Conceiving is one of the greatest miracles of life! It is probably one of the happiest times for every woman. However, many women experience common conditions during pregnancy. In order to make sure you get to enjoy every moment of your pregnancy, we have created a list of multiple dietary interventions to make sure you’re pregnancy is as smooth as can be!

Condition # 1 -   Constipation

Constipation is an inconvenience that is likely to occur during your pregnancy! It most commonly occurs in the early stages of pregnancy due to sudden hormonal changes. It also occurs towards the later stages of pregnancy – a sign that you will go into labor soon!

Dietary Intervention: 

A diet high in fiber will work wonders to help relieve constipation! Foods that contain high contents of fiber include fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fortified cereals.

Another smart move to make is to drink plenty glass-fuls of water and to take iron supplements.

Condition # 2 - Heart-Burn/Indigestion

The occurrence of ingestion or ‘dyspepsia’ is an unpleasant inconvenience that may occur at any point during your pregnancy. This inconvenience becomes a serious problem during the latter stages of pregnancy. Burping and flatulence occurs due to the hormonal changes as the fetus continues to grow.

Dietary Intervention:  

Avoid fizzy, carbonated drinks as much as possible, don’t wash down your meal with liquids – it’s always best to drink before your meal, chew your food slowly and stay away from highly seasoned and fried items. Also, try to divide your meals into 6 small portions to make sure you are not overworking your digestive system.

Now ‘Heartburn’ is a form of a form of indigestion caused by acid entering into the esophagus. This is most likely to be experienced during the second trimester of pregnancy.

Dietary Intervention:

Eat meals at least 2-3 hours before you sleep, keep a glass of milk besides your table to sooth your tummy and ask your midwife/doctor to suggest a antacid if this problem persists over a period of time.

Condition # 3 - Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes, also known as ‘Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is an unusual condition in which women without a pervious history of diabetes develop high blood glucose levels during the last trimester of pregnancy.  This condition goes away after the baby is born provided a healthy diet is followed.

Dietary Intervention:

  If you are diagnosed with this condition, your doctor will have to give you insulin shots or Oral Hypoglycemic agents that are safe. After that, you must follow a low-fat, high fiber diet! Foods that are high in fiber and low in fat include; whole grains, fortified cereals, fresh fruits and vegetables, lean protein and low-fat dairy! You should consult a dietician who can formulate a customized diet plan which you can stick to!

Condition # 4 - Hypertension/Pre-Eclampsia

 Pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH), a condition related with elevated blood pressures, this can be life threatening to the baby as well as yourself, so it’s important to monitor your blood pressure and …

Dietary Intervention:

You need to follow a healthy, low sodium diet. You must eliminate salt from your diet. This an be achieved by not seasoning your food with salt and by avoiding foods like; canned foods, junk foods and deep fried fatty foods.

Instead, aim to have fresh fruits, veggies, lean meats preferably chicken and fish, lentils and low-fat dairy products. Following a simple exercise program (like walking) will also help keep hypertension under control!