First Trimester (Conception – 3 months)
Health of the Mother & Child:
The mother has morning sickness, feels that things smell bad, is unable to eat, and feels fatigued and dizzy.
Specific Needs:
- Food that is easy to digest, not sour and does not have a pungent smell
- Easy to digest carbohydrates that are rich in nutrition and increase energy such as brown rice, yams, job’s tears (Chinese pearl barley), etc.
- Folic acid helps develop the child’s brain cells. There is an abundance of this in green vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, etc.
- Omega 3 fatty acids help develop the child’s brain cells. There is an abundance of these in mackerel, salmon, seaweed, etc.
- Vitamin C helps build immunity, absorb iron and strengthen the placenta. This is found in green vegetables, guavas, oranges, etc.
- Vitamin D helps absorb calcium from sunlight
- B Vitamins help develop the child’s brain cells and memory. These are found in egg yolks, liver, milk, etc.
- Choline helps develop the child’s brain cells, neurotransmitters and memory. There is an abundance of this in rice, egg yolks, animal meat, etc.
- Fat helps take care of the mother’s bodily functions and looks after the child’s brain. These are found in various vegetable oils
Recommended Menu
- Brown rice congee
- Spinach soup
- Stir fried chicken with ginger
- Stir fried prawns with broccoli
- Steamed sea bass with lemon
- Stir fried cobia fish with lemon
- Spicy fruit salad
Second Trimester (3 – 6 months)
Health of the Mother & Child:
The mother has problems with constipation and needs to eat more food because the fetus is growing quickly.
Specific Needs:
- Protein creates baby tissue. Eat protein with good fats such as fish, beans, dairy products, etc.
- Iron helps create more blood, which supplies food and oxygen to the child. There is an abundance of this in red meat, liver, egg yolks, basil, etc.
- Iodine helps look after the brain and intellectuality. There is an abundance of this in seafood
- Dietary fiber reduces constipation. There is an abundance of this in rice, whole-wheat bread, fruit, vegetables, etc.
Recommended Menu
- Stir fried vegetables
- Seafood tom yum
- Mackerel yellow curry
- Vegetable yellow curry
- Stir fried liver with holy basil
- Spicy fried egg salad
- Brown rice with shrimp paste
Third Trimester (6 – 9 months)
Health of the Mother & Child:
The mother eats less because the fetus is growing larger but she eats more frequently. She gets cramp easily.
Specific Needs:
- Eat snacks that have nutritional benefits
- Calcium and phosphorous help strengthen the bones of the child and prevent cramping. There is an abundance of these in sardines, sesame, soy, etc.
- Vitamin A causes the child to be healthy. There is an abundance of this in egg yolks, livers, carrots, pumpkins, green vegetables, etc.
Recommended Menu
- Chili paste with sardines
- Tofu
- Rice with roasted sesame
- Stir fried pumpkin with egg
- Pork gravy with kale and carrot
- Pumpkin soup