By Alexandra Cameron, NZRD, SG Accredited Practicing Dietitian, Certified Fertility & Pregnancy Dietitian
Have you been told that your baby is measuring small during pregnancy? As a pregnant mum this can be alarming news- as if there wasn't enough to think about already! Sometimes the cause of this is outside of our control, but other times we can tweak our nutrition to support our baby to grow. Often our babys growth will catch up to where it needs to be, but continue to work with your healthcare provider to monitor this.
Here are some key nutrition factors to look out for:
Eat enough carbohydrates.
Grain foods are an important source of nutrients and during pregnancy you need alot more carbohydrates than usual. Your baby is relying on these for growth!
Include 6+ serves of grain foods (some people need much more than this too!) such as:
-Brown rice
-Wholemeal pasta
-Cous cous
-Quinoa
-Ancient grains
-Noodles
As your pregnancy progresses you will likely need more and more carbohydrates to support your babys growth. If you aren't sure whether you are getting enough then I recommend working with a pregnancy specialist dietitian to support you.
2. Avoid caffeine
No safe limit of caffeine has really been studied in pregnancy although the general guideline is no more than 200-300mg/day.
If you are at risk of having a small for gestational age baby or baby is measuring small during pregnancy, it’s recommended to cut out caffeine completely, and stick with no more than 4 cups of decaf coffee/ day.
3. Eat a variety of protein foods for adequate amino acid intake.
Amino acids are the building blocks of cells and tissues. During pregnancy, these are vital for the proper growth and development of your baby, including the formation of their organs, muscles, and bones. Deficiencies in essential amino acids has been linked to small for gestational age babies.
Complete proteins provide all of your essential amino acids and should be included in your diet every day. Aim for 2-3 serves of these foods daily. Examples include:
Meat and poultry: Chicken, turkey, beef, pork, lamb
Fish and seafood: Salmon and tuna
Dairy products: Milk, hard cheeses, yoghurts
Eggs
Soy products like tofu and tempeh
Quinoa
Chia seeds
If you want to make sure that both you are baby are getting everything that you need during pregnancy then make sure to download your FREE pregnancy checklist HERE.
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