What to eat before childbirth. What should be the nutrition of a pregnant woman before childbirth

Proper nutrition in the last month of pregnancy is of particular importance, because all body systems begin to work in a different mode - in the mode of intensive training. Needs for nutrients, minerals and vitamins are changed before childbirth. Catering is considered one of the important stages in preparing for the upcoming motherhood.

In this article we will discuss what you can and cannot eat before childbirth and whether the diet affects the birth process.

General principles

The general approach to nutrition before childbirth remains the same - food should be safe, hypoallergenic, nutritious and balanced. But in the last 3-4 weeks before the date of birth, it should be understood that the diet is now aimed not only at the growth and development of the baby, but also at the preparation of the female body. But the kid, who has already taken everything he needs, will not benefit from excess calcium and fats.

In order not to "feed" the child to a size that will significantly complicate the birth process, it is important to limit the consumption of dairy products and cottage cheese, fatty foods in the last month. It is important to understand that premature ossification of the skull bones in the fetus due to excess calcium is highly undesirable for either the mother or the baby due to the increased likelihood of birth injuries in both.

Meals should now include foods to increase muscle elasticity, which, combined with exercise and special gymnastics, will help make labor easier. In general, the diet should become lighter so that the pregnant woman's body can cleanse itself before the upcoming birth.

You still need to eat up to six times a day, in small portions, be careful with your food choices.

What's changing?

First of all, 3-4 weeks before delivery, it is desirable to reduce the amount of animal protein. In practice, this means that the amount of meat, fish, poultry and eggs consumed should be approximately halved. It is this measure that is considered effective in the preparation of muscle tissue.

Why is it important? Because well-trained pelvic muscles minimize the potential risks of rupture during labor.

You don't need to give up animal protein altogether. But it makes sense to reduce the meat portions.

In the usual diet, one more amendment should be made - for vegetable oil. Now it is required more than twice before. It is advisable to add it to first courses, salad, side dishes. This will be an excellent prevention of hemorrhoids at a later date, because it is in the last month of bearing a baby that this unpleasant disease associated with varicose veins hemorrhoidal veins. The oil increases the elasticity of muscle tissue, and also prevents the violation of water metabolism.

Even if a woman does not like carrots and did not eat them during the entire pregnancy, an effort should be made before giving birth, because it is this raw vegetable that allows you to maintain muscle tone due to the high content of vitamins A and E.

You should refuse high-calorie foods, even if they belonged to the category allowed during the period of bearing the baby. So, peaches should be replaced with apples, and instead of potatoes, it is better to eat stewed zucchini.

Foods that must be included in the diet

There are foods that have historically been considered the most beneficial for those who give birth from day to day.

Their usefulness for the birth process is a big question, since none of the studies has yet proven it, but it was also not possible to refute their possible effect on the body without five minutes for the woman in labor. and therefore it makes sense to try to diversify your daily menu with them.

• Dates rich in vitamins, tasty, but their main advantage is the effect on the hormonal background. Therefore, it is believed that eating dates is beneficial to make childbirth easier and less painful. Whether it is true or not, it is difficult to say, but definitely dates improve mood and digestion.
• Pineapple contain bromelain. The substance has a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect, which is actively used in medicine and pharmacology. But for a pregnant woman it is not even that important, but that side effect bromelain is an antispasmodic effect, in other words, eating pineapple is a measure to prepare the cervix for the upcoming birth.
• Seeds and nuts - a whole complex of polyunsaturated fatty acids. These substances are needed for the production of prostaglandins, which, in turn, take the most effective part in the process of maturation of the cervix. The main thing is not to overdo it: you need to use them in small quantities, and also avoid allergenic peanuts, Brazil nuts, and almonds.
• Cauliflower - an excellent tool for cleansing the intestines, removing toxins from the body. It is very important to make labor easier. If you don't even want to eat boiled cauliflower, make it a rule to eat at least a couple of inflorescences a day.

Pay attention to leafy vegetables, they are also considered highly desirable.

ethnoscience recommends pregnant women in the later stages to drink rosehip decoction. It can be prepared with fresh or dried fruit. This drink is a source of vitamins and a means to prepare the pelvic floor muscles for the upcoming generic activity... The broth can be brewed in a thermos and taken with you to the hospital. While the contractions are going on, if the doctor permits, it will be possible to take a few sips, this will increase the tone and give strength.

Good day, my lovely readers! If you have opened this article, you may already have contractions. Congratulations! I hold my fists for you. Let everythnig will be alright! Or maybe you want to find out in advance about all the nuances of nutrition during this period. In any case, you need to know them.

