Diet for Last Trimester of Pregnancy

Generally, planning the diet for the pregnant mother is important to keep the mother and the baby healthy. Taking proper diet during the last trimester of pregnancy is extremely important as the expectant mother needs to go through the labour peacefully. In this articleImportance of Good Diet during the Last TrimesterDiet for Third Trimester of PregnancyNutrients Required during Last TrimesterFood to be Avoided in the Third Trimester of PregnancyCertain Habits to be Left out During the Last TrimesterImportance of Good Diet during the Last TrimesterDiet plays an important role during pregnancy. The baby is completely dependent on the mother for the diet. The foetus receives the food through placenta from the mother. So the mother should take balanced nutritious diet throughout the pregnancy so as to supply the nutrients required for the perfect growth of the baby.The growth of the baby is rapid during the last trimester of pregnancy. Balanced diet will definitely keep the baby and the expectant mother healthy for giving birth to a healthy baby. Health of the mother and the baby is important for safe delivery. Good diet is essential to accommodate to the change in the lifestyle during the last trimester of pregnancy.Diet for Third Trimester of PregnancyDue to the rapid growth of the baby in terms of weight, growth of brain, lungs, and other organs and the increase in the movements of the baby within the foetus, hunger increases during the third trimester of pregnancy. If mother eats excessively during this period, there is a rapid increase in the body weight of the expectant mother. This may lead to several problems during the last trimester of pregnancy including gestational diabetes, heartburn, etc. So a well planned and balanced diet with lot of fibre content and protein including fresh vegetables, cereals, lean meat, fish, and low fat dairy products helps the mother and the baby grow healthy. This nutritious diet is to be distributed in 5 to 6 meals a day with plenty of water.Nutrients Required during Last TrimesterCalcium, vitamins, and minerals are highly essential for the growth of the baby. Calcium and omega 3 fatty acids are important to be included in the diet for the brain development of the baby. Dairy products are to be included in the diet to improve the calcium levels in the body. Lean meat and fish may extend the omega 3 fatty acid and protein content requirement to the body. A pregnant woman must include fish in her diet after consulting her doctor as certain types of fishes are not recommended during pregnancy. It is good to eat cooked leafy and other vegetables to obtain the vitamins and iron content required during the last trimester of pregnancy.Food to be Avoided in the Third Trimester of PregnancyDue to the excessive hunger during pregnancy, many pregnant women take a lot of junk food, which is to be avoided during the last trimester of pregnancy. The junk food will not only be unhealthy to the baby and the mother, but also causes certain severe health issues during the third trimester of pregnancy such as heartburn, hypertension, stress, indigestion, constipation, sleeplessness, etc.Certain Habits to be Left out During the Last TrimesterExtra care should be taken during the last trimester of pregnancy to avoid consuming alcohol and smoking by those women who are prone to such unhealthy habits. Consuming caffeine also affects the health of the expectant mother and the baby. So it is better to reduce or in some cases avoid caffeine during the last trimester of pregnancy to have a healthy baby.Proper exercising during the final trimester of pregnancy under the supervision of certified trainer provides good results to go through the process of labour with ease. So along with the diet, exercising under the supervision of certified trainer would be an added advantage to keep the body flexible to be ready for labour during the last trimester of pregnancy.