Healthy dietary guide for pregnant women
Four months of pregnancy is one of the fastest growing periods for the baby. At this time, the mother\’s diet plays a vital role in the baby\’s development. The following are dietary health guidelines that pregnant women need to pay attention to when they are four months pregnant.
Eat more protein foods
During the four months of pregnancy, the baby\’s organs and body begin to form, so the mother\’s body needs a large amount of protein to support the baby\’s growth. Pregnant women can choose protein sources such as chicken, fish, poultry, beans and nuts. In addition, dairy products and eggs are also good sources of protein, but because some pregnant women are not sensitive to dairy products and eggs, they should seek medical advice before consuming them. Additionally, it is important for pregnant women to ensure that meat is fully cooked to avoid contracting germs from eating raw meat.
Get enough iron and folic acid
Iron and folic acid are two nutrients that are essential for your growing baby during pregnancy. Iron not only helps make the placenta, but also helps red blood cells carry oxygen to the mother and fetus. Folic acid can prevent neural tube defects in babies at birth. Foods with high iron content include meat, tenderloin, chicken, pork liver, etc. Food sources of folate include spinach, beans, and citrus fruits.
Eat more fruits and vegetables
Eating enough fruits and vegetables during pregnancy can provide your baby with adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals. The diet should include fresh fruits and vegetables, especially green vegetables such as spinach, rape, and asparagus. These vegetables are rich in folic acid and iron, which can effectively reduce the risk of diseases caused by a lack of these two nutrients. At the same time, choose fine-grained meats, nuts, rapeseed oil and other foods to maintain a certain amount of fat intake to maintain the fat needed for fetal development.
Pay attention to food safety and cooking methods
The immune system of pregnant women becomes more fragile during pregnancy, so pregnant women should avoid eating raw or unprocessed foods, such as oysters and raw meat. At the same time, in order to avoid various germs in food, pregnant women need to ensure that all high-protein foods such as eggs and chicken are cooked thoroughly. Foods such as ham, sandwich meats and other meat products, and soft cheeses such as blue cheese should also be avoided. Be sure to pay attention to dietary hygiene and avoid ingesting pathogenic bacteria.
To sum up, pregnant women must ensure a balanced diet during the four months of pregnancy, consume enough protein, iron, folic acid, vitamins and minerals, and avoid eating raw foods and unsafe foods. A reasonable diet can not only ensure the healthy growth of the baby, but also help reduce discomfort during pregnancy and improve the immunity of pregnant women.
