As you complete your second trimester, the anticipation of childbirth and labor starts building up in your heart. You become nervous, start worrying about the child's delivery, and so on. You also have to deal with false labor pains, wobbling feet, and a high sexual drive. So, all in all, the third trimester is more of enhanced emotions that can become too overwhelming to deal with.

In the midst of all these, you completely ignore your body’s need for proper nutrition. Not only do you have to eat for yourself but also the grown baby. Unless and until your body receives all the proper nutrition, it won't be easy for the body to prepare itself for childbirth and labor pain. Moreover, there are high chances of going into early labor with the wrong food.

Bearing the risks in mind, we have formulated a complete guide, mentioning the food items you have to eat, the nutritional level to be maintained, and more.

Nutritional needs during the third trimester

This section below will explain the average calorie intake required for a healthy third trimester and on-time fetus delivery.

In the third trimester, your body will need proteins for fetal growth and the thickening of uterine and cervical muscles. The required calorie for protein is about 75 grams to 100 grams.
100 grams of calcium a day is needed to develop fetal bones, strengthen your bones, fluid balance, and so on.
Iron, about 25 grams, is required since it will help form more RBC and proper transfer of oxygen through hemoglobin.
A maximum of 800 micrograms of folic acid is required for Vitamin B12 and reduces risks of neural problems in the fetus.
Apart from this, your body will also need carbohydrates and fat for the healthy growth of the fetus and the reduced risks of nutritional deficiency.

Foods to eat during the third trimester

There are a lot of foods that you must include in the third-semester diet. These will provide significant macronutrients and several other vitamins and minerals.

Fresh fruits

The first group of food items that you need to include in your diet is fruits. Starting from kiwi and lemon to pomegranate, fig, mango, apple, berries, and others need to be there in the diet. These are significant sources of water and come with several vitamins and minerals essential for both your and the fetus's body.

For example:

Lemon, berries, and kiwi have Vitamin C
Pomegranate has a high quantity of iron
Apple is an excellent source of vitamin A

Lentils

Lentils are a great source of protein, starting from kidney beans to chickpeas and more. Therefore, adding them to your diet will help you give the required protein content to your body for fetal development. If you don't like the lentils, you can have them in the following ways:

Toast with cooked kidney beans
Pita bread with red beans
Chickpea salad

Nuts and seeds

Nuts and seeds are crucial due to the high nutritional content required by both the mother and fetus. You can make granola bars with these ingredients like pumpkin seeds, melon seeds, walnuts, almonds, cashews, and more. You can also have salted roasted pistachios and almonds as quick snack bites or add fresh nuts and seeds to oatmeal.

Fish

Fish is the primary source of protein, iodine, minerals, vitamins, and essential omega acids. These nutrients will help properly develop your baby's brain and DHA. Some fishes to eat in the third trimester are salmon, anchovies, tuna, freshwater trout, shrimp, cod, mackerel, and more.

Conclusion

One must consult a dietician as well for a proper guide on the nutrition required for each month of pregnancy. In case you face any allergy or problem due to any specific ingredient, consult our doctor at medipulse for an alternative to fulfill the nutrition gap.

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A complete guide to third-trimester diet and nutrition