Anjali was jubilant with the confirmation of normal low risk, 12 weeks pregnancy but came wailing shortly after with concerns about her food. She used to feel continuously hungry weak and tired. She did manage her food properly with three times meals well on time and some mid-meals snacks. But around 4 to 6 pm and in the midnight she used to wake up with massive hunger pangs. These weren’t cravings. This was pure hunger.
Anjali’s food was assessed based on diet recall and the observations made were that she was not taking junk, was taking absolutely clean homemade food with all the important ingredients as instructed. On detailed evaluation, it was observed that the intervals between the breakfast and the lunch and the dinner and the next day breakfast were long. Also, the food lacked the requisite calories. This was rectified by increasing her food portions and choosing the right and sustainable energy sources other than only carbohydrates.
Another concern that she had was mid-meal hunger. So a list of healthy tit-bits, finger foods were suggested as the list mentioned below. The purpose of sharing this here is it immensely helped Anjali and to help all those many women today who are working while they are pregnant and are at a loss of what to eat.
Here is a list of food which can be taken happily and healthily:
Groundnut jaggery chikki / or laddu
Dry fruits laddu or barfi based on figs and dates mash or taken straight
Rajgira (amarant) chikki or laddu
Sprouts of moong, chana, matki (moth bean) were added to some bhel shev with raw tomatoes, coriander leaves, and squeezed lemon
Khakra smeared with groundnut chutney, ghee, topped with finely chopped onion, tomato, and coriander leaves
Toasted multigrain or wholemeal bread smeared with some marmalade or honey and peanut butter
Boiled carrots, broccoli, and French beans with some salt and eaten straight: a bowlful
Fruits cuts especially following combos: apple, pear, kiwi or banana, figs, chickens or mango banana walnuts, or guava, banana topped with some vanilla ice cream and honey and walnuts
Moong dal chiley, dhokla, appey, idly, dahi wada
Caesar salad made with boiled eggs or chicken or tofu or paneer or feta cheese
Sautéed or tossed mushrooms, paneer or tofu cubes
12 milkshakes, vegetable smoothies, fruit smoothies can also be healthy options
Food that is nutritious, palatable, and digestible taken in the right quantities, with the right proportions is important. Moreover, there has to be a lot of positivity and happiness around the eating times. Happiness, gratitude, contentment, love helps to not only assimilate the food well but make it a happy time which is going to nurture one’s body, the baby within and help create an environment to help battle all the noxious reactions which sometimes the mother’s body can have against the pregnancy. These inflammatory processes are best curbed by great food choices.
Happy making babies!
Dr. Girija Wagh