Fasting days during second pregnancy. How to properly arrange fasting days for pregnant women. Positive and negative sides

Content

A woman's body undergoes many changes during pregnancy. Mainly this is an increase in body weight, which all young mothers are terrified of. To keep your figure normal and not gain extra pounds, it is good to arrange fasting days. This way you can reduce the risk of edema and make the digestive system easier.

Is it possible for pregnant women to do fasting days?

In the old fashioned way, some women believe that pregnant women need to eat for two. However, medicine does not stand still, and modern doctors, unlike grandmothers, believe that nutrition should be moderate, correct, with a full set of vitamins and minerals. Overeating can harm not only the body of a young mother, but also provoke some pathologies in the baby. There is no need for extremes: a strict diet is dangerous for the body, but unloading for pregnant women will be very useful.

Doctors recommend having one fasting day a week. This will not harm the baby; he will receive all the necessary nutrition from the mother’s body. With the help of fasting days, a woman will be able to control weight gain and then there will be no need to choose emergency diets after childbirth. You should not expect quick results from unloading. Tune in to long-term weight loss in 3-4 months, then the weight loss per month averages up to 500 grams.

If the fasting day is carried out correctly, following all the rules and recommendations, then the woman will receive all the necessary substances (proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, microelements), and normal metabolism will be maintained. Thanks to unloading, metabolism improves, the intestines are cleared of toxins, enzyme activity is regulated, and swelling goes away due to improved kidney function.

Uncontrolled diets, along with overeating, can lead to disturbances in the development of the fetus, since restrictions and sudden changes in diet are stressful for the body. To carry out unloading, there must be certain indications and the consent of the doctor. It is recommended to carry them out starting from the seventh month (28 weeks) of pregnancy, when the body of the unborn child is actually formed.

In 1st trimester

Subject to the rules of a healthy diet and moderate exercise, a woman’s weight gain in the first trimester should not exceed 350 grams per week. It is important to control your weight, especially if the woman is already plump or prone to gaining weight. The diet of pregnant women in the early stages provides for the rational inclusion in the menu of foods rich in protein, complex carbohydrates, polyunsaturated fats, folic acid, iron, calcium and magnesium.

If a woman begins to gain weight more than 600 grams, then she should think about unloading. This is important for normalizing body weight. Curd and kefir days are useful; to reduce swelling, it is better to eat baked potatoes with sour cream and white meat. At different stages of pregnancy, a woman may develop new eating habits. Doctors advise following your desires, but in moderation. In the early stages, the diet may not change at all.

From the fourth week, the unborn child’s cardiovascular system is formed, and the mother wants foods high in iron (apples, liver, buckwheat). In the sixth week, the nervous system and brain begin to form, which requires cholesterol, and mommy will want to eat butter. In the eighth week, don’t be surprised if you crave sour, yeasty bread or baked goods. This means that the embryo requires vitamin E and organic acids.

In the second trimester

From the fourth to the sixth month of pregnancy, the baby is actively growing, the mother’s body experiences enormous stress, so you need to strictly control your diet so as not to further burden your organs due to excess weight. Unloading in the 2nd trimester is necessary. You should reduce your intake of cholesterol-containing foods to help your liver function better. It is better to refrain from foods that cause allergies - strawberries, citrus fruits, tomatoes, exotic fruits. It is better to give preference to apples and fermented milk products.

In the third trimester

In the last months, the baby is already fully formed, gaining weight, and the mother’s body begins to prepare for a joyful event. At this time, nutrition should be complete and rational, as in the second trimester. Unloading in the 3rd trimester is carried out mainly on low-fat fish. If desired, they can be made on vegetables, stewed or fresh. Days on fruit salads with yogurt or kefir are acceptable.

When are fasting days prescribed - are they necessary?

For expectant mothers, the following conditions are indicated to practice fasting days during pregnancy:

1. Obesity. If a woman is diagnosed with this before pregnancy, she must closely monitor her diet throughout the entire period of pregnancy. It is necessary to regularly unload so as not to gain excessive weight further, since excess weight is a high risk of birth injuries, the development of diabetes mellitus in the future, and preeclampsia.
2. Gestosis is a disorder in the early or late stages, leading to placental abruption, premature birth, fetal hypoxia, which will subsequently adversely affect the health of the mother and baby.
3. Rapid weight gain is a direct recommendation for introducing fasting days.
4. Swelling. It impedes the functioning of many body systems, aggravates the general condition, and causes discomfort.

