Written by Pamela Lim,  https://joyfulparenting.sg

CLEAN nutrition is of vital importance throughout the prenatal period and during breastfeeding. Ideally, eating clean before conception is best, but if this hasn’t occurred yet, now is the time!

Your baby is literally made from what you eat!  By eating and drinking well you will be giving you and your baby some of the best pregnancy insurance as well as life

Always emphasize true organic foods.  Ideally, buy local or buy organic. Unprocessed (Avoid ham, hotdogs or luncheon meats), fresh meats or other protein sources like whole milk, organic plain yogurt, lots of vegetables, real cheese, and whole grain breads. (To be avoided if gluten sensitive.)  Please read the labels and learn what you are feeding your placenta/baby and beware of deceptive labelling!  Eliminate all sweet fizzy, coffee, black teas, and the so-called “juice” drinks.  Raw & or fresh is best, frozen is okay, but canned is useless, regardless of the fruit or vegetable.

Salt is to taste and should not be restricted.  Too little or too much salt can cause elevated blood pressure and edema and moderation is the key.  The commonly used better salts are “Real Salt” or Celtic (grey), Sea Salt. These are mineral laden salts. Use of foods that are cured with salt are best omitted. In other words, avoid salted chips, pickles, olives, nuts, processed or luncheon meats etc.

Pregnancy is not a time to diet.  The weight gained with quality food in pregnancy is desirable and different than the weight gained on junk food.  Always eat QUALITY food, and you will gain what you and your baby need.  Do not overeat.  Pregnant mothers need to drink a lot of fluids. 

You should eat slowly, chew well, and eat until you’re full.  If you are not very hungry or nauseous, this could be because of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).  Small, frequent snacks of high-quality food, usually a complex carbohydrate, can help alleviate this problem. You need quality food (especially protein) and fluids to grow a healthy baby, so keeping it down is important. Try eating something when you get up at night to go to the bathroom; preferably a complex carbohydrate or milk product. This happens frequently in the first trimester, because the appetite has not yet caught up with the increased demand for nutrients. 

Be careful adding foods to your diet, which have been restricted for some time.  If necessary, slowly integrate to avoid a reaction. They tend to cause an excessive amount of mucous, which taxes your system and may create disease.

Each woman and pregnancy are unique and each will find for herself the optimal diet if her general dietary habits are steered in the right direction.

Always helpful to be mindful of these things before and after you eat

1. Protect your precious family!
2. Fresh, Organic, vine-ripened and raw IS BEST!  – The more processed the less nutritional value.
3. True organic is nutritionally dense, non-organic usually minimally nourishing and is chemically laden. Inevitably, causing disease in our body.
4. Read labels and become familiar with non-foods and toxic chemicals, so you avoid them. No GMO’s or excitotoxins.
5. Be aware of sugar intake. Simple sugars and through complex carbohydrates. Too much sugars can make large and unhealthy baby’s.
6. Eat for health and performance. EAT RAW FOOD SNACKS and capitalize on SUPERFOODS.
7. Learn the language of your body’s nutritional needs. Listen to your internal “voice”. Disease is produced by unhealthy indulgences. Stay alkaline! On our plates there should be 80% alkaline and 20% acid foods.
8. When you very occasionally indulge in decadent but healthy treats, enjoy it!
9. Always drink half your body weight of water in ounces.
10. The least toxic, non-organic fruits and vegetables are: onions, avocado, sweet corn, pineapple, mangos, sweet peas, asparagus, kiwi, cabbage, eggplant, cantaloupe, watermelon, grapefruit, sweet potato, honeydew melon.

You may not feel it now – but you will experience the results of your good or bad eating habits later. Do remember that chemicals, artificial food enhancers and salt reign in restaurants and food centres!

Prenatal care is what happens between prenatal’s and so the rest is up to you!