Pregnancy is a challenging time in terms of knowing what you can and cannot eat. There are lots of nutrients needed to help your baby develop and keep you healthy, so pregnancy is an important time to put nutrition first.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
The weeks following the birth of your baby are filled with excitement, sleeplessness and possibly stress. While during pregnancy you were most likely very attentive to what you ate, eating well with a new baby can be challenging.
Breastmilk is a unique source of nutrition containing immune stimulating and microbiome developing compounds. The composition of breastmilk changes over the course of lactation and varies within and between feeds.
During the second trimester, systems that formed during the first trimester start to become more complex and functional. Growth rate needs to be maintained, so your ongoing nutrition and general health are very important at this stage.
Finding out that you are pregnant brings much excitement and hope to you and your family. With the miracle of a new life comes the responsibility of giving your baby the gift of a lifetime – good health.
During your final trimester of pregnancy, the baby’s organs increase in size and begin to function in preparation for working independently once the umbilical cord is cut.
Eating a healthy diet while you are breastfeeding is important because what you eat determines the energy, protein, nutrient and vitamin content of your breast milk. In addition to the increased micronutrient demands, breastfeeding also uses up a lot of energy, with 500 kcal/day more needed than pre-pregnancy (the equivalent of a banana smoothie, toasted sandwich or bowl of cereal)