So, there are regular contractions, but you are still at home. And before heading to the hospital, you want to eat. But the question stops: is it possible to eat before childbirth? More precisely, in childbirth - after all, they have already begun.

Now I will tell you everything I know about it.

I will say right away that doctors have no consensus. The only person who can accurately answer your question is the doctor who will deliver the baby.

Therefore, it is better to discuss this with your doctor in advance if you already know with whom you will give birth. If you don't know, then the article will come in handy.

Your stomach and common sense speak for a snack. Both you and your baby will not be hurt by the extra portion of energy. After all, childbirth lasts from 6 to 18 hours.

Supporters also speak out in favor of eating natural childbirth... For example, in the book “Art breastfeeding"La Leche League, a woman in labor is allowed to eat" as much as her heart desires. "

Cochrane, an organization that has been collecting reliable medical data for 20 years, has compiled the results of 6 major studies. It turned out that the well-being of babies and the course of childbirth in women does not depend on whether they ate or not.

Obstetricians-gynecologists are against food during childbirth. And that's why:

1. The woman in labor may need general anesthesia... And then the contents of the stomach will enter the trachea and bronchi. This can lead to pneumonia. This is a serious complication.
2. When contractions become active, a full stomach will induce vomiting.

Let's discuss the first argument.

Only in 5% of cases cesarean section performed under general anesthesia. These are emergency operations, which were impossible to foresee at the beginning of labor. But even then, anesthesiologists have techniques to prevent gastric contents from being thrown into the lungs.

In 95% of cases, spinal or epidural anesthesia is used. With these methods, the sensitivity of only the lower half of the body disappears.

The woman does not lose consciousness, and the contents of the stomach cannot enter the lungs.

Inactive, painless contractions in the first stage of labor last 5-6 hours. During this time, food will have time to travel from the stomach to the intestines.

Is it so or not

Let's summarize. You can probably get a snack if:

• You have a normal pregnancy without any abnormalities.
• You are pregnant with one child.
• You have a cephalic presentation, that is, the baby is head down.
• Childbirth began on time: from 37 to 41 weeks.
• The waters have not yet departed.
• You are not bleeding.

Just don't confuse a light snack with lunch. A tightly full stomach will prevent you from giving birth!

• You were being prepared for a planned caesarean section and your labor started earlier.
• The birth did not begin on time.
• You have more than one baby in your belly.
• You have any abnormalities during pregnancy. For example, a low location of the placenta, breech presentation, large fetus, narrow pelvis, high pressure, edema.
• Send away the waters.
• You are bleeding (red blood).

In all these cases, there is no time to drink tea. Call an ambulance immediately! You may need surgery.

What can you eat

For a snack, food that is quickly evacuated from the stomach is suitable for you. Choose:

You shouldn't eat bread, porridge, nuts, meat, dairy products now. The time of their digestion in the stomach is from 1.5 to 6 hours.

Don't eat too much sweets. Sugary foods cause nausea and increase pain sensitivity... And you don't need it now.

I wish you an easy delivery and strong healthy babies!

I hug

Anastasia Smolinets

The last month of pregnancy for a woman is the most exciting and long-awaited: the baby is formed, and it is worth preparing for its imminent appearance. The ninth month is important not so much for the growth and health of the baby in the womb, but for preparing the female body for delivery. To make childbirth easier and safer, gynecologists recommend that pregnant women in the last 4 weeks of pregnancy perform various exercises for the pelvic floor muscles, train to breathe correctly during childbirth and adhere to a special diet. A woman should strictly monitor her diet, it should be balanced, healthy, not contain alcohol. But before giving birth, the composition of food changes dramatically.

By the 37th week, the baby is already fully formed, viable and ready to be born. For the previous 8 months, he received everything he needed for development. The last month should be aimed at preparing the pelvic muscles for the child's passage. The essence of the diet is to unload the woman's body, not to overfeed the baby and pick up a set of foods that will strengthen the pelvic muscles and make them more elastic.

