Babymoon Info
Pregnancy Nutrition When Babymoon
Travelling
Babymoon travelling is a trip to relax
and spend quality time with the partner before the baby
arrives. Many mother-to-be over focus on the trip itself and
tend to ignore the balanced diet during the vacation. A
balanced diet is the key to pregnancy nutrition. There are a
few nutrients that are very important and do deserve special
attention. Don't forget about the essential nutrients while
enjoying the babymoon.
The Four Essential Nutrients in the
list are:
- Folate and folic acid
- Calcium
- Protein
- Iron
Folate and folic
acid
This is the very fist nutrient that my gynae gave me when I was
pregnant. Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate found in
supplements and fortified foods. Why the folate or folid acid
so important? Folate is a B vitamin that helps prevent neural
tube defects, serious abnormalities of the brain and spinal
cord. You need 1 milligram (1000 micrograms) of folate or folic
acid during pregnancy. Lack of folate may increase the risk of
preterm delivery, low birth weight and poor fetal growth.
Therefore, when you are travelling during pregnancy, please
remember to take enough folate or folic acid.
Examples of good sources of naturally
occurring folate are cereal, meat, spinach, beans, asparagus
and orange. One small orange contains 30 micrograms of folic
acid. Fortified cereals are great sources of folic acid. If you
are eating outside, try to get 3/4 cup 100 percent fortifies
ready-to-eat cereal so that it gives you 400 micrograms of
folic acid.
Calcium
Generally, calcium is for strong bones and teeth. It is
important for you and your baby because if there's not enough
calcium in your diet, the calcium your baby needs will be taken
from your bones. Calcium also helps your circulatory, muscular
and nervous systems run normally. Products such as yogurt,
milk, cheese, juice and salmon are richest sources of calcium.
8 ounces plain, low fat yogurt contains 415 milligrams of
calcium and it is a good idea to bring some yogurt along the
trip. You can drink milk as your breakfast, 1 cup of skim milk
provides 306 milligrams of calcium. Orange juice also a good
choice other than milk. Ideally, the calcium you need is 1000
milligrams a day.
Protein
During the second and third trimesters, protein is very
important for your baby's growth. It also repairs your cells as
your body changes. The protein you need is 71 grams a day.
Examples of food rich with protein are poultry, fish, peanut
butter and eggs. 3 ounces chicken breast do contain 27.57 grams
of protein, and 3 ounces salmon also gives you 21.62 grams of
protein. When travelling, must always pay more attention to the
food you consume and always take your time to enjoy your
meal.
Iron
You need iron nearly doubles during pregnancy. Your body uses
iron to make hemoglobin, a protein in the red blood cells that
carries oxygen to your tissues. The risk of preterm delivery
and low birth weight may be higher if your don't get enough
iron. You may also become fatigued and more susceptible to
infections. Ideally, you need to take 27 milligrams of iron a
day. Fish, poultry and lean red meat provide you iron but it is
advised do not consume raw food during pregnancy. Make sure the
food is well cooked to protect you and your baby's health.
The above nutrients are essential during
your pregnancy. You can consult your doctor for special
supplements while plannig for your babymoon travelling. This is to make
sure that you will not miss out on key nutrients when having
a pleasant trip awaiting for the arriving of your
newborn.
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