Your second trimester is an exciting time in your pregnancy; morning sickness generally ends, your baby will start to move around, you can find out its sex, and you'll have a bit more energy than you did in your first trimester.
However, this is also a trimester of growth for your baby, and you'll want to make sure you're filling your body with the right kinds of nutrients to help your baby grow properly. So, if you're wondering what foods you should eat during your second trimester, then here's what you need to know.
Milk Does a Body (or Two) Good
At this point in your pregnancy, you'll want to make sure that you're getting enough Vitamin D and calcium so that your baby's body and bones form and grow nice and strong. The best way to achieve that (other than supplementing with your prenatal vitamins) is to increase your daily dairy consumption.
Milk is great for this, as you don't have to be hungry to drink it and you can have it with your meals, but if you can't stand the stuff, yogurt and cheese are great alternatives that keep your Vitamin D and calcium counts nice and high without turning your stomach. If you like a little more oomph to your dairy, consider Greek yogurt, which is thicker and more nutrient-rich than the regular stuff.
Pumping Some Iron
Women, in general, tend to be a bit low on iron (mostly due to losing blood every month on their periods), but pregnant women need iron, especially to help grow red blood cells for their babies without losing their own much-needed supply of red blood cells. Iron can also help give you more energy, which is important for all the appointments and excitements of the second trimester.
Red meat, anchovies, and sardines are all foods high in iron, but they also tend to be foods that don't sit well with pregnancy. Luckily, you can also get high amounts of iron from less pungent foods like nuts and spinach (and other leafy greens), ensuring that your baby's blood is healthy and protective for your little one.
Managing a Full-Fiber Load
Magnesium and fiber go hand-in-hand as important nutrients during your second trimester, as they help to give you more energy and prevent nasty second-trimester pitfalls such as pregnancy constipation. As your second trimester starts to wind down, you'll be thankful for the extra energy — you'll need all you can get — and for the prevention of additional health concerns along with the weight gain and discomfort that come with the transition to the third trimester.
Stick to foods like beans, hummus, and brown rice to increase both magnesium and fiber levels in your body, and you'll increase your chances for smooth sailing through the middle bit of your pregnancy. For more information, contact a company like Vita Center For Women LLC.
