Congratulations to all mummies-to-be & daddies-to-be! To ensure that your baby and you will receive the nutrients needed, we have come up with a list of things to take note of! A healthy pregnancy comes with having a balanced and nutritious diet as well as moderate exercise. Mummies with health conditions or ethical beliefs should always check with their doctor before planning their diet.

1. Consume more iron!

During the second and third trimester, the blood volume of a pregnant woman greatly increases. That means she would need more iron to produce haemoglobin to make up for extra blood volume. Without sufficient iron, it may result in complications during pregnancy. Natural iron rich foods include legumes (soybean, kidney beans, peas), salmon, dark-coloured vegetables (broccoli, brussel sprouts, spinach) and wholegrains (oat, millet, wheat).

2. Say yes to dietary fibre!

Pregnant woman tend to experience constipation due to hormonal changes. To combat this issue, we encourage you to consume foods rich in fibre such as wholegrain foods (whole-wheat pasta, wholegrain bread, oats, barley), fruits (berries, pear, orange) and vegetables (broccoli, carrots, sweetcorn). A fibre-rich diet may also prevent gestational diabetes and high blood pressure. Experts advice pregnant women to consume 25-30 grams of dietary fibre each day.

3. Calcium for two please!

Calcium is important to both the mother and baby. Calcium will help your baby build strong teeth and bones as well as maintain a regular heartbeat. Calcium will benefit mothers by fortifying breast milk and spur the body to produce less body fat. Pregnant and nursing mothers would require 1200 – 1400 mg of calcium per day. However, do take note that your body can only absorb 500 mg of calcium each time, so make sure to spread out your calcium intake through the day.

4. Folic acid

Folic acid, the synthetic form of vitamin B9, is essential to prevent birth complications such as neural tube defects, cleft lip and certain types of birth defects. In fact, such complications can arise during early stages of pregnancy, thus those looking to conceive should start consuming folate rich food or supplements. Folate intake differs depending on stage of pregnancy, weight of women and health condition. Folate rich foods include beetroot, bean and pea.

5. Drink more water!

Pregnant women would need at least 10 cups of water per day! Drinking sufficient water can prevent swelling on ankles and feet by flushing out excess sodium which prevents edema. Sufficient water will also maintain amniotic fluid levels for your baby. If you find 10 cups of water too much to drink especially since you may be battling nausea, feel free to add in lemon or other fruits! However, women experiencing heartburn during pregnancy ought to avoid citrus fruits.

Finding it difficult to obtain all the above nutrients? We have an easy solution for you! You can obtain up to 35% of daily nutrition needs with just a cup of Vplus! Our Vplus beverage is mixed with 18 premium whole grains as well as red beet root which is rich in folate. One serving of Vplus can provide you with 8.8 g of dietary fibre which promotes satiety and promotes bowel movement. Most importantly, its tasty!