Which foods to exclude and which ones to add

1. Animal. Reduce or minimize the consumption of fish and eggs. This will allow the muscles of the birth canal to be more elastic, plastic, facilitate the movement of the child, which will serve as the prevention of ruptures in childbirth, birth injuries of the newborn.
2. Food rich. They are rich in milk, cottage cheese, cheeses, fermented milk products, fish. Calcium is not needed before childbirth - it promotes the hardening of the baby's skull bones, and this makes it difficult for it to pass through the birth canal. It would be a mistake to completely abandon fermented milk drinks, they best products for normal bowel function, maintaining a healthy microflora. But if the delivery is scheduled for a certain date, it will be a cesarean section, then the restriction is removed.
3. ... You can opt for olive and flaxseed oils, if you like something else - please. 1-2 tablespoons a day will be enough. Vegetable oil can be added to soups, seasoned with vegetable salads. Oils will serve as a prevention of hemorrhoids, increase muscle elasticity, prevent overdrying of the mucous membrane during childbirth. But animal fats must be abandoned: they reduce the elasticity of tissues, which leads to muscle ruptures during childbirth.
4. Carrot. Must be present in the diet of the expectant mother. It is rich, which maintains tissue tone, promotes their early recovery after childbirth. Carrots are low in calories and are a source of essential vitamins and minerals.

In addition to the listed recommendations on products, one should not forget about the five meals a day, small snacks. You should not eat before bed, especially foods that provoke heartburn and belching. Observe the drinking regime: if the fluid in the body does not stagnate, drink 2 liters per day, if the gynecologist recommended limiting the intake of fluid and salt, then adhere to these rules.

Menu before childbirth

Raw, boiled or baked vegetables must be present in the diet of a woman preparing for childbirth.

A woman's menu before childbirth should consist of dairy-free cereals, stewed, fried, boiled and baked vegetables, dried fruits, and raw. You can eat one of the fermented milk products per day: sour cream, yogurt, cottage cheese or kefir.

10 days before the expected date of birth, it is advisable to exclude even cereals from the diet, leaving only vegetables and fruits.

Examples of meals you can prepare before giving birth

Many people do not know the full range of possible vegetable dishes. Here are some examples, and you can cook based on these ideas, what suits your taste more.

• Soups without broth, cold soup, or cold borscht, okroshka.
• Vegetable casserole, potatoes baked with vegetables and sour cream in the oven. Baked apples.
• Vegetable stew.
• Vegetables in batter.
• Stuffed cabbage rolls without meat, pepper stuffed with rice.
• Potato pancakes, pancakes from or zucchini.
• Rice and zucchini casserole.
• Salads.
• Common beans or asparagus cooked with onions, tomatoes and carrots.
• with white sauce, stewed cabbage, hodgepodge.
• Vegetable cutlets.
• Stewed carrots with sour cream.
• Stewed eggplant, squash caviar.
• Pumpkin porridge.
• Compotes. Kissel.

Birth day

The day of birth will be indicated at the last consultation by the gynecologist. Harbingers of the onset of labor will be minor contractions, water leakage. If childbirth occurs, then it is better not to eat anything - this can cause vomiting, belching, it will take part of the energy to digest food, and they must be protected for childbirth.

On the day of birth, it is better not to eat, but to drink more. It is more beneficial for muscles to drink still or drinking water, teas from mint, lemon balm, currants, raspberries. But if you want to eat very strongly, then you can satisfy your hunger with a small portion of light food that does not cause nausea and disgust. The main thing is not to gorge yourself, not to choose foods that cause thirst.

It is best to refrain from food, because after childbirth the intestines do not work, and food may remain in it. long time, which enhances the processes of decay and fermentation.

Remember: the diet should not exhaust a woman.

If she is constantly hungry, because of the refusal of certain foods, she has become nervous, capricious, does not sleep well, then the diet can be adjusted and sometimes allow herself to eat what she wants.

Throughout the pregnancy, expectant mothers carry their baby, carefully taking care of his health, and now the birth itself is approaching. Last weeks and the days before the upcoming event become especially exciting. How to prepare for childbirth so that it is easy and quick? - this question worries every woman. Preparation for childbirth includes many factors - this is the psychological attitude, and physical exercises, but we must not forget that the nutrition of the expectant mother is of great importance. After all, nutrition during pregnancy and especially before childbirth can significantly affect the birth process itself. What should be food for childbirth without pain? - we will talk about this today in our article.

To begin with, in the last months of pregnancy, the baby in the stomach is actively gaining weight, and the mother, along with him, is also inclined to gain additional pounds. Of course, you need to satisfy your hunger, but you should not overeat and, as the older generation liked to say, “eat for two”. What can an uncontrolled attitude to food lead to? - The weight of the baby by the time of birth will be too large, and this will make the birth process difficult. Yes, children are born different - both large and small, but still there is a difference between giving birth to a child weighing 3 kg and weighing 5 kg!

