Planning for a baby? Good decision, but before that you must take into consideration your health as well as diet. Many believe woman should be careful about their diet only during pregnancy which is entirely wrong, you must take care of your health and diet before that only. If you are putting on or shedding off weight now and then, you must work out to maintain a healthy weight before conceiving.

Providing essential nutrients to foetus is as important as giving birth, so make your womb a safer place for your baby by keeping yourself healthy by having well-balanced diet.

Your diet must comprise of fish, milk products, green leafy vegetables, fruits, eggs, meat, fat (butter, oils, margarine, dairy products and nuts) and carbohydrates (found in bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, corn and other grain products). You can have protein from eggs, dairy products, fish, meat etc.

Include food items from each group every day in your meal.

Folic Acid:

A study showed that women who took folic acids along with multivitamins during pregnancy helped in protecting child from a serious and common birth defect called neural tube defect, a birth defect involving incomplete development of the brain and spinal cord.

Folate, also known as folic acid is usually found in dark green leafy vegetables, barley, beans, citrus fruits and juices, lentils, chickpeas and black-eyed peas and rice.

Start taking folic acid supplements, starting from before conception to during the first 3 months of pregnancy. Discuss with your doctor or GP about the dosage and the duration.

Calcium:

Eat a healthy diet which has natural source of calcium including dairy foods, such as milk, cheese and yoghurt, and calcium-fortified soymilk. You can also include calcium supplements in your diet.

Iron:

During pregnancy a woman needs more iron than usual amount. Good sources for obtaining iron are liver, meat, seafood; prune juice, dry beans, wheat germ, oatmeal, strawberries, muesli, whole meal bread, tofu, soy nuts and grains. She must get herself checked for anemia.

Fiber:

You must increase your intake of fibre during pregnancy as by doing so you would be less likely to develop gestational diabetes, which occurs only during pregnancy. So, add up your diet with rich source of fiber such as green vegetables, legumes, fresh fruits, green salads, whole grains etc.

Eat better: A well balanced diet is required at all stages of life and especially during pregnancy when the nutrients are consumed by both woman and the foetus.