Every healthy diet begins and ends with three components: protein, fat and carbohydrates. Every food that is eaten can be categorized into one or the other of these groups. All three are important in the diet; however, they should not be eaten in the same amounts. Your doctor or health care provider can help you to determine the best diet for you, which becomes even more important during pregnancy and afterward if you intend to breastfeed your baby. Yes, your caloric needs will increase, even if you are already overweight when you find out that you are pregnant, however, you will need to make sure that you are firstly, gaining the right amount of weight, and secondly, adding the right nutritional compounds to your diet. Not only will you be eating to help your baby grow and develop, you will also be eating to keep yourself healthy and strong. The diet type of each pregnant woman will change from trimester to trimester, with each part of the change being especially important for the growing embryo.
Protein: Before Conception to the End of the First Trimester
The average, healthy woman should be getting between.4 and.8 grams of protein per kilogram of her body weight, depending on her activity level. If she is doing light to moderate exercises two to three times per week, she can up the level to around.5 grams. On the other hand, if she is doing very intense exercise that lasts between 30-60 minutes four days a week or more, she should up the protein intake to around.8 grams. A woman who is body building, training for a marathon or a similar activity may need as much as 1.2 grams of protein. Once she becomes pregnant, her need for better nutrition, including additional protein, will increase as well.
The average woman will need a minimum of 60 grams of protein per day during her pregnancy, or more if she is carrying twins. This additional protein is needed for not only the physical growth and development of the baby, but for the development of the placenta, amniotic tissue and maternal tissues. A mother's blood volume increases by about 50%. Protein is needed to create these new blood cells as well as for circulating proteins. (Source: Medio-Consult Nutrition Services)
Women who are having problems with morning sickness during the first trimester of pregnancy may benefit from having a high protein, high carbohydrate diet. However, they should limit the amount of fat, especially in the form of fried foods. The carbohydrates should be complex, such as those found in vegetables and whole grain foods. (Source: Nancy E. Polatty, RNC, JS, JD, CNS, of the University of Nevada at Reno)
For women who are especially troubled by morning sickness, it might be easier to split meals into smaller portions and never go longer than two to three hours without eating. If you want to add a small snack in between meals, opting for a liquid protein supplement is a good idea.
Second Trimester
During the second trimester, the additional blood volume, as well as the expanding uterus and increased levels of the hormone estrogen, can cause edema, especially in the legs, feet and hands. One of the easiest ways to combat this is by increasing the protein intake. There is a misconception that the minute you find out that you are pregnant you need to start piling on the protein. This is simply not true - your increased needs progress slowly during the pregnancy and for different reasons. In month one through three, the need was to help establish the embryo, placenta and amniotic sac. The additional protein also worked to help combat the physical discomfort of morning sickness that plagues many women. For the rest of the pregnancy, protein needs will remain at this level so that the baby continues to develop and grow strong.
Third Trimester
Your need for protein continues during the final three months of pregnancy for a number of reasons. First, eating a diet that is high in protein, vitamins and minerals can minimize the development and appearance of any stretch marks. Second, you will need the additional protein for the energy required for labor and childbirth. By now your intake should be up to the recommended 60 grams per day, however, your own doctor might suggest a different amount based on your own nutritional needs.
Lactating New Mothers
Immediately after birth and for around six months or so afterward, you will continue to need more protein than you normally do so that your body can continue the process of repairing itself after the trauma of birth, as well as to make the breast milk that your baby will need to be healthy and strong. There is no formula that is more perfect than your own milk for your growing baby, and your protein intake will make sure that it provides all of the nutrients that he needs as well. There is no higher time of need for protein than in the first six months following birth, when the recommended daily allowance is 2.2 grams per kg of body weight. After age six months, the amount drops slightly to two grams and then slowly decreases as the child grows. Remember that not only is this the time period of the greatest protein need, it is also the time of the greatest growth of your baby as well. The baby that started his life at between 7 and 9 pounds (the average is just over 8 pounds) will enter his first year weighing twenty pounds or more.
The breastfeeding mother must make sure that she is getting around 500 extra calories per day as well as enough liquids to make sure that she is making enough milk (baby should wet six to eight diapers each day and be steadily gaining weight). In addition, mom should be getting an extra 20 grams of protein per day while she is breastfeeding.
Protein needs for mothers will slowly decrease as she loses weight, however, the doctor will give recommendations for proper nutrition for the postpartum period. Because this is a time in a mother's life that is very hectic, she may not be taking the time that she needs for proper nutrition. While getting nutrition from whole, freshly made foods it best, it may not always be possible. Using a protein supplement that is fast to consume, not loaded with a lot of additional sugar and which gives plenty of absorbable protein is a good option.
Mothers who have any special health concerns will need to be monitored by their doctor more carefully and will have different protein and nutrition needs. It is important to follow the advice of your doctor or other medical practitioner.
References
Medio-Consult Nutrition Services
Nancy E Polatty, RNC, JS, JD, CNS, University of Nevada at Reno from the book: Ask a Nurse: From Home Remedies to Hospital Care Edited by Geraldine Bednash, PhD. RN, FAAN. Simon and Schuster New York New York 2001
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