Thus, you need to eat wisely, the closer to the expected date of birth, the easier your nutrition should be. Ideal if you are in everyday life. If not, then in the last months of pregnancy, nutritionists recommend that expectant mothers give up animal products (these are meat, fish, eggs and dairy products). This and he spends colossal efforts on their digestion, and in the last months of pregnancy there is an active preparation for childbirth - energy is directed to others more important processes... Also, animal protein reduces the elasticity of the generic tissues.

Therefore, the best food for childbirth is plant natural food... Vegetables and fruits should be the foundation of your preparatory diet. It is also recommended, it is she who promotes the hardening of the bone mass, which is completely unnecessary during childbirth. Consider which plant foods you should pay special attention to and be sure to include in your prenatal diet.

Food for childbirth without pain.

Dates:

As a result of scientific research, it turned out that dates contain special stimulants that strengthen the muscles of the uterus in the last months of pregnancy and can relieve labor pain. Oxytocin, the production of which is influenced by dates, penetrates the muscle cells of the pregnant uterus, causing them to contract. This means that thanks to them, childbirth is easier and the term is reduced. postpartum hemorrhage... Moreover, it is surprising that immediately after the process of childbirth, oxytocin begins to act in the mother's body as a substance that triggers the mechanism of milk production by the mammary glands. Little of, dates enrich mother's milk with vitamins, which is especially important for the health of the baby. Beneficial features dates will also come in handy for pregnant women because they have special elements that help get rid of prenatal and postnatal depression.

A pineapple:

Nuts and seeds:

Nuts and seeds are a natural source (vitamin F). They participate in the formation of prostaglandins, which are necessary for the good progress of the labor process, causing relaxation of the cervix and protecting against weak labor. , and cold-pressed oils should be consumed only in the case of undeveloped intestinal microflora and in limited quantities. It takes a handful of nuts or seeds per day, or a spoonful of natural unrefined oil, to cover the daily requirement for unsaturated acids.

Cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and other types of cabbage:

They are excellent sources of natural sulfur. For a good childbirth, it is important that the joints and blood vessels are elastic - this is facilitated by sulfur, also sulfur removes toxins from the body, it contains collagen, which provides elasticity to tissues, protects against dislocations, excessive separation of bones in childbirth, birth injuries.

, and other legumes:

These are sources of vitamin PP in an easily assimilated form. It helps to cope with difficult physical activity, which gives a large supply of energy during childbirth. In addition, the ability nicotinic acid expand the capillaries, ensuring good blood flow to the cells, improves muscle nutrition, and this increases the elasticity of the birth canal. Such food for childbirth reduces pain, protects against rupture, provides the baby and mother with sufficient oxygen and protects against hypoxia.

, green buckwheat:

These foods are sources of vitamin B6, which helps to increase muscle calcium and is responsible for the contraction of the uterus during labor. Also, these products contain vitamin B1 (thiamine), which has analgesic properties, that is, its sufficient content in the body during childbirth can reduce pain.

Leafy green vegetables and:

They are an excellent source of folic acid (vitamin B9). Folic acid is important in late pregnancy to prevent premature birth and premature rupture amniotic fluid, as well as for the timely contraction and relaxation of muscles, for adequate hormone production. During childbirth folic acid no less is needed, because in the generic process, the ability of cells to divide is also relevant - cells in the birth canal do not just stretch during the passage of the fetus, but they divide, grow.

Green, orange, red and other vegetables:

They will serve as a source of vitamin A, Vitamin A is involved in the synthesis of progesterone, so a sufficient amount of it is important for the normal course of childbirth. In addition, it is important for maintaining good condition of the mucous membrane of the birth canal and uterus. A variety of vegetables will also serve as an excellent source of vitamin U (methyl methionine), it protects against tears during childbirth and helps heal tears after them, helps against postpartum depression... And vitamin C, contained in vegetables, protects during childbirth from back pain, from lethargy and fatigue and is the prevention of heavy bleeding.

As it became clear from this list, the main factor of the correct prenatal menu is the variety of products. vegetable origin - these are all kinds of vegetables, fruits and herbs, and preference should be given to fresh products, since heat treatment, as you know, destroys many vitamins.

Food for childbirth without pain is natural fruits and vegetables, all that nature itself gave us. Try to turn on your intuition, because during pregnancy it intensifies, what would you like to see on your dinner table ?! - maybe this is exactly the product that your body needs at the moment. And if you have already become a mother, tell us about how you ate before giving birth, what foods, in your opinion, influenced the process of childbirth. I look forward to your comments!

