What Should You Be Eating During The Third Trimester

As you enter your third trimester, with your due date around the corner, you will feel excited to meet your little bundle of joy. The feeling of holding your baby in your arms for the first time is something all mothers look forward to.

Preparing To Meet Your Baby

During your third trimester, your baby is developing rapidly, preparing to leave its cosy little cocoon and meet you in the outside world. And just when you think your belly cannot grow any bigger, it will.

As your belly grows, the enthusiastic feeling you had in the second trimester will be replaced by the overwhelming exhaustion you had in the first trimester.

You will constantly feel tired, and your rapidly growing little one might make its presence felt – by kicking and poking you a lot more.

Keep An Eye On The Bigger Picture

At this stage, it is completely normal to feel tired. However, keep an eye on the bigger picture. You’re almost there. This is a crucial time for your baby, and so your doctor visits are likely to become more frequent. It is important to monitor your baby’s development and position in the last few weeks because it will dictate your labour and subsequent delivery.

Get The Right Nourishment

It is also important to keep eating right and eating well to see your pregnancy through. Your body needs all the nutrients that it can get for the healthy development of your baby. Throughout the third trimester, you need to focus on the same nutrients as you did during your second trimester.

Here’s A Meal Plan To Ensure That You Are Consuming All The Necessary Nutrients During Your Third Trimester: 

●  Start Your Day On The Right Note

As your baby grows bigger, you will need a boost of extra energy to get you through the day. Starting your day with a handful of soaked walnuts, dried fruits, and seeds such as chia seeds and flax seeds will help you kickstart your day on the right note. You can also complement your daily diet with a cup of nutritional drink like Horlicks Mother’s Plus every morning. It provides you with 25 nutrients including 21 essential vitamins and minerals in addition to carbohydrates, protein, fat and DHA* which are important for the normal development of the brain and nervous system of the foetus.

DHA is a type of Omega 3 fatty acid that is particularly vital for the development of your baby’s brain and nervous system. Additionally, Horlicks Mother’s Plus contains Vitamin B1, B2, B6, B12, A, Selenium, and iodine, which help improve breast milk quality. Available in exciting flavours of Vanilla and Kesar, Horlicks Mother’s Plus is the #1 gynaecologist recommended nutritional drink for pregnant women^{^}

• Follow It Up With a Hearty Breakfast

A healthy breakfast is a great way to ensure proper nourishment for both you and your rapidly growing baby during the third trimester. Some healthy breakfast options include oats porridge, poha, upma, daliya or parathas and whole-wheat bread sandwiches. Eggs are also an excellent choice for breakfast, and they are very versatile too. You can have them boiled, scrambled or in the form of an omelette packed in with your favourite veggies. They are also a great source of protein, which remains an important nutrient for your baby's proper growth and development throughout the pregnancy.

• Enjoy Healthy Mid-meal Snacks

Having small, frequent meals throughout the pregnancy is very important, even more so during the third semester. It is the home stretch of your pregnancy. Your body needs more energy to support and accommodate your baby's rapid growth. One way to ensure that is to enjoy healthy, power-packed mid-meal snacks such as a bowlful of seasonal fruits, a healthy smoothie, a bowl of vegetable or chicken soup, a handful of fox nuts etc.

• A Balanced Meal for Lunch Is The Key

A healthy, balanced meal must include energy-rich foods (Fats and Carbohydrates), bodybuilding foods (Protein), and foods rich in vitamins and minerals. You can have a healthy portion of carbohydrates in the form of chapatis, parathas and rice preparations for lunch and mix things up a little by opting for millets such as jowar and bajra. Add a bowlful of dal and a portion of vegetable or meat curries, a bowl of plain yoghurt and a helping of fresh salad for a well-rounded meal. While yoghurt is a great source of calcium required for healthy bone and teeth development, salads provide you with a healthy dose of dietary fibres. 

One of the key nutrients, vital for a healthy pregnancy is folic acid. It ensures proper growth and development of the brain and prevents the development of any major birth defects. Try to include moong beans, chana dal, horse gram, rajma, urad dal, green leafy vegetables, etc. in your lunch as these are all rich sources of folic acid.

• Time For An Early Evening Snack Break

Indulge in some early evening cup of green tea with a quick and healthy snack. A handful of peanuts, figs, and dates, some ragi idlis, a bowl of fresh fruits, buckwheat, and spinach cheelas, etc., are not only filling, but they can go a long way in ensuring that you get the iron you need.

Iron is an integral part of a pregnant woman’s diet. It will help you keep fatigue at bay and improve the level of haemoglobin in your body so that your baby gets adequate oxygen in the womb.

• A Light Meal For Dinner

You can have your usual chapati-curry-dal-rice meal for dinner or swap it for something lighter such as wholesome khichdi or pulao with a side of plain curd or vegetable raita. Keeping your dinner light and healthy will not only help you sleep better but will also prevent digestive disorders such as bloating and constipation. [J1] [J2]

Takeaway

You’re doing well. Just keep up with your pregnancy diet and your exercise routine recommended by your doctor.  It is important to listen to your body and go with the flow. Enjoy some peace and quiet; spend some time with yourself before the whirlwind of caring for your newborn baby completely takes over your life. You are about to meet a little part of yourself and there is nothing more gratifying than watching your little one grow.