To lose weight

Over the entire period, a healthy woman should not gain more than 12 kg. If a woman has always been too thin, then a few more kilograms will be added to the normal weight gain. This is how our body itself regulates body weight, catching it up to normal, creating all the conditions for bearing a child. The total weight of a pregnant woman consists of the woman’s own body weight, the weight of the child, the placenta, amniotic fluid, additional blood volume, and enlarged breasts. To maintain hormonal balance, the fat layer also becomes larger.

Stable weight gain begins in the second trimester. It is considered normal if weight gain is no more than 500 grams weekly. If there is rapid weight gain of more than 1 kg per week, then fasting days are prescribed for weight loss. Strict diets, unbalanced mono-diets and fasting are strictly prohibited. To lose weight, it is better to reconsider your diet:

• Stop eating fatty, fried foods, and drinking sweet carbonated water.
• It is forbidden to smoke or salt because of the high salt content, which retains water in the body and leads to edema.
• Limit sweets and baked goods. Instead, use homemade jam and dried fruits.
• Eat porridge with fruits and vegetables. They are rich in fiber, will help cleanse the intestines and saturate the body with complex carbohydrates, which provide the body with high-quality energy.
• Buy lean meat, fish and poultry.
• Limit strong tea and coffee, giving preference to compotes and clean water.
• Do a weekly fasting day. Root vegetables (beets, carrots, celery), legumes (beans and peas), vegetables (zucchini, cucumbers, bell peppers), kefir, cottage cheese, watermelon effectively reduce weight.

For swelling

In the last period of pregnancy, the limbs begin to swell greatly. This is considered normal. As practice shows, if a woman has slight swelling, the baby is born larger, and the risk of premature birth is reduced. The fact is that during pregnancy, the mother’s body intensively produces the hormone estrogen; it attracts and retains water, which is needed in large quantities to keep ligaments, tissues and muscles elastic for a problem-free birth.

Most of the water will be lost during the birth process, and then the rest will be released over the course of a week as hormonal changes begin. However, if there is swelling, you should consult a doctor, get tested and monitor that there is no protein in the blood. The last symptom is a bad sign. To relieve swelling, you need to love a healthy lifestyle and change your diet:

• limit salt in food;
• drink no more than two liters of water per day;
• the menu should not contain fatty, spicy dishes;
• steam or bake;
• eat more fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs;
• practice eating small portions every 3 hours: this will additionally promote weight loss;
• between meals, make several snacks of dried apricots, raisins, yogurt, kefir, fruit;
• be sure to do unloading on baked potatoes and kefir;
• Cottage cheese and kefir are recommended.

What fasting days can pregnant women have?

You can unload in a variety of ways, alternating well-known options for fasting days for pregnant women. It is better to give preference to vegetable, fruit, and juice options. They are effective and fill the body with vitamins and minerals. Protein, milk, and fat days should be used with caution, since such heavy mononutrition is contraindicated for chronic problems with the gastrointestinal tract and cardiovascular system. If you are unsure which option is right for you for health reasons, it is best to first get advice from a doctor or nutritionist.

on apples

A regular fasting day once a week is not an apple diet during pregnancy, and it is unlikely that you will be able to lose weight. However, fruits contain a lot of fiber, which effectively cleanses the intestines and eliminates stool problems. In addition, unloading on apples is tolerated easily and without hunger. It is safe for those who do not have stomach ulcers or gastritis with high acidity. It is better to choose green varieties with sourness for your diet. This option is good in the cold season, when you don’t feel like drinking: you can’t add water to apples.

On cottage cheese

The softest, most gentle and healthy is a curd fasting day for pregnant women. Dairy products contain a lot of protein, and it can quickly remove excess water from the body. To avoid chewing dry cottage cheese, you can add fruit to it and wash it down with kefir or milk. This natural product will replenish the calcium deficiency that goes into the structure of the baby’s skeletal system. In addition to calcium, cottage cheese contains potassium, fluorine, phosphorus, iron, vitamins A, B, C, amino acids lysine, methionine, choline, which are involved in protein and fat metabolism and normalize liver functions.

On kefir

Kefir will help cleanse the intestines, ease the functioning of the digestive system, and populate bacteria friendly to our body during late pregnancy. At this time, it is very important for a woman to go to the toilet in a timely and successful manner. In addition, kefir is a good diuretic for edema. Regular weekly fasting with kefir will easily dissolve the extra 1-2 kg per month.

