Since early days, most of the people recommend taking dairy products during pregnancy. As far as the pregnant women are concerned, doctors suggest the pregnant women to take dairy products for maintaining the health of the expectant mothers and their babies.
Which Dairy Products are Recommended during Pregnancy?
It is a well known fact that milk is the most commonly suggested
dairy product for pregnant women. It is good for the pregnant women to take the dairy products after consulting their doctor at least 3 to 4 times a day for the benefit of their health as well as the health of the baby. Moreover, a cup of warm milk taken at night before going to bed would help to induce a good sleep which might be a big problem to get during
pregnancy.
Apart from milk, there may be general cravings for the pregnant women towards the dairy products such as butter, ghee, ice-creams, yogurt, chocolate creams, etc. However, it is better to consult a doctor about the recommended amount and types of dairy products to be included in the diet during pregnancy.
Essential Nutrients Provided by Dairy Products
Let us take a look at the essential nutrients that can be obtained by pregnant women by consuming dairy products.
Calcium and Other Nutrients
Calcium is an important ingredient obtained from most of the dairy products, especially from milk. When milk is taken by the expectant mother, the
calcium and other nutrients in the milk reach the baby through the placenta. Calcium is much needed for the growth of bones and teeth. In spite of the calcium, the baby gets the required amount of vitamins such as Vitamin D, E, etc. through the dairy products taken by the mother.
Protein
The intake of dairy products by the expectant mother also provides the required protein for the growth of the baby. Adequate protein can help to prevent low birth weight in babies. Protein is essential when the organs of the baby develop.
Balanced Intake of Dairy Products during Pregnancy
Though the dairy products supply the required calcium, protein, vitamins, and other nutrients, they are well known to contain fat. When large quantities of dairy products with high fat content such as yogurt, ice-creams, milk cream, etc. are taken during pregnancy, the pregnant women may put on
excessive weight leading to problems such as gestational diabetes,
fatigue, back pain, difficulty in standing or sitting, sleeplessness, oedema in the extremities, etc. Moreover the fat content may also pass through the placenta to the baby, wherein, excessive fat may cause over weight problems to the baby at birth.
Dairy Products to be Avoided during Pregnancy
Generally the dairy products are good to take during pregnancy. But, unpasteurized or raw dairy products are not good as they may contain bacteria that are not good for the health of the pregnant women and the baby growing in the womb. Even when milk is taken, it is not good to take raw milk. So, the pregnant women should show interest in taking the boiled milk which is good for the health and also provides relaxation when taken at night.
Even certain types of cheese are not safe during pregnancy. So, you must take right precautions while including any type of cheese during pregnancy. It is always better to seek advice of a doctor before you include anything in your pregnancy diet.
The pregnant women can check their body weight and the pregnancy weight gain with the doctor and take the advice of the doctor to plan for the amount of dairy products to be taken every day. This would help the pregnant women in obtaining the required nutrients and avoiding obesity problems.
