Are you expecting a baby soon? Are you done with the preparations for the new member? But are you taking care of your health?
If no, then please take care of your health and the food that you are eating. It is very important as your baby is also dependent on you.
During pregnancy, the most important aspect that should be taken care of is the diet, because the growth of the foetus depends on the nutrition and the vitamins taken in by the mother.
As per Ayurveda, the nutrition taken in by the mother during pregnancy is essential to serve 3 most important things.
1.The nourishment of the mother herself.
2.The nourishment and the growth of the baby.
3.The preparation and formation of Stanya which means breast milk.
This is the reason why there is a need to focus on good diet during pregnancy. A good diet means good nutritional values. Any kind of negligence in the nourishment can affect the mental or the physical health of the baby.
This can even lead to miscarriage, premature delivery or the baby can be underweight.
This article will guide you to accurately plan your diet during pregnancy.
Table of Contents
Things To Be Taken Care Of During Pregnancy:
i. Have your meals at regular intervals.This helps in proper digestion and also keeps the mother healthy.
ii. The mother must not have stale food, fresh food should be prepared and eaten, that can be easily digested and should be healthy.
iii. Eating balanced diet food helps to deliver right nutrition to the mother and the baby.
iv. Also right amount of dietary supplements such as vegetable, milk, clarified butter and fresh fruits should be consumed regularly.
Diet Plan During The Months Of Pregnancy:
a. A glass of milk should be consumed every day, at least, two times a day especially during the 1st month of pregnancy.
You can flavor your milk with dry ginger, cardamom, Elaichi, etc or you can even use natural supplements such as dates, Manooka and Vidari.
b. In the second month, Ayurveda recommends taking in milk medicated with sweet herbs such as Bala and Shatavari. If you add 2 tablespoons of Shatavari then it will help serve the purpose.
c. In the third month, you must start adding ghee and honey to the milk. But the most important thing you must keep in mind is, honey should not be subjected to heat.
So, if suppose you are mixing 2 tbsps of ghee with 1 cup of milk then you should add 1 tbsp of honey to lukewarm milk.
d. In the 4th month, you must include unsalted butter with sugar crystals.
e. 5th month’s regime suggests increasing the intake of ghee either alone or with food. Minimum of 7-8 tbsp of ghee must be consumed in a day. Preferably you must include cow’s ghee only.
f. In the 6th month, you must include ghee medicated with sweet herbs such as Shatavari, liquorice and it should be consumed on an empty stomach.
g. The regime you have followed in the sixth month should be continued in the seventh month also.
h. In the 8th month, you must include sweet gruel in prepared milk as this proves very beneficial if taken in this month. You can make the gruel with rice semolina, wheat vermicelli, etc. It should be taken once in a day.
i. In the last month, you must administer Anuvasan Basti with medicated oil. This helps to enable the foetus in acquiring the normal position and also helps in attaining favourable conditions for normal labor.
So, we have learnt about some of the diet plans that should be included in particular months now let us look into the general diet that needs to be included throughout the pregnancy period.
Dairy Products To Be Included In Your Diet:
1. Milk:
Pasteurized milk along with Shatavari Kalpa which is an ayurvedic medicinal herb should be taken at least two times a day. This provides energy and is a good source of calcium.
Along with providing energy and calcium, it helps to provide vitamins A and B, which helps to promote foetal growth.It also helps in the generation of a good amount of breast milk after delivery.
2. Buttermilk:
You can take a small amount of freshly prepared homemade buttermilk after having your lunch. This helps in increasing appetite, reducing complaints related to gas and swelling, improving digestion and prevents constipation.
3. Butter:
1 or 2 spoons of butter alone or mixed with sugar crystals helps to provide strength, increases appetite, prevents constipation, adds a glow to the skin texture of mother and baby and keeps away the complaints of piles and fissures.
4. Ghee:
Ghee is the best item to take during pregnancy as it acts like medicine in reducing the pitta. It helps in providing internal lubrication to the body and also provides softness.
It also helps to build up mother’s stamina and strength.
Ghee is helpful in developing mental abilities such as increased concentration, grasping power, recalling memory, etc of the mother as well as the baby.
It is advisable for a pregnant lady every day to have a minimum of 7 to 8 tbsp of ghee either alone or with some food.
Other Food Items And Supplements:
When a lady gets pregnant, then there is an increase in the demand of food, nourishments, blood levels, energy and also nutritional supplements such as vitamins, fats, proteins, etc.
So few changes in the diet prove to be beneficial for pregnant women and her baby.
1. Iron Supplement:
There are some good sources of iron such as black currants, lemon, Indian gooseberry, green leafy vegetables, beet, dates, dry or fresh figs, pomegranates and jaggery.
These foods do not have any side effects such as constipation with are usually accompanied by iron tablets. One can even cook food in an iron vessel or can immerse preheated iron spoons into curry or dal for additional effects.