On buckwheat

Buckwheat is the queen among cereals. During heat treatment, buckwheat retains most of the beneficial substances, because it can not be boiled, but rather steamed with boiling water in a ratio of one to two. This should be done in the evening in a thermos or wrapping the pan in a blanket. Buckwheat porridge is rich in minerals and contains the amino acid lysine, which accelerates the absorption of calcium. Buckwheat contains a lot of polyunsaturated fats, which help reduce cholesterol and normalize lipid metabolism.

Buckwheat is rich in proteins, the content of which is not inferior to meat. Easily digestible carbohydrates and fiber speed up metabolism, reduce weight, and strengthen the walls of blood vessels. A buckwheat diet during pregnancy will not harm the stomach. The woman will feel full and light. In combination with kefir, buckwheat will effectively cleanse the intestines. This option is recommended for swelling and constipation. According to reviews from those losing weight, this is the best way to lose weight for those who do not like meat.

Protein diet

For the human body, protein is very important as a building material for cells, and for pregnant women it is doubly needed. Amino acids contained in protein regulate muscle growth and improve the development of the body. If there are not enough such products in the body, this can lead to:

• deterioration in kidney and liver function;
• changes in hormonal levels;
• slowing down the absorption of vitamins and microelements.

A protein day for pregnant women is completely safe, it does not affect muscles, but perfectly destroys fat cells. Excess weight literally melts away before our eyes, so this diet is very effective for losing weight. A big plus of protein days is the absence of hunger, since protein is digested very slowly, and a person does not have time to get very hungry before the next meal.

Protein unloading is especially useful for diabetes mellitus, obesity, atherosclerosis, and circulatory disorders; it prevents thrombosis. The choice of healthy products for fasting days is extensive:

• lean meat (white poultry, veal, beef);
• any fish;
• eggs;
• offal;
• mushrooms and legumes;
• fresh vegetables, herbs, dairy products and drinks.

How to do a fasting day during pregnancy

To maintain their health and the health of their baby, future happy mothers must follow some rules when planning fasting days:

1. Must be followed as prescribed by a physician.
2. You cannot do fasting more than once a week: this is stress for the body, and frequent food restrictions will lead to a deficiency of essential vital substances and possible complications.
3. Correctly start at six o'clock in the evening of the current day and finish at six in the evening the next day.
4. The entire daily menu should be divided into 5-6 times and another portion should be eaten every 3-4 hours.
5. In the first half of the day you need to drink a lot of water (up to 2-2.5 liters of clean water). With gestosis, the amount of fluid is limited.
6. On the day of fasting, physical exercise is not recommended; you can go for a walk.
7. In case of unbearable hunger, a glass of low-fat fermented milk drink is allowed.
8. Calculate your caloric intake for this day within 1000-1500 kcal.
9. After unloading, the next day you should eat light food without overloading the body.

Recipes for fasting days

For an apple day you need 1.5 kilograms of sweet apples. The peel must be peeled (but you can leave it in the peel), cut the fruit in half, and remove the seed pod. Place the apple halves on a baking sheet, brush with honey and sprinkle with cinnamon if desired. Bake the fruit in the oven until soft. This delicious delicacy should be divided into 5-6 doses and eaten after 2-3 hours. To drink, choose green tea, chamomile decoction, and clean water.

For a cottage cheese day, you will need 800 grams of low-fat cottage cheese. If you supplement the menu with fermented milk drinks and fruits, then you need to take 600 grams of cottage cheese and a glass of berries or half a liter of low-fat kefir (ryazhenka). You can either mix all the products or alternate them, consuming them at different times. In the evening before going to bed, drink kefir.

There are many recipes for buckwheat fasting day, for example:

• pure buckwheat, steamed in a thermos in the evening;
• steamed buckwheat with soy sauce, plus grapefruit, dried fruits;
• buckwheat porridge and green apples (steam 250 grams of cereal, plus 3 apples per day).

The most satisfying and delicious fasting day is a protein day. Meat can be stewed, baked, boiled, steamed cutlets, meatballs, any low-fat fish is allowed (pike perch, bream, cod, perch, pollock, hake). Additionally, you can drink tea with milk, a little coffee, or rosehip decoction. You need 400 grams of gently cooked meat per day. It is better to consume everything cooked in six doses.

During the period of bearing a child, you need to carefully monitor your diet. According to your doctor’s recommendations, you can use one of the diets and do not forget that you need to have a fasting day for pregnant women.

This diet will help you avoid gaining excess weight. Unloading should be carried out in accordance with the individual recommendations of the doctor.

