Healthy Diet For The Second Trimester Of Pregnancy

Welcome to the safest trimester of your pregnancy. It’s the time to sit back and relax in the second trimester. There is no risk of miscarriage or trouble of morning sickness.

The second trimester is generally referred to as the "golden period" of pregnancy. Most of the negative effects disappear around this time. You also get the chance to make the most out of the pregnancy during the second trimester. 

At this stage, the embryo has started to transform into a fetus. And the important thing right now is a healthy second-trimester diet plan. 
Following the second-trimester diet is easy right now. You can focus on a healthy second-trimester diet plan without worrying about pregnancy issues. It will keep you healthy and your baby nourished.

But the question is, “What foods to eat in the second trimester for maximizing the benefits?”

Read the article further to know the best foods to eat in the second trimester.

5 Types of Foods That You Must Include in Your Second-Trimester Diet

An expectant mother’s second-trimester diet should always be balanced and healthy. Here are some essential nutrients whose quantity must be higher in your food for the second trimester.

Iron-Rich Foods

Expecting mothers need 18 mg of iron per day because more iron is needed to increase red blood cell mass in the mother’s body. The red blood cells are primarily needed for supplying oxygen to the growing fetus. Thus, iron is necessary for the proper development of your baby.

However, not all sources of iron contain the same quantity of iron for the body to absorb. There are 2 types of iron:

• Heme Iron: This type of iron is found only in meat-based food items and its absorption rate can be up to 30%.
• Non-heme Iron: This variety can be found in both meat and plant-based foods. Its absorption rate is between 2-10%.
   

Looking at the numbers, it’s clear that meat will increase your iron levels readily. But, it’s valuable to fulfill the iron needs through multiple sources including plant-based foods.

Iron-rich plant-based foods that you can consume are whole grains, green leafy vegetables, nuts, lentils, beans, soybeans, and oats. Some meat-based food options famous in India include fish, mutton, and chicken.

Protein-Rich Foods

The baby’s organs are developing rapidly during the second trimester. Eating protein-rich foods right now supports the baby’s brain and tissue development. Protein also contributes to the below-mentioned important areas of development in the baby:

• Production of hormones and enzymes.
• Ensuring proper functioning of the muscles.
• Creation of antibodies in the baby’s immune system.
   

The recommended intake of protein for a pregnant woman is between 75 and 100 grams per day. You can fulfill this requirement through these foods:

• Nuts
• Beans
• Almonds
• Soy Products
• Cottage Cheese
• Green Vegetables

Foods Rich in Calcium

Calcium is an essential nutrient for a baby’s strong bone and muscle development inside the womb. For babies, the mother’s body borrows calcium from their bones. Thus, you need to ensure that you are consuming enough calcium to keep your bones strong.

Besides supporting bone development, calcium aids to keep your blood and muscles active and supports your nerves to send signals from your brain to the rest of the body.

The required amount of calcium during pregnancy is 1000 milligrams per day. Foods that are high in calcium and can help you fulfill your daily intake include:

• Almonds
• Fruit Juice
• Tofu
• White Beans
• Spinach
• Broccoli
• Milk
• Yogurt
• Cheese
   

However, if you’re vegan or lactose intolerant, meeting your calcium needs can be difficult. In such a case, you might want to take the help of calcium supplements. There are 2 forms of calcium supplements. You can pick any option that can help you maintain proper calcium in your second-trimester diet.

• Calcium Carbonate: It is a less expensive option and works best with food.
• Calcium Citrate: This supplement works well when taken with food or on empty stomach.
   

Many calcium supplements contain vitamin D to help your body absorb calcium properly. Thus, limit your calcium tablet intake to 500 milligrams at a time. It will not only ensure proper absorption but also safeguard you from potential side effects of supplements like bloating or constipation.

Water is Vital

Water has a diversity of roles to play in the human body. And our body cannot produce water. You need to put in water externally. The water may not have its nutritional value, but it transports all the nutrients to the blood cells. And it’s those nutrient-dense blood cells that reach your baby through the placenta — all due to the support of water.

During pregnancy, water also helps in forming amniotic fluid, building new tissue, improving digestion, and flushing out wastes and toxins. Thus, we highly recommend drinking at least 8-12 glasses or 2-3 litres of water every day.

Foods You Must Avoid in 2nd Trimester Diet

Certain foods should not be included in your second-trimester diet. Even if someone offers you Rs. 10 crores, do not eat these foods during pregnancy:

• Alcohol
• Caffeine
• Fast Food
• Artificial Sugar Foods 
• Highly Processed Food
• Unpasteurized Food Products
   

All these foods if included in your second-trimester diet can hinder your baby’s growth and development. Thus, you should strictly avoid them.

Takeaway

The basic principles of healthful eating, more or less, remain almost the same. It doesn’t matter whether you are in the first, second, or third trimester. 

The only difference is that you get a hassle-free period of 3 months. During the second trimester, you can focus completely on maintaining a healthy second-trimester diet since there are no pregnancy-related problems right now.

But do you know along with a healthy diet plan, a positive mindset can also do wonders for your baby in the womb? By staying positive most of the time during pregnancy, you can impart good health and great values to the baby.

How to Stay Positive During Pregnancy?

To stay positive and impart great virtues to the baby right from the womb, join our Garbh Sanskar course. And the best part is you can do this course from the comfort of your home.

If you are wondering how to do garbh sanskar at home, then download the Krishna Coming Garbh Sanskar app and attend the first free demo class. We wish you a happy and healthy pregnancy.

Second-Trimester Diet FAQs

Q1. Which fruits are best in the second-trimester diet?

Enjoy these fruits as part of a healthy second-trimester diet in salads, smoothies, yogurt, or as a snack any time:

• Oranges
• Mangoes
• Avocados
• Lemons
• Bananas
• Berries
• Apples
   

Q2. What should I avoid in the second-trimester diet?

In the second-trimester diet, you should avoid raw meat, raw eggs, raw fish, unpasteurized dairy products, ready-to-eat foods, eggplant, sesame seeds, and grapes.

Q3. Do I need to eat additional calories during the second-trimester diet?

In the second trimester, you should increase your calories by 340 per day to support your baby's growth and development. However, avoid "eating for two" because doing so could cause you to put on dangerous amounts of weight, which could have negative effects on both you and your foetus.