A balanced diet during pregnancy

From the start of your pregnancy the question is that what to eat in pregnancy, adopt a balanced diet without alcohol. Certain foods are preferred because they provide vitamins and nutrients essential to your baby: folate or vitamin B9 in early pregnancy, then calcium, vitamin D, iron, slow sugars...

WHAT DIET DURING PREGNANCY?

A balanced diet is essential for your health and the good development of your baby.

A balanced diet is eating:

· five fruits and vegetables a day;

· bread, cereals and other slow sugars with each meal according to your appetite;

· dairy products three times a day;

· protein (meat, fish or eggs), once or twice a day;

· Water ad libitum.

It is also important to limit your intake of fat, salt and sugary products.

In addition to the three main meals, you can introduce a snack from the second trimester.

Eating well will make you feel better, have more energy and promote reasonable weight gain. Depending on your state of health, your doctor or midwife will give you personalized advice on adjusting your diet.

During your pregnancy, certain foods are preferred to provide everything you and your baby need.

Folates: this is vitamin B9 (or folic acid).

Folic acid (vitamin B9), also known as folates, is essential for your baby's growth. During the first weeks of pregnancy, it plays an important role in the proper development of the nervous system of the embryo.

The necessary folate intakes can be provided by the daily diet in fresh or canned or frozen fruits and vegetables (spinach, watercress, lamb's lettuce, melon, nuts, chickpeas, chestnuts, dandelion, yeast), but are often insufficient. Your doctor or midwife will prescribe a vitamin B9 supplement if possible before conception (at least 4 weeks before) and up to 12 weeks beforeamenorrhea.

Calcium is essential for building your baby's skeleton, especially during the third trimester. If you do not provide enough, your baby will not hesitate to draw from your own reserves. Dairy products (except those made with raw milk) are the best source of calcium. Consume three dairy products a day: milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese ... You don't like dairy products? Think of mineral water rich in calcium.

Vitamin D facilitates the absorption of calcium. This vitamin is mainly produced by the body under the action of the sun's rays on the skin. You will also find it in fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, and sardines) or in dairy products enriched with vitamin D.

Iron is essential, especially at the end of pregnancy, to avoid any risk of deficiency responsible for anemia. You will find it in pulses, fish, and meat.

Carbohydrates are a source of energy and make up most of the food for the fetus. Favor slow sugars (starchy foods, cereals, bread, pulses) and make a habit of incorporating them into all your meals.

Discover ideas for varied seasonal menus to eat a balanced diet all week long, in accordance with the nutritional guidelines of the National Nutrition and Health Program.

Food hygiene precautions necessary during pregnancy

Tips if you are not immune to toxoplasmosis

The toxoplasmosis contracted during pregnancy can be serious to the fetus.

Here are some recommendations if you are not immune:

· do not eat raw or undercooked meats;

· clean fruits and vegetables thoroughly and cook them well;

· wash your kitchen utensils thoroughly;

· don't forget to wash your hands thoroughly before preparing the meal or going to the table;

· Avoid gardening and contact with cats.

Tips to prevent listeriosis during pregnancy

The listeriosis in pregnant women is often severe for the fetus.

Here are some recommendations for avoiding listeria contamination during pregnancy:

At home, everyone must watch:

· the cleanliness of the kitchen;

· the cleanliness of the refrigerator which must be adjusted to 3-4 ° C and regularly cleaned and disinfected with bleach;

· the separation between raw products (meat, vegetables) and cooked or ready-to-eat foods;

· respecting the consumption deadlines (because the bacteria can grow at 4 ° C);

· the careful cooking of leftovers (which should not be kept for more than three days);

· Washing vegetables and aromatic herbs before use.

· Avoid risky foods, especially since the bacteria does not alter the appearance, smell or taste of food:

· raw milk cheeses (especially soft cheeses), cheese rind, grated cheese sold,

· Cooked charcuterie (rillettes, pâtés, foie gras, jelly products, etc.),

· food served by the cup,

· Smoked fish, raw fish, raw shellfish, surimi, tarama…,

· Raw sprouted seeds (soy…)

· Minced meat, raw meat.

NO ALCOHOL DURING PREGNANCY

The alcohol istotally prohibited during your pregnancy. Alcoholic substances easily cross the barrier ofplacenta and enter directly into the blood system of the fetus.

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy: what are the risks?

Regardless of the dose drunk, the alcohol ingested by a pregnant woman passes almost entirely into the blood of the fetus.

This can have irreversible effects on the baby. Sometimes these are minor behavioral disorders (learning disabilities, adjustment ...) called disorders caused by fetal alcohol (FASD).

In other cases, the child has fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), with severe developmental abnormalities, for example:

A malformation of the skull and face;

Stunted growth;

Behavioral and / or cognitive disabilities (mental retardation, dyslexia, impaired oral language, dyspraxia, memory, attention problems), observed in almost 50% of cases.

Alcohol absorption is harmful throughout pregnancy and there has never been evidence of a threshold below which the risks are zero, hence the recommendation "0 alcohol during pregnancy".

According to data from the 2017 Health Barometer, alcohol consumption during pregnancy is not uncommon in France. Among the women interviewed, pregnant at the time of the survey or mothers of a child under the age of 5:

Almost 6 in 10 women said they had been informed of the risks of alcohol consumption by the doctor or midwife following or having followed them.

1 in 10 reported using alcohol occasionally during pregnancy.

A lactating woman who drinks alcohol passes it on to her baby through her milk. This can have harmful effects on the child's sleep and development.

Hence the recommendation of zero alcohol during pregnancy and lactation.

Who can help you not to drink alcohol during pregnancy?

If you are having difficulty with alcohol consumption, there are solutions:

Talk to your doctor, gynecologist or midwife who can advise you.

Your health insurance fund can give you the contact details of the care structures.

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