Pregnancy can be accompanied by various health problems that can be corrected by adjusting your diet.

• obesity of the expectant mother;
• significant weight gain - may be the cause of gestosis;
• external and internal edema - fluid accumulates in large quantities in the intercellular space;
• uneven weight gain based on pre-pregnancy body mass index.

“Fasting” will help stop the development of the disease.

Rules for unloading during pregnancy:

• Nutrition correction is possible only from 28-30 weeks of pregnancy.
• Nutritional correction should be carried out once a week.
• You need to start in the evening and continue throughout the day.
• It is advisable to allocate 1 day in 10 days for unloading.

Fasting days are assigned individually. Recommendations are prescribed by a gynecologist in consultation with other doctors.

The most effective types of fasting days during pregnancy

During the unloading process, the fetus should not feel a lack of nutrients, therefore the principle of this technique differs significantly from standard “water” ones.

In order not to burden the body of the mother and unborn child, several options have been developed:

1. Drink 1.5 liters of kefir per day, dividing the volume into 6 servings.
2. In 1 day, eat 1.5 kg of apples in 6 meals.
3. 0.5 kg of cottage cheese + 0.5 l of green tea without sugar.

There is also an option for a three-day fasting mini-diet.

The approximate menu includes several types of products:

• the morning should begin with fermented milk products;
• for lunch you can eat grilled vegetables and drink tea;
• dinner will be the most nutritious - boiled meat, porridge and yogurt.

Nutrition during different periods of pregnancy

A gynecologist always draws pregnant women’s attention to nutrition. This is a necessary condition for the normal development of the child inside the womb. Each trimester has its own dietary characteristics.

Fasting days for pregnant women in the 1st trimester

In the first trimester, many women experience toxicosis. You need to eat quickly digestible foods. Approximate menu for the week:

First day:

1. Oatmeal with milk.
2. Kefir with a small percentage of fat content.
3. Soup with meat broth.
4. Vegetable salad.
5. Vegetable stew.
6. Yogurt.

Second day:

1. Any porridge cooked with milk.
2. Sandwich with butter and cheese.
3. Fish soup.
4. 1/10 kg low-fat cottage cheese.
5. Liver cutlets + pasta.
6. Cabbage salad.

The third day:

1. Curd.
2. Crackers with juice.
3. Pumpkin soup.
4. Fruits.
5. Pea puree with boiled meat.
6. A glass of milk.

Fourth day:

1. Semolina.
2. Berries + kefir.
3. Vegetable broth soup.
4. Fruits.
5. Vegetable salad.
6. Cranberry or tomato juice.

Fifth day:

1. Ryazhenka.
2. Orange.
3. Stewed vegetables and meatballs.
4. Walnuts.
5. Baked potato + tea.
6. Kefir.

Weekends can be organized using any day's menu.

Fasting days for pregnant women in the 2nd trimester

In the second trimester, you need to balance your diet so as to reduce the load on the liver. Sample menu for the week:

Monday:

• Omelet and sandwich with processed cheese.
• Cottage cheese with dried apricots and prunes.
• Cauliflower and broccoli soup.
• Yogurt without additives.
• Salad with five vegetables and avocado.
• Tea without sugar.

Tuesday:

• Milk rice
• Fruit and 3 walnut kernels.
• Soup with turkey meat.
• 150 g cottage cheese with honey.
• Vegetable and meat casserole.
• Cottage cheese casserole.

Wednesday:

• 3 egg omelette.
• Pure yogurt.
• Apples with honey.
• Buckwheat with milk.
• Tomato and cucumber salad.

Thursday:

• Pancakes with curd.
• Nuts.
• Bean broth soup.
• Pear.
• Light chicken pilaf.
• A glass of milk.

Friday:

• Egg casserole.
• Meat stew with zucchini.
• Apple and pear.
• Spaghetti with meatballs.
• Black tea.

On Saturday, repeat the menu of Tuesday, and on Sunday - Thursday.

Unloading for pregnant women in the 3rd trimester

It is necessary to exclude salt and other harmful ingredients to avoid heartburn, toxicosis, fatigue and swelling. Make portions small, but contain foods with plenty of vitamins.

An approximate menu may consist of the following products:

• Stewed, baked or boiled rabbit, chicken, turkey, veal.
• Be sure to include fermented milk products: kefir, yogurt, fermented baked milk, cottage cheese, cheese.
• Salads from vegetables and fruits.
• Sea fish in baked and boiled form.

