What Should You Eat During Pregnancy?

Balanced and adequate nutrition during pregnancy has a significant effect on the health of both mother and baby. During pregnancy, the mother's needs for energy, protein, vitamins, minerals and fiber increase. Poor nutrition in the mother can cause:

• Preterm birth,
• Stillbirth,
• Delayed development in the baby,
• Low birth weight.

How Should Weight Be Managed and Gained During Pregnancy?

In the first trimester of pregnancy (a trimester is one of the three equal periods of pregnancy, each lasting about 12 weeks), the mother does not gain much weight. Most of the weight gain occurs in the last trimester. For this reason, we want our expectant mothers to gain:

• 1–3 kg in the first trimester (first 3 months)
• 250–500 g per week in the following periods.

The recommended total weight gain is determined by the mother's weight before pregnancy.

During pregnancy:

If starting as underweight (BMI ≤ 18.5) – 13–16 kg

If starting at a normal weight (BMI 18.5–24.9) – 11–14 kg

If starting as overweight (BMI 25–29.9) – 7–11 kg

If starting as obese (BMI ≥ 30) – a weight gain of 7–9 kg is appropriate.

What Should You Pay Attention to in Your Diet During Pregnancy?

• To avoid excessive weight gain, very fatty, sugary and flour-based foods should be eaten only occasionally.
• Processed meat products (salami, sucuk, sausages, etc.) and organ meats (liver, kokoreç, etc.) should not be eaten.
• Pay attention to your daily salt intake. Use iodized salt, and eat very salty foods such as pickles, şalgam (fermented turnip juice), brined foods and bouillon only occasionally.
• Limit tea and coffee. You can have 1 cup of coffee and 2–3 small glasses of weak tea a day.
• Do not drink carbonated drinks, alcoholic drinks, energy drinks, slimming teas, or sage, senna, basil, raspberry or flaxseed teas.
• Choose healthy cooking methods. Avoid frying and sautéing too often.
• You can have fish twice a week, red meat twice a week, legumes 1–2 times a week and chicken or turkey 1–2 times a week.
• Avoid ready-made foods and drinks.
• Do not skip main meals, and have snacks between meals.
• Drink 2–2.5 liters of water a day.

Tips for Managing Nausea in Pregnancy

• Avoid very fatty and very sugary foods, as they make nausea worse,
• Eat small, frequent meals,
• Do not drink fluids with meals; have them between meals instead,
• If morning sickness keeps you from eating breakfast, have dry foods such as toast, rusks or roasted chickpeas when you wake up, and have breakfast later,
• Ginger tea helps with nausea; you can drink it, but no more than 2 cups a day.

Tips for Managing Heartburn in Pregnancy

• Reduce spices, especially hot ones,
• Avoid acidic foods and drinks (vinegar, orange juice, grapefruit, sour cherries, etc.),
• Do not drink fluids with meals; have them between meals instead,
• Stop eating and drinking 2–3 hours before going to bed,
• If raw vegetables and fruits cause discomfort, choose cooked vegetables and low-sugar fruit compotes instead.

Tips for Managing Constipation in Pregnancy

• Drinking plenty of water reduces constipation. Drink 2–2.5 liters of water a day,
• Eat a high-fiber diet, with 2–3 servings of fruit and 2–3 servings of vegetables a day,
• You can have 1–2 glasses of plain kefir a day,
• Probiotic and prebiotic supplements can be used after consulting your doctor,
• Eating dried figs, dried apricots or prunes on an empty stomach in the morning, followed by a glass of warm water, will also help.