What To Eat & What To Avoid During The Third Trimester

Once you have reached the third trimester of your pregnancy, you will start feeling super excited. You are in the last leg of your pregnancy and soon you will get to hold your baby in your arms. You might feel like celebrating by eating your favourite dishes, but you will have to resist the temptation. You will have to continue with a healthy diet during this time too for a healthy delivery! A diet that comprises of nutritious foods will ensure proper growth and development of your baby.

Foods To Eat During Your Third Trimester

The growth and development of your baby will depend on what you eat, and that’s the reason why the 7 to 9 months pregnancy diet is crucial. You will now need about 200 additional calories every day, and an adequate quantity of vitamins, fiber, and minerals. Here is what you should include in your pregnancy diet.

1. Foods rich in protein:- Your body will need about 70 grams of protein during this stage since it helps in the formation of the baby’s body. Eating protein-rich foods will ensure that your blood glucose levels remain constant and the risk of diabetes is minimized. You can eat foods like tofu, legumes, fish, and meat.
2. Foods rich in Iron:- A diet that lacks iron could lead to anemia during pregnancy, which can make you dizzy and tired. It may also cause bleeding during delivery. Hence, eating iron-rich foods is necessary. In your last trimester pregnancy diet, you can include meat, dairy products, eggs, wheat bran, and beans
3. Foods rich in Calcium:- In the third trimester of your pregnancy, your baby’s bones should get stronger and for that, your pregnancy diet should include about 800 mg of calcium. To meet your calcium requirements, you can add and milk products like cheese, tofu, and yogurt to your diet. Salmon and nuts are also good sources of calcium. However, if you plan to eat salmon, first, check with your doctor if you can eat it or not. If she gives a go-ahead, make sure you cook it well before eating.
4. Foods rich in Folic Acid:- Folic acid is found in green leafy vegetables like spinach and romaine lettuce – you can include these in your third-trimester diet. Consuming folic-acid rich foods will ensure proper fetal growth and lower the risk of low-birth-weight of your baby. Apart from eating spinach and lettuce, you can even include folic acid, beans, and citrus fruits.
5. Foods rich in DHA:- Having DHA-rich foods during pregnancy can help develop the baby’s brain. You will need about 200 milligrams of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) daily and to meet these requirements you can include milk, eggs, and fruits in your meals.
6. Nuts:-  Nuts are a good source of protein, thiamine, and essential omega-3 fatty acids. If you do not feel up for lunch or dinner, grab a handful of almonds, walnuts, or pistachios and enjoy.

What to Avoid During the Third Trimester of Pregnancy

Avoid including these foods in your third-trimester pregnancy diet:-

1. Salt:- Avoid eating salty foods such as potato chips and fries.
2. Raw Vegetables:- Raw veggies or uncooked veggies can lead to a gas problem, hence you must avoid eating raw veggies. Before eating any veggie, make sure you cook it well.
3. Spicy Foods:- Spicy foods can cause indigestion and heartburn during pregnancy, hence they are best avoided in the last trimester.

If healthy food has always been your mantra, pregnant or not, you won’t need to make any significant changes. But if not, then make some dietary changes in the third trimester as well. You have done so well so far, so continue with that and your baby will grow properly! However, do check with your doctor before including anything in your diet and have a safe pregnancy!

Along with a good diet, some parents may need to have the reassurance of their baby at the latter stages of pregnancy. Miracle Inside provides Position and Presentation Scan at 36 Weeks of pregnancy. You can easily book your appointment with us on our website and can also get information about more scans done by us.