You should drink no more than a liter of liquid per day to prevent swelling.

In order not to gain extra pounds during pregnancy, you should adhere to the rules of nutrition and include.

Unloading has its advantages and disadvantages. Pros:

• Helps avoid obesity.
• Remove swelling.
• Stabilize blood pressure.
• Helps cleanse the intestines.

The following diet is contraindicated:

• When pre-pregnancy weight was critically low.
• There are doctor contraindications due to health problems.

If the weight gain process is normal, then fasting days are not necessary.

Expectant mothers should remember that the quality of nutrition directly affects the condition and development of the child.

Conclusion

If you carefully work on creating a diet, then not a single extra kilogram will appear during pregnancy and after childbirth.

Nutritionists prefer not to remember those times when people around them advised expectant mothers to eat not only for themselves, but also for “that guy or girl.”

Such behavior could not only spoil the figure of a woman in an interesting position and make her unattractive, but also pose a serious threat to her health during childbirth.

In order for the mother and the future newborn to feel great and receive the full range of nutrients, it is enough to provide them with a complete and balanced diet. Normally, if pregnancy proceeds without complications, a woman gains no more than 12 kg during the entire period.

But if the weight increases unevenly, swelling and some signs of gestosis appear, then fasting days during pregnancy become an urgent need.

The decision to prescribe a safe weight loss method for a pregnant woman is made only by a doctor! Even if the expectant mother dreams of arranging a fasting routine for preventive purposes on her own, she must agree on the menu for such a day with her doctor!

Are fasting days safe during pregnancy?

In the early stages of pregnancy, during its normal course, a woman can gain 1-3 kg in weight or remain in her usual shape. But during the first half of the gestation period, the expectant mother gains up to 40% of her weight gain, the remaining 60% occurs after the 20th week.

Significant weight gain is not always the result of excessive or high-calorie nutrition. Sometimes it is associated with the lifestyle of a pregnant woman or with the individual characteristics of her body (the functioning of the endocrine system, cardiovascular and others).

Fasting days during pregnancy are prescribed for the following symptoms:

• Shortness of breath while walking;

• Swelling of the legs;

• Increased blood pressure;

• Disorders of the cardiovascular system;

• Problems with internal organs (kidneys, liver) and so on.

These signs can signal a deterioration in a woman’s health and cause a risk of pathological processes in the development of the fetus.

Medical indications for prescribing unloading for expectant mothers

Fasting days for pregnant women are an urgent need for:

1. Obesity of varying degrees or the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus. With increased levels of sugar or glucose in the blood, the walls of blood vessels in the fetus are damaged and blood flow is disrupted. This can cause the further development of diabetic fetopathy (multisystem lesions, endocrine and metabolic dysfunctions) in the fetus, as well as trauma during childbirth and the child’s predisposition to diabetes mellitus in the future.

2. Gestosis (preeclampsia), expressed by high blood pressure, swelling and the presence of protein in the urine. This condition disrupts fetoplacental blood flow and often causes premature birth. At the same time, the baby experiences oxygen starvation.

3. Rapid weight gain. An increase in weight per week in a pregnant woman of 0.3-0.4 kg is considered normal. If the weight gain is equal to or exceeds 0.5 kg, the doctor prescribes fasting days for preventive purposes (to prevent the development of various complications).

The doctor makes this decision after a thorough examination of the pregnant woman, monitoring the medical history and consultations with related specialists.

The main “secrets” of unloading during pregnancy

Fasting days during pregnancy are carried out only after the onset of 28 weeks, when the vital organs and systems of the fetus are already fully formed.

Important! You can often find three-day fasts for pregnant women online, which is extremely dangerous! Such advice from illiterate specialists can cause serious harm to the expectant mother and her child!

• It is allowed to carry out one (!) fasting day per week (7-8 days). This will help avoid the consequences: deterioration of pregnancy, nutritional deficiency for the fetus and possible retardation in physical and mental development due to a lack of vital components.

• For the normal course of metabolic processes in the body, a pregnant woman needs 1500 kcal per day, so this figure is taken as the basis when calculating the calorie content of a fasting day.

• The entire daily diet should be divided into 5-6 small equal portions and eaten one every 3-4 hours.

• When eating, you should not rush; you need to chew your food thoroughly in order not only to get enough, but also to prevent problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

• On this day you need to drink at least two liters of purified or boiled water.

• If you feel excessively hungry, you can satisfy it with a glass of low-fat natural yogurt or kefir.

