How Much Do You Know About The Dietary Points And Taboos Of Advanced Maternal Age At Various Stages?
Due to reasons such as work, life or remarriage, many women do not consider having a baby until they are over 35 years old. There is a 42-year-old friend next to me. After two years of trying to conceive, she finally got pregnant. Although the whole family was happy, the biggest concern was her physical condition and nutritional status. The doctor's words "Old mothers need to pay attention to their diet" made her particularly nervous. How should she eat? How much do you eat? Today I will analyze and explain these practical points thoroughly.
Nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy, eating small and frequent meals is the key
In the early stages of pregnancy, many expectant mothers will experience nausea, a feeling of queasiness, and even vomiting. This is a normal reaction in early pregnancy. For older mothers, their body functions in all aspects are already in decline, so the reaction may be more obvious. At this time, you must not insist on eating three meals a day. You can try to use the method of eating smaller meals more frequently and dividing the day into five or six meals. The amount of each meal will be reduced by about 10% to 20% compared to usual, but the total food intake will be slightly increased compared to before pregnancy. When choosing food, try to choose something light and easy to digest, such as millet porridge, soft noodles, steamed egg custard, etc. If you want to eat sour fruits, jujubes, oranges, and kiwis are good choices, which can reduce nausea. However, remember that pickled foods such as pickles and pickles contain high salt content and may also contain nitrite, so don’t touch them at this stage.
To prevent constipation in the second trimester, keep up with vegetables and drinking water
After about three months of pregnancy, we enter the second trimester. At this stage, the fetal growth rate accelerates and can gain about 10 grams per day. The expectant mother's appetite usually improves and her food intake will increase accordingly. However, there is a very annoying problem that is prone to occur, and that is constipation. Because the gradually increasing uterus will compress the intestines, causing intestinal peristalsis to slow down. To cope with this situation, there must be enough vegetables on the plate every day, especially green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, broccoli, and lettuce. At the same time, you must pay attention to the act of drinking water. You must not wait until you are thirsty to drink. The optimal state is to ensure that you drink 1.5 to 2 liters a day. If you feel that the plain water has no taste, you can soak in a slice of lemon or drink some light chrysanthemum tea. If you continue to do this, your intestines will become smoother, and your whole person will become more comfortable.
If you supplement high-quality protein like this, milk, eggs, and lean meats all count.
In the second and later stages of pregnancy, that is, around six or seven months, the fetus's nutritional needs will increase significantly. According to the recommendations given by the Dietary Guidelines, an additional 9 grams of high-quality protein should be added to the daily diet. This statement may sound a bit abstract, but it is easy to understand if converted into daily food: it is roughly equivalent to drinking 300 ml of milk, or eating two eggs, or eating 50 grams of lean meat, which is a piece of meat the size of an egg. If you are a vegetarian or someone who does not like to eat animal foods, you have to supplement it with plant-based protein. About 15ɡ of plant protein needs to be added, which is equivalent to 20ɡ of tofu or 20ɡ of rice. These foods can be evenly distributed among three meals, such as a glass of milk for breakfast, a piece of tofu for lunch, and some lean minced meat and steamed eggs for dinner, so that it is balanced and does not make people feel stressed.
The third trimester of pregnancy is the golden period for brain development
From the seventh month of pregnancy until the baby is born, these last three months are extremely critical. During this period, the weight of the fetus will probably increase and double, especially the brain cells will enter a stage of proliferation. In other words, this is the golden window period for the baby's intellectual development. In terms of nutrition at this stage, expectant mothers pay attention to sufficient quantity and reasonable combination. In addition to continuing to ensure basic nutrients such as protein, calcium, and iron, you must also pay attention not to eat too fine staple foods. You can add some whole grains, such as brown rice, oats, millet, etc. In addition, deep-sea fish such as salmon and sardines are rich in DHA, which is beneficial to brain development. It is good to eat them two to three times a week. At this stage, you must not deliberately reduce food intake because of fear of gaining weight. The baby is in a stage of rapid growth, and the mother's logistics support must keep up.
Controlling salt intake is very important, especially when you have edema.
Many elderly expectant mothers will find some swelling in their ankles or calves during the second and third trimester of pregnancy. This is a common phenomenon. One of the key dietary adjustments is to control the amount of salt used. When cooking dishes, be lighter than usual and reduce the use of seasonings with high invisible salt content such as soy sauce, oyster sauce, and bean paste. Be able to skillfully use onions, ginger, garlic, vinegar, and lemon juice to add flavor. If the edema is more obvious, in addition to controlling salt intake, you can also moderately eat some foods with diuretic effects, such as winter melon, red beans, and carp. Cook some winter melon soup or red bean soup to drink, which can help the body eliminate excess water. However, it should be noted that if the edema suddenly worsens, or is accompanied by headaches or blurred vision, you must go to the hospital for examination as soon as possible. You must not rely solely on diet to support yourself.
When taking calcium supplements, don’t forget to bask in the sun and take calcium tablets when necessary.
When the fetal bones are developing, a large amount of calcium is needed. If the mother-to-be does not get enough calcium in her diet, the body will use the calcium in the mother's bones to provide it to the baby first. Therefore, daily dairy products should be ensured, such as milk, yogurt, and cheese, which are all very good sources of calcium. In addition to eating, there is a free and efficient way: bask in the sun. Exposing your arms and legs to the sun for 20 to 30 minutes before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. every day can help the body synthesize vitamin D and promote calcium absorption. If you usually have diarrhea when drinking milk, or if you really can't achieve a sufficient amount in your diet, you can take calcium tablets under the guidance of your doctor. But don’t buy it and eat it at will. After all, excessive calcium supplementation is very likely to cause constipation or affect the absorption of other minerals.
The amount of iron supplement is three to four times the usual amount, and animal liver is arranged every week
During pregnancy, the blood volume of the expectant mother will increase sharply by about 30%. The iron required to build red blood cells is about 700 mg, which is three to four times the usual amount. Iron deficiency will not only cause fatigue, dizziness, and palpitation in expectant mothers, but may also affect the fetal oxygen supply. The most efficient foods for iron supplementation are animal-based, such as lean meat, chicken, fish, animal liver and animal blood. It is recommended to eat pork liver or chicken liver two to three times a week, and about a deck of playing cards is enough for defecation and defecation each time. If the prenatal examination proves that iron deficiency anemia is already present, it may be difficult to make up for it with food alone. In this case, you must take iron supplements according to the doctor's recommendations. In addition, we need to be reminded that when taking iron supplements or eating pork liver, you should also eat some foods rich in vitamin C, such as fresh oranges, green peppers, and tomatoes, so that the absorption of iron can be better.
Having said so much, it is actually just one sentence to sum it up. Pregnancy at an advanced age is not easy, and you need to pay more attention to your diet. Eat small and frequent meals to prevent morning sickness, eat more vegetables and drink more water to prevent constipation. Protein, calcium, and iron are indispensable. Salt should be controlled properly. Don’t panic when you encounter edema. Of course, this These dietary suggestions are only the basis for daily maintenance. The most important thing is to go to every prenatal check-up on time, and control the condition of yourself and your baby in the hands of the doctor. I hope that every brave elderly expectant mother can eat appropriately, be in a happy mood, and welcome the birth of her baby safely and smoothly.
