Notes on the menu for pregnant women in the first 3 months

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist II Lai Thi Nguyet Hang - Obstetrician and Gynecologist - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec Ha Long International Hospital

The menu for the first 3 months of pregnancy is not too complicated if you follow some necessary attention for your own health and the development of the fetus.

Depending on the health status of each pregnant woman before pregnancy and when pregnant, pregnant women should gain from 10-12 kg. This weight will be distributed in each specific period of pregnancy, helping to enhance the mother's health and the comprehensive development of the fetus.
In which, the first 3 months are an important period creating a premise for the development of the fetus in the next 6 months. Pregnant women need to be carefully assessed their nutritional status, monitor their weight, take iron, folic acid, and multi-micronutrient supplements as recommended by nutritionists.

Because the main source of nutrition for the fetus is from the mother, the nutrition of the baby depends on the nutrition taken by the mother. This source of nutrients will follow the blood, nourish the developing fetus day by day. Providing a sufficient and correct amount of nutrition will help the mother have a good resistance, avoid disease, protect the child, and make the child develop fully.
The first 3 months of the fetus is also the time when the fetus begins to form major organs such as the spinal cord, brain, heart, lungs, liver... so the role of nutrient enhancement during this period is important. is very important. Therefore, proper nutrition, maximum overcoming morning sickness is what pregnant women need to do to achieve the goal of gaining 1-2 pounds in the first 3 months of pregnancy.

In the first 3 months, the mother needs to achieve the goal of gaining 1-2 kg, for obese pregnant women, it is not recommended to gain weight, to avoid unfortunate effects later. During early pregnancy, the body will have to face certain physiological changes to adapt to having a baby. This is an important period for the development of the brain, nervous system and vital organs of the fetus. Therefore, the mother cannot provide a lack of protein.
Add 10-18g of protein per day Foods that contain a lot of protein such as meat, fish, eggs, milk, legumes... help develop fetal tissue cells, and at the same time help the mammary glands and tissues The mother's uterus grows throughout pregnancy, increasing the mother's circulatory volume.
Supplement at least 15 grams of iron per day Iron has the function of increasing blood volume, preventing anemia in the mother, so it is necessary to supplement iron with foods such as meat, liver, heart, kidney, green vegetables and other foods. nuts...
Calcium supplements Calcium helps form bones and teeth for the fetus, pregnant women need to pay attention to supplement calcium in milk, eggs, shrimp, crabs, fish, green vegetables, beans... Calcium helps the system Normal nerve and blood clotting for the mother, formation of strong bones and teeth for the fetus. If there is not enough calcium during this period, the pregnant mother may feel bone pain, the baby will be rickets in the womb and be born at risk of rickets.
Folic acid supplementation Folic acid helps reduce the risk of neural tube defects in children, spina bifida in the fetus. Pregnant women can supplement through foods such as dark green vegetables such as water spinach, broccoli, broccoli, spinach, cereals or some seeds such as sesame, peanuts, poultry, animal organs. organs such as heart, liver... In addition, pregnant women can use folic acid tablets as prescribed by the doctor, depending on their condition.

Vitamins D, C support calcium absorption for mother and baby Pregnant women can fully sunbathe early to absorb vitamin D to contribute to the development of the fetal skeletal system, support better absorption of calcium.
Vitamin C helps support the development of bones, cartilage, joints, blood vessels for the first 3 months of pregnancy, creating a solid placenta, enhancing resistance. Pregnant women can eat green vegetables, fruits such as grapefruit, oranges, tangerines... rich in vitamin C.

Besides knowing the right nutrition, enough for the first 3 months of pregnancy, there are a few more things to pay attention to during this time. Specifically:
Divide 3 main meals into 6 small meals. Choose foods that are easy to eat, easy to digest, eat starches with protein from meat, combine with drinking low-fat, low-sugar milk in the morning and evening, or dairy products. Drink water between meals for better digestion, do not drink water during meals. Avoid foods that are difficult to digest, high in fat to limit morning sickness. Add foods rich in natural folic acid from dark green vegetables, whole grains, legumes... Absolutely do not eat undercooked foods, rare, raw eggs... Snack on rich meals Carbohydrates about 15-20 minutes before getting out of bed like pretzels, nuts, cereals, low-sugar dried fruit. Reduce high-calorie, low-nutrient snacks such as sweets, fast foods, and processed foods. Drink at least 8 glasses of water (about 2 liters) every day, or add more from fresh fruit, soup, and soup in meals. Nutrition in the first 3 months is very important, directly affects the development of the fetus, so you should set yourself a suitable diet and rest. If you are not sure what groups of substances your body needs to supplement, how much is the diet, you can consult an obstetrician-gynecologist.
In order to protect the health of the mother and the fetus comprehensively, Vinmec provides a package maternity service, in which a 12-week maternity program helps to monitor the health of mother and baby right from the beginning of pregnancy, detecting early and timely intervention in health problems. In addition to the usual services, the maternity monitoring program from 12 weeks has special services that other maternity packages do not have such as: Double Test or Triple Test to screen for fetal malformations; Quantitative angiogenesis factor test for preeclampsia; thyroid screening test; Rubella test; Testing for parasites transmitted from mother to child seriously affects the baby's brain and physical development after birth. After the results of antenatal care and testing are available, doctors will analyze and advise on genetics, nutrition, and a reasonable rest regimen for pregnant women to help mothers and babies have the best health, and develop fetuses. overview.