• It is better to limit or eliminate physical activity on such days. It is better to replace them with walks in the fresh air.

• When leaving, you need to listen to your doctor’s recommendations and eat small portions of light foods.

Fasting days for pregnant women: original solutions

The most common healthy foods for unloading during pregnancy are: apples, watermelon, cucumbers, fermented milk drinks, cottage cheese, pumpkin, zucchini, boiled buckwheat without salt, lean river fish, veal or chicken breast.

They can be boiled without adding salt, baked without adding sugar, sprinkled with cinnamon, or steamed.

Separately, it is worth noting the careful consumption of rice and potatoes during fasting days. The increased starch content in these foods can lead to water retention in the body, constipation and weight gain. They can only be used by women with a sufficiently high metabolic rate.

Fasting days during pregnancy on fermented milk drinks bring the greatest benefit for obesity and atherosclerosis, cucumber days for high blood pressure (hypertension), and watermelon or apple days are good for heart and kidney diseases. Unloading with a meat diet is a taboo for chronic diseases of the cardiovascular system and gastrointestinal tract!

• The famous one and a half kilograms of apples for consumption on a fasting day can be partially eaten fresh, the other part of the fruit can be baked in the oven, sprinkled with cinnamon (this dish is ideal for women with gastrointestinal problems) - this healthy, tasty dessert can be included in your regular menu. Or you can make a delicious one (beat a peeled apple in a blender, pour low-fat kefir over it and sprinkle with cinnamon).

• During the watermelon season (if there are no contraindications!), you can replace apples with the pulp of these berries or use other favorite fruits. You can also use them to prepare salads with lemon juice or a small amount of low-fat sour cream (without sugar or sweeteners!), fresh juices with pulp or smoothie cocktails. Only peaches, bananas, figs and grapes are excluded for the fasting day.

• Vegetable days. In addition to fruits, you can use one and a half kilos of non-starchy vegetables to lose weight: cucumbers, zucchini, bell peppers or cauliflower. Some of them can be eaten fresh or in salads, others can also be steamed, stewed, baked (but without salt!) or poured with low-fat natural yogurt (in the form of “a la okroshka”) and sprinkled with permitted types of herbs.

• Protein days. Half a kilo of lean fish (cod, hake, perch, pike, pollock) or the same amount of dietary meat (veal, turkey, chicken) is divided into 5 meals. On this day you can consume 1 kg of fresh vegetables (not containing starch) or 1 liter of “zero” kefir. The amount of clean water can be limited to 1.5 liters by adding 500-600 ml of rosehip decoction. Protein fasting days also include cottage cheese days. Their menu: 500-600 gr. cottage cheese (4%) and 1 liter of kefir (natural yogurt).

• Cereal days. Boil 300 gr. buckwheat in water without salt, divide into 5 servings and eat after 3-4 hours. For drinks – 1 liter of kefir or milk. Water – at least 2 liters. Or boil brown rice (150 g) in the same way, eat with apples (3-5 pcs.), 3 cucumbers, carrots and 1-2 pcs. bell pepper.

• Boil one kilogram of potatoes and eat them throughout the day along with 500-700 ml of low-fat kefir. Drink water (1-1.5 l), green tea (500 ml) and/or (500 ml) as usual.

One well-organized (under the supervision of a doctor!) fasting day during pregnancy helps to get rid of 300-800 grams. excess weight due to fluid loss. Its elimination is facilitated by the absence of salt and sugar in the diet.

Fasting days during pregnancy improve metabolism in the body of the expectant mother and fetus, reduce the load on the cardiovascular system and normalize the functioning of all internal organs. They are also ideal for maintaining your figure and strengthening your health before the most important event in the life of a pregnant woman - childbirth!

There is a myth that during pregnancy a woman can eat everything, even for two. Caring relatives feed the expectant mother with all their love, without thinking about the consequences. In fact, overeating and the predominance of sweet, fatty foods in the diet can cause a number of serious problems in the health of the woman and the fetus, up to the threat of miscarriage. And then they come to the rescue - fasting days. When carried out correctly, they can cleanse the body and alleviate a woman’s condition.

Content:

Is it possible to do fasting days during pregnancy?

It is not only possible, but also necessary to unload the body while waiting for a child. Such days are held according to the indications of the doctor leading the pregnancy. It is unacceptable to prescribe your own diet. A woman should receive a sufficient amount of vitamins, minerals, fats, carbohydrates, and proteins throughout the entire period.

