Kick Off The Junk From Your Third Trimester Diet!

Your baby's gonna come out soon, so you better watch your third trimester diet! If you are still ordering from McDonald's everyday, please stop! This is the time to indulge in healthy eating. McDonald's can wait (they aren't going to go out of business!).

Do's And Don'ts

Third trimester is the time to include an additional 300 calories in your diet. Don't even think of dieting! You do need to check what you're eating, but never starve your body at this time. Eat whenever you feel hungry; but eat healthy. Starving makes you eat double the amount. You also tend to gorge on junk food when you're famished.

The best way is to spread your meals throughout the day. Instead of eating 3 large meals, have 4-5 small meals daily. It keeps your blood sugar level stable. Also, it averts those strong, sudden cravings that grip you and you tend to gobble up whatever food comes in your way!

Nutrients Essential In Your Third Trimester Diet

According to the food pyramid, you should take 5-7 servings of high-protein food daily and 3 cups of milk to fulfill your protein requirements. Also, include low-fat dairy products in your diet. You need plenty of protein for the healthy development of your baby and production of your breast milk.

Do you know that your folic acid and iron requirement increases by 50% during pregnancy? It is better to meet this requirement from natural food rather than depending solely on supplements. Eat lots of high fiber cereals and Vitamin C enriched foods. Vitamin C assists in the absorption of iron. Beans, whole grains, pulses, dark green vegetables, fresh fruits, and dairy products should be in your menu everyday.

Ah, yes! Here is the age-old advice you might have heard or read hundreds of times - have 8 to 10 glasses of water daily! And ladies, with water I mean plain water; no diet cokes or sodas. During pregnancy, your digestive system gets a bit slower; hence, you are prone to constipation. Adequate intake of fluids can avoid this problem.

Fishy Food!

There are many women who come to me with their 'fishy' cravings! I recommend to them to stay away from this marine creature, as fish contains high amounts of mercury, which can harm your developing baby. Fish like King Mackerel and swordfish are a big NO. If you insist on eating fish, stick with salmon. This fish, in particular, is low enough in mercury levels that you should be able to indulge in moderation.

Lastly, do I need to tell you to stop consuming alcohol? Well, you should have done this by now. Oh my God! You didn't! Now, you surely need a strong chiding! All's not lost yet; there are still a couple of months to go before the baby arrives. So, chart out your third trimester diet so that you don't have any regrets later.