As nutritionists say with one voice, every day the birth approaches, you need to replace a piece of meat in your diet with a green leaf of lettuce. Based on research, muscles lose their elasticity when a person eats meat. Nutrition before childbirth for muscle elasticity must be carefully prepared, since this, to some extent, depends on how the birth will go.

Preparing the body

A month before giving birth, you should flatly give up meat and fish. Other products, excluding junk food, can be consumed in small doses.

A week before the expected event, it is better to enrich food with oils that will make the birth canal and blood vessels highly elastic. Also, foods rich in pectin fibers can be eaten before childbirth to give birth well.

Do you feel hungry before giving birth? The appetite of the future woman in labor is individual in each case, but more often than not, before such an event, thoughts do not come into my head at all about food. Even if you want to eat before giving birth, doctors do not recommend doing this, since the body needs to be completely cleansed and prepared for happy hour.

Nutrition should be well thought out a week before giving birth. Exclusively at this time, the body finally accumulates all the forces to complete the final step.

It is important not to deny yourself essential vitaminswithout overloading the body with food. Herbal teas and baked fruits and vegetables will be helpful. Two weeks before giving birth, it is recommended to eat raw and baked vegetables and fruits, especially apples and pumpkin.

What can

Is it okay to eat before childbirth? It is quite obvious that if you diet before childbirth, it will be easier to give birth. Immediately before the event, most often not before food, but if you really want to, you can eat an apple. Two to three weeks before giving birth, you can even stew vegetables from the supermarket that were once frozen. Herbal infusions and fresh juices give strength to the body.

What you can eat before giving birth:

1. grated carrots;
2. vegetable oils (except sesame);
3. cereals;
4. fresh juices;
5. baked apples;
6. herbal teas;
7. baked pumpkin;
8. kefir and fat-free cottage cheese;
9. vegetable broths.

The role of water intake during childbirth is also overestimated. Some doctors say that you need to drink plenty of fluids before giving birth. Scientists studying the physiology of childbirth have proven that by the time of the act itself, a woman's body has the necessary supply of fluid. Therefore, if you are thirsty before giving birth, the best option is to rinse your mouth with cool water or suck on a piece of ice.

What is not allowed

At the end of the last trimester, it is better to completely abandon meat, especially sausages. The body of the future mother is working at full capacity and the additional burden of processing such complex food he doesn't need anything. Food should be light and low in calories.

In different cases and at different stages of the labor act, you need to understand that there are products that stimulate labor, the use of which can harm the woman in labor and the baby.

What you can't eat before childbirth:

• fried and fatty foods;
• pickles;
• salty, sour, spicy foods;
• meat (any);
• meat broths;
• confectionery;
• bakery products (with the exception of healthy cereal bread);
• milk;
• sesame oil.

It is also recommended to exclude from the diet foods that cause constipation: milk, eggs, fish and other proteins of animal origin. These foods clog the intestines, making it difficult for an already problematic bowel movement in the postpartum period.

Looking at all the gastronomic variety that is on the supermarket shelves, it is difficult to deny yourself something, especially if the baby inside asks for raw smoked sausages.

To overcome postpartum blood loss, stress and have enough energy, the body of the expectant mother, of course, must have certain reserves. This is by no means a reason to tighten up your menu. It should be lightened every day.

Why you can't eat before giving birth:

1. contractions by themselves can cause a gag reflex, since there is a reflex connection between the cervix and the stomach;
2. with a full stomach and bladder a woman in labor may feel some discomfort;
3. some foods give additional puffiness;
4. the glucose in food can cause jaundice in a newborn.

It is not known what the delivery will be like, perhaps doctors will be forced to introduce general anesthesia, which, as you know, can provoke nausea and vomiting. Under these circumstances, vomiting is extremely dangerous, as vomit can enter the lungs and cause an attack of suffocation or pneumonia.

Among the provisions brought by relatives when visiting the expectant mother, there will certainly be products that speed up labor. Their properties can be used to stimulate labor as needed.

What foods cause labor:

• parsley;
• a pineapple;
• beets and beet juice;
• currant juice;
• raspberry leaf tea;
• castor oil.

The nutritional needs of a woman undergoing labor are individual and complex and cannot be strictly controlled. First of all, a woman is recommended to rely on her own feelings and desires of the little man, for whose good everything is being done. Foods That May Cause Labor early dates should not become a reason for refusing a favorite delicacy, it is enough just to observe the measure in everything.