Fasting days for pregnant women and nutritional adjustments are aimed at facilitating the functioning of organs, improving metabolism, getting rid of excess fluid, and improving anabolic processes. The wrong approach, fear of spoiling your figure and a hungry diet can lead to a disastrous outcome.

Indications for unloading the body

The main indication is sudden weight gain. During a normal pregnancy, a woman gains up to 12 kg. They consist of the child’s weight, amniotic fluid, child’s place, the necessary set of adipose tissue, and enlarged mammary glands. Not every woman fits into the given norms. Often they are achieved by the third trimester, and by 40 weeks the gain can reach 20 or more kilograms.

In addition, there are other indications for fasting days:

1. Obesity. This also includes the risk of gestational diabetes in pregnant women, in which blood flow to the fetus is disrupted.
2. Preeclampsia. Main signs: increased blood pressure, swelling of the extremities, the presence of protein in the urine.
3. Fast weight gain. If the average gain exceeds 0.5 kg per week, then the doctor may prescribe a special diet or one fasting day.
4. Constipation, disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract.

After a fasting day, a pregnant woman experiences a sharp weight loss. If swelling is observed, the weight may immediately decrease by 1-2 kg. Mostly water comes out. In the following days, some of the weight will return, which is natural. Systematic fasting days will have a positive effect on the condition of the fetus, and will help the woman maintain a slim figure.

Rules for fasting days

In order not to harm the unborn child, a woman must take a responsible approach to unloading. The main rule is to prevent the feeling of hunger. To do this, the daily ration is divided into 5-6 equal parts, food is consumed every two hours. There are other rules to follow:

1. During pregnancy, you can unload the body no more than once a week. Otherwise, a number of unpleasant side effects occur due to a deficiency of nutrients: weakness, dizziness, decreased hemoglobin levels.
2. Calorie content on a fasting day should not be less than 1500 kcal.
3. Sufficient amount of liquid. During a fasting day, it is important to consume at least two liters of purified water.
4. Slow absorption of food, chewing thoroughly. This will not only help to avoid problems with the gastrointestinal tract, but will also speed up saturation and prevent overeating.
5. Decreased physical activity. You should not engage in physical education for pregnant women, gymnastics, and you should avoid visiting the pool. Enough walks in the fresh air.

If a strong feeling of hunger appears in the evening, you are allowed to eat natural yogurt, drink a glass of kefir or fermented baked milk, regardless of the chosen diet for fasting, as well as the amount eaten per day.

Video: Elena Malysheva about nutrition during pregnancy

Main types of fasting days

For pregnant women, the most optimal are fasting days on kefir, buckwheat and apples. These products are not only able to satisfy the feeling of hunger, but also do not allow you to lose energy, despite their low calorie content. In addition, they are rich in substances necessary for a pregnant woman: vitamins, minerals, beneficial bacteria.

Kefir day

The most popular type of one-day diet, which allows not only to rid the body of everything unnecessary, but also to normalize stool. For a fasting day, only fresh kefir is used. It is unacceptable to drink a fermented milk drink that is two or three days old. Otherwise, it may cause constipation. It is allowed to replace kefir with natural yogurt, sourdough, fermented baked milk.

During the day, a woman needs to consume 1.5 liters of fermented milk product with a fat content higher than 1.5%. As a supplement, up to 0.5 kg of cottage cheese is allowed into the diet.

Advice! If the goal of a kefir day is to get rid of constipation, you can add a little steamed prunes to the drink or additionally consume a compote of this dried fruit brewed in a thermos.

Unloading on buckwheat porridge

A fasting day on buckwheat for pregnant women is of great benefit. In addition to getting rid of excess weight, porridge will fill the body with essential microelements, help raise hemoglobin levels, and improve digestion.

It is advisable to prepare the porridge without cooking in order to retain the maximum amount of vitamins in the cereal. To do this, 250 g of the dry product is thoroughly washed, poured into a thermos, and 500 ml of boiling water is poured. This needs to be done the day before. Then the porridge is divided into 5-6 doses, consumed every 2-3 hours. If swelling is observed, buckwheat is prepared without salt.

Additionally, you can add 0.5 kg of apples or 0.5 liters of kefir. These products are consumed between main meals.

Fasting days on fresh apples are relevant in the summer and autumn periods. In winter and spring fruits, the concentration of nutrients in fruits is much lower. You need to consume 1.5 kg of fruit per day. The variety of apples does not matter. You can supplement your diet with dairy products: kefir, cottage cheese, yogurt.