2. Proteins:
Dal, pulses, milk, lentils, eggs, sprouts especially cooked sprouts like moong, preparations such as roti, parantha made from flour of wheat or jowar can also serve the cause. Avoid eating soya beans, grams, chickpeas, kidney beans and also avoid eating uncooked sprouts.
3. Water And Fresh Juice:
Before drinking the water, boil it for minimum 15 minutes properly. For getting extra benefits you can also add 24 karat piece of gold into the boiling water.
The water that has been boosted with gold boosts immunity and also serves as a tonic for brain.
You can also drink coconut juice; it is a very rejuvenating drink. It not only helps to quench the thirst but also takes care of the level of water and during gravidity, it takes care of amniotic fluid.
Freshly prepared juice of a sweet lime, amla, kokam sherbet, pomegranate, lime juice can also be consumed in order to maintain baby’s and mother level of fluids.
The juice is also good for controlling acidity and also as nutritional supplements. Avoid drinking packaged juice because they contain preservatives.
4. Fruits:
If you are not used to having fruits make it a habit of consuming, at least, one fruit a day. Seasonal fruit should be included.
Fresh fruits such as apple, figs, chikoo, amla, pomegranate, and grapes are good for the health of both mother and the fetus.
And also keep one thing in mind, do not to consume sour lime, orange or grapes as this can initiate a cough. Eat sweet lime, sweet orange and grapes instead of sour ones.
Eat mangoes but eat in a small amount. Also, fruits such as pear, custard apples, watermelons and guava should be consumed in small quantity very rarely.
Completely and strictly avoid eating papaya, pineapple, kiwi and also milk shakes.
Unsulphured fruits are okay to eat but remember to soak them or make them into stew before eating. Banana is cold in energy so prefer eating it when it is cooked.
5. Dry Fruits:
Eat two almonds that have been soaked overnight as it serves as a tonic for brain. Dates that are soaked in ghee should be eaten as it provides the body with nutrition, maintains the hemoglobin level and also helps to strengthen bones.
Eating 15 to 20 black currant seeds facilitates proper digestion, it takes care of problems like acidity. It is also a good source of iron and also provides energy.
Having 2 dried figs in a day helps to boost the body with calcium and iron. It also helps to keep away constipation.
An apricot is useful to form healthy muscle tissue, build good taste in the mouth, increasing the appetite and also helps to conserve energy. In dry fruits avoid eating cashew nut, pistachio and walnuts.
6. Vegetables:
Bottle gourd, pumpkin, snake gourd, Ladies finger, potato, ridge gourd, carrots, winter gourd, cabbage, gherkins and bitter gourd are good for health.
Green peas, brinjal, cluster beans (guwaar fali), french beans, capsicum must be consumed less as its excess intake increases the pitta and vatta.
Green leafy vegetables such as spinach and fenugreek should be eaten.
Salads are good for supplementing essential vitamins like iron and minerals but should be taken in desirable amounts. If salads are taken excessively then, it can hamper digestion.
To serve additional benefits add fresh coriander (dhaniya), ginger, fresh mint and coconut. Avoid eating food such as corn, yams and mushrooms.
7. Aloe Vera And Junk Foods:
Completely avoid eating aloe vera. Also, frequent intake of bakery products, canned foods or frozen foods, packaged foods, fruit juice and fruits should be avoided.
Junk food such as burgers, Chinese food, pizza, cold drinks, aerated drinks and chips should be avoided. Also, avoid the usage of artificial colors, spicy and salty foods.
8. Panchamrut:
Panchamrut means 5 amrut. It is a combination of ghee, honey, curd, milk and sugar. This panchamrut is the energy booster for the mother as well as for the baby.
It is a good brain tonic. Every morning 2 to 4 tbsp of panchamrut should be taken in.
9. Honey:
Honey builds up intellect, skin texture and color, it is also good for eyes, helps to maintain the imbalance of doshas, reduces morning sickness and sharpens the memory.
10. Saffron:
Saffron should be taken with lukewarm milk and ghee this helps in enhancing the skin color and texture.It also strengthens the heart of the foetus.
11. Drink:
You can drink black tea and coffee but it would be better if you drink herbal tea and decaffeinated coffee. A cup of barley can be a good alternative to normal coffee.
Ginger tea is also very beneficial as it provides warmth and helps to remove mucus and toxins. It is also the best remedy for cold and cough.
12. Spices:
You must be liberal in using cumin seeds, coriander and fennel seeds as these increases the Agni.
All the fresh herbs, onion, ginger garlic, mustard seeds, nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves should be included in the diet.
You can make use of asafetida while cooking pulses as it helps to reduce the vata.
Pregnancy is a blessing and a gift from god. Cherish it but do take care of yourself.This is the most important thing. Preparations can wait but your health and your baby’s health is a major concern.
If you have any queries or suggestions then do write to us.
