Dietary Taboos For Older Mothers: Pay Attention To These 5 Points During Pregnancy
Many friends around me welcomed their first baby after they turned 35. They were excited but also a little nervous, especially not sure what to pay attention to when eating. Medical science shows that women over 35 years old who give birth for the first time are considered to be of advanced maternal age, and their body metabolism is different from when they were young. The risk of high blood pressure and diabetes during pregnancy is indeed higher. But please don’t be anxious. I have sorted out five very practical dietary principles. Following these can not only ensure your baby’s nutrition, but also control your weight and blood sugar.
Don’t just eat big fish and meat, balanced nutrition is the key
Many elders hold the view that once pregnant, they must be "nourished" and have a continuous supply of chicken soup and pig's trotters every day. In fact, older expectant mothers need more foods rich in protein, low in fat, and mild in nature. If the daily food can be divided into three main meals and two small snacks, do not overeat the main meals. For snacks, you can have a small cup of yogurt, eat a few nuts, or put a piece of fruit into your belly. Make sure you have protein provided by fish, meat and eggs, carbohydrates provided by rice and noodles, and vitamins contained in fresh fruits and vegetables every day. Don’t forget to consume high-quality fatty acids, such as walnuts, flaxseed oil, and deep-sea fish, which are very good and can promote the development of your baby’s brain.
Swap the staple food, and match the thickness to control blood sugar
White rice and white steamed buns will cause blood sugar to rise rapidly. For elderly mothers, it is even more necessary to replace half of the refined staple food. When steaming rice, grab a handful of brown rice, oats or millet. When cooking porridge, use red beans and mung beans to match the rice. Calcium supplementation cannot be ignored either. Depending on the situation, drink 250 to 500 ml of milk every day. If you are already overweight, you should choose low-fat milk or skimmed milk, which can supplement calcium without adding excess calories. Whole-wheat bread, steamed sweet potatoes, and boiled corn are all good snack options.
Keep an eye on trace elements during the second trimester to prevent abnormal blood pressure
During the fourth and fifth months of pregnancy, the baby's growth rate accelerates. In this case, the mother is more likely to suffer from iron deficiency and calcium deficiency. During this period, special attention should be paid to the adequacy of folic acid, iron, magnesium, calcium and dietary fiber. Eating red meat and animal liver once or twice a week is more effective in supplementing iron. Dark green vegetables such as broccoli and spinach should be eaten every day. If the prenatal checkup reveals high blood pressure, the doctor may suggest supplementing calcium and magnesium, and eating more tofu, black sesame seeds, and almonds. Dietary fiber can relieve constipation during pregnancy, such as dragon fruit, oatmeal, and mushrooms. Eat it in a variety of ways every day.
Control your weight, don’t diet, avoid hidden calories
Older mothers are indeed more likely to gain weight than younger mothers, but this does not mean they have to go hungry. It is ideal to control the weight gain within 12.5 kilograms during the entire pregnancy, and the baby will account for about 3 to 3.5 kilograms. Many people feel that they gain weight quickly despite not eating much. The problem lies in sugar and invisible fat. It is best not to touch drinks, cakes, chocolate, and ice cream that contain sugar. Salad dressing, peanut butter, and margarine are very high in calories. If you want to satisfy your cravings, replace sweets with fruit, replace desserts with sugar-free yogurt, and replace salad dressings with vinegar and olive oil for salads.
These foods and drinks should be blacklisted, don’t take any chances
After pregnancy, you must quit smoking, drinking, tea, and coffee, because caffeine will affect the development of the baby's nervous system. Strong tea, cola, and energy drinks all contain caffeine. Fried chicken, French fries, and burgers in fast food restaurants are not only high in oil and salt, but the oil used in them will produce harmful effects after repeated frying. Substances such as sashimi, soft-boiled eggs, and undercooked steaks have bacterial risks and must not be eaten. Use less salt in daily cooking. Try not to touch processed meat products such as pickles, bacon, and salted fish. Animal oils such as lard and butter should be replaced with vegetable oil. Steaming and stewing are the safest cooking methods.
Pregnancy at an older age does require more thought than a young mother. However, as long as you choose the food correctly, go for prenatal check-ups at the prescribed time, go for a walk every day and do pregnancy yoga, it can be smooth. Remember these five dietary principles and relax your mind, then you and your baby will be healthy.
