Διατροφή και εγκυμοσύνη

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A balanced diet during your pregnancy is important not only for you but even more so for your baby's healthy development into adulthood.

Many women are unaware that their energy needs at the end of pregnancy are only about 10% (ie about 200 kcal/day) higher than before.

Women often tend to overestimate their energy needs during pregnancy in the belief that they should "eat for two". Excess calorie intake can cause adverse weight gain and affect your baby's health.
Your needs for specific nutrients increase much more than your energy needs, so you should pay more attention to the quality of your diet than to the quantity.

Women do not need to follow a special diet during pregnancy, but should follow the general rules for a healthy diet with lots of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat milk, dairy products and low-fat meat.

You should eat oily marine fish (eg salmon, mackerel or herring) twice a week. This gives your baby essential omega-3 fatty acids, especially important for brain development. Women who eat little or no fish should take an omega-3 fatty acid DHA supplement (at least 200-300 mg/day).

You have to watch out for some foods. Caffeinated beverages should only be taken in moderation. Up to three cups of coffee a day is fine. Caffeinated energy drinks are not recommended and you should avoid alcohol completely. Licorice is not recommended in large quantities.

Also avoid raw animal products that may contain pathogenic toxoplasma, which can cause listeriosis or salmonella and harm your baby. Examples include raw or partially cooked meat (e.g. salami, tartare), raw fish (e.g. sushi, smoked salmon), unpasteurized milk and cheese made from unpasteurized milk, and dishes containing raw eggs (e.g. tiramisu). You should always wash vegetables and salad and avoid ready-to-eat packaged salads.

You should also limit your consumption of sweet and salty snacks, sugary drinks, and foods that contain large amounts of saturated fat, such as high-fat meat and high-fat dairy products.

Are you vegetarian/vegan?
A balanced, mixed vegetarian diet with dairy products and eggs can meet your nutritional needs even during pregnancy. However, some nutrients may be in short supply. If you don't eat oily fish, you definitely need a supplement that gives you at least 200-300 mg of the omega-3 fatty acid DHA daily.
An exclusive vegetable (vegan) diet requires the use of supplements to protect the child. You should remember to take vitamin B12 supplements to help your baby's brain develop normally. Be sure to discuss this with your doctor, who may recommend other supplements, such as iron, after examination.

Pregnancy and nutrition

Folic acid

Women planning or starting a pregnancy should add a supplement
at least 400 micrograms (μg) of folic acid/day in their balanced diet and to continue
taking it at least until the end of the first three months of pregnancy. This helps protect the child
from birth defects. It is also recommended that they eat plenty of products enriched with folic acid, such as
salt rich in folic acid, flour and pastries.

Iodine

Before and during both pregnancy and breastfeeding, iodine intake is essential,
because it affects the production of thyroid hormones and therefore the development of the baby's brain.
Good sources of iodine are marine fish, dairy products and iodized (and folic acid-fortified) salt. A daily iodine supplement containing 100 (to 150) µg of iodine is recommended
for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. If you have thyroid disease, you should consult your doctor.

Iron

A balanced diet with plenty of variety can help you avoid iron deficiency during pregnancy.
Iron in a form that our body can easily absorb is mainly found in meat, meat products and
fish. Some plant-based foods, such as whole grains and dark-colored herbs, contain iron, which, however, is not as easily absorbed by the gut. Simultaneous download
vitamin C, from citrus fruits for example, improves iron absorption. Pregnant women should take
iron supplement only if recommended by a doctor after a blood test.

Vitamin D

The mother's vitamin D intake has a direct impact on the baby's vitamin D intake and therefore
his health. It is especially important for healthy bones. The intake of vitamin D multiplies with the exposure of our skin to the sun. The diet, in general, does not supply us with vitamin D. Fair-skinned people get enough vitamin D during the summer season by exposing the face and hands to sunlight without sunscreen for about five to ten minutes daily during the midday hours. If
you rarely go out in the sun, keep most of your body covered or use sunscreen

or in case you have
darker skin, you should take a supplement of 800 units (IU) of vitamin D daily.

Breast milk is the best nutrition. Breastfeeding protects your baby from infections and is fundamental to your baby's long-term growth and health. The mixture of nutrients in breast milk is perfectly adapted to your baby's needs. In addition to the nutrients found in breast milk (or formula), babies need vitamin K which protects against bleeding. Vitamin D and fluoride are also essential supplements to protect babies' bones and teeth during the first 12-18 months.
While breastfeeding, you should continue to take a supplement of 100 (-150) µg of iodine per day as well as 200 mg of the omega-3 fatty acid DHA, unless you eat about two servings of oily, marine fish per week.

If you do not breastfeed your baby at all or do not combine breastfeeding with a bottle, your baby will
need infant formula (starter or type 1) for the first few months. Starter formula can – but doesn't have to – be replaced by follow-on formulas (type 2) once your baby is on solids. Ask your responsible healthcare professional for advice on which to choose. Provided the protein quality is high, an infant formula with a lower protein content, i.e. closer to the level of breast milk (no more than 2 g/100 kcal), promotes normal, age-appropriate growth and reduces the risk of later obesity. Initial infant formula should contain the long-chain fatty acids (LC-PUFA) DHA and arachidonic acid.

Babies who are not fully breastfed and whose parents or siblings have allergies should be given a protein hydrolysed infant formula (formula HA) for the first four months, as this may reduce the chance of allergies later.

Important to know: Baby formula of any kind should always be prepared fresh for each meal. Unused prepared formula should not be stored and reheated for the next meal. The reason it should be discarded is because processed milk is an ideal breeding ground for harmful bacteria.
When preparing powdered food, you should use tap water after letting it run until it is cold. When adding the baby powder, make sure the water is lukewarm (no more than 40°C).

Babies should receive complementary foods (infant foods) at the earliest at 17 weeks and at the latest at 26 weeks. This is true even if there is a family history of allergy. Delaying the baby's introduction to foods does not help prevent allergies. You can prepare baby food yourself or buy ready-to-use commercial products. The first solids a baby should eat are mashed vegetables, potatoes and meat (or fish) followed about a month later by an additional dairy-cereal mixture and an additional cereal-fruit mixture about another month later. Your baby does not need extra fluids – ideally water from a mug or cup – until the third meal is introduced. Avoid sugary drinks and avoid cow's milk as your baby's drink until your baby is one year old.

You can actively contribute to your baby's health and development with a balanced diet
during pregnancy and during your child's first two years.

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