s bones are developing and becoming more assertive. The baby’s brain is also forming beautifully. You might also get urges to eat foods you hated in the first trimester. 

It’s wise to stick to healthy pregnancy foods and not gorge on junk just because you don’t have acidity anymore. 

This trimester is relaxed. This trimester is when the baby’s sex will become more apparent, its toenails will develop, and eyes will move too. 

Nutritions Needed For Second Trimester

Vitamin C & D: Vitamin C plays a significant role in developing the child’s bone strength. Likewise, vitamin D helps in the child’s developing eyesight. 

Magnesium: Magnesium helps in protein synthesis and rescues the chances of fetal growth restrictions. 

Calcium and Omega-3 are essential as well.

Best 2nd Trimester Foods

Milk and Milk Products – You could grab a glass of milk and top it with the choicest of nut butter or powders. You can have crackers along with cream cheese as a snack. 

Cabbage, Okhra, Brocolli, and Green Beans are good folate iron and other crucial minerals.

Sunflower and Pumpkin Seeds are rich in iron, magnesium, and omega-3. These could be used as toppings for smoothies, breakfast bowls, or eaten as a homemade trail mix.  

3️⃣ Third Trimester 🤰

You are in your final trimester, and it feels like you have been pregnant for ages now. At least, that’s how I felt! You are an equal amount excited and nervous for the new life growing within you. The child has increased significantly and will be about 17-20 inches in length. It has a nearly functional digestive system, and its lungs are developing too. The child will respond to sound and light too. This stage of pregnancy is highly crucial and exciting. 

Nutritions Needed For Third Trimester

What you eat during this final trimester goes a long way in deciding your child’s overall health. This trimester is when the child’s metabolism starts kicking into action. As a result, the baby gains weight rapidly at this time. In addition, most other body parts start taking shape. The food you feed on now goes into accelerating these crucial developments. 

Healthy Fats: Healthy fats help you to heal better after delivery. It also helps in lactation after the child is feeding off you. 

Calcium: The child’s bones are proliferating. Calcium helps in strengthening them and also in their growth. It also allows you to feel less tired after the delivery. 

Proteins: The child’s growing muscles and tissues need proteins. Proteins help in strengthening them and give them structure. 

Vitamin B6: It will help you in metabolizing all the extra proteins. 

Omega-3s: It is known to reduce the chances of preterm labour and help develop the child’s brain. 

Zinc: It is known to avoid preterm births and also reduces the risk of prolonged labour. 

Best 3rd Trimester Foods

• Eggs and lean meats
• Milk and associated products
• Whole foods like nut loaves of bread and nut butter
• Green leafy vegetables
• Lentils and beans

Many women suffer from zinc deficiencies, as it seems like a very trivial thing. I am one among them. My labour lasted for 13 long hours, and I cried bloody murder. Every second of that 13 hours felt like a minute long. However, I will never know the exact reason behind it. 

Parting Thoughts

My personal experience teaches me that some things are just beyond our control. I am glad I gave in my best and expected things to work accordingly. Most things did, and I am happy about them. I don’t have the regret of not giving it a try. 

There is no way to know if my child’s hair quality directly results from my aversion to eggs. But I know I did something(err, most things) right when I see a healthy & happy toddler sneakily climbing up my work table as I type this!