Advice! Eating raw apples all day is boring, and they also cause increased gas formation. Some fruits can be baked in the oven. You can add cinnamon for taste.

Fasting days for edema

If a woman expecting a baby has weight gain caused by edema, you can create a one-day diet of diuretic products:

1. Cucumber fasting days. You need to eat up to 1.5 kg of cucumbers per day; you can prepare salads with herbs and a small amount of oil, lemon juice, but without salt.
2. Watermelon fasting days. You need to eat up to 2 kg of pure ripe watermelon pulp per day.
3. Rice fasting days. Boil a glass of dry rice in water until fully cooked, divide into several portions. You can eat porridge with the addition of dried apricots, carrots, fresh or baked apples.

Additionally, a decoction of rose hips, lingonberries, and cranberry compote is introduced into the diet. These drinks also help remove excess fluid from the body.

Video: Nutritionist Kovalkov about excess weight during pregnancy

Contraindications

It is not recommended to carry out fasting days for women with diabetes. Care should be taken when adjusting the diet for people suffering from bronchial asthma, endocrine diseases, food allergies, and chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Any diet during pregnancy should be agreed with your doctor.

Fasting days are a useful necessity. But you need to approach it wisely. Only in this case will the pregnancy proceed safely and a healthy and strong baby will be born.

In the third trimester of pregnancy, the child is already formed and viable, all he can do is gain weight, and the woman’s body is already beginning to prepare for childbirth and breastfeeding. Nutrition during the third trimester should not overload the body, be light and at the same time balanced.

The daily set of products, calorie content and the need for basic substances is approximately the same.

Meat

Preference should be given to lean meats, and a few weeks before giving birth you can avoid it altogether.

You should choose lean meats such as beef, chicken, duck, rabbit, and turkey. It is good to boil or stew the meat, bake it, after cutting out the fat from it. You can eat meat and fish not every day, but 4 times a week. Do not use meat broths as food; they impair liver function. Two weeks before giving birth, the portion of meat can be reduced by two to three times or abandoned altogether: the baby is already formed, mature, and this will not harm him, and the woman’s body will relax, the muscles of the perineum will prepare for childbirth, without meat they will be more elastic and the baby It will be easier to pass through the birth canal.

Vegetables and fruits

It is better to eat potatoes young and with their skins, carrots and beets fresh and boiled, any cabbage can be used, but broccoli is healthier, greens must be consumed daily. You should not get carried away with tomatoes, because they can cause allergies, but cucumbers can be eaten; they also have a mild diuretic effect. When choosing fruits and vegetables, it is better to take domestic ones, all for the same reason: so as not to put the unborn child at risk of allergies. They should be eaten according to the season: in summer and autumn, eat fresh, and in winter and spring, eat fresh only what is well stored (carrots, beets, potatoes), the rest is either taken out of the freezer (pumpkin, green peas, berries), or in dried form. The berries can be frozen for the winter, dried, rubbed with sugar, or made into five-minute jam. Nature provides everything, and in winter it is more difficult for the body to cope with allergens from fresh vegetables and fruits. You should not buy eggplants, cucumbers and tomatoes in stores in winter, because they contain more nitrates and other chemical compounds than nutrients.

Interesting to know! Among the pregnant women examined in Russia, deficiency of B vitamins was detected in 20–90% of women, and vitamin C deficiency in 45%.

Dairy

Drink about a mug of milk per day, up to 1/2 liter of fermented milk products. It’s better to make homemade yoghurt or buy plain low-fat yoghurt without additives, and at home add berries, dried fruits or top it with muesli, and you can also cook cottage cheese from fresh milk (add a couple of spoons of sour cream or kefir and bring to a boil), cottage cheese, like meat, before birth, it can be limited or eliminated so that the baby’s bones do not harden excessively. When choosing dairy products, it is better to choose simple ones, without additives, with a short shelf life. It is better to eat hard cheeses; it is advisable to place restrictions on soft cheeses and blue cheeses.

Groats

It is better to buy whole grain cereals: flakes have fewer beneficial properties. Semolina and white rice are undesirable from cereals; they remove beneficial substances from the body. To prepare porridge, the cereal should be soaked in water in advance and then boiled well. You can add vegetable oil and dried fruits to porridge.
It is better to take coarse bread, rye, and even better with bran and seeds.
Use not the highest grade flour.

Eggs

Boil eggs hard; if possible, it is better to use quail eggs.

Liquid

There is controversy regarding fluid limitation in the third trimester: those who adhere to the old Soviet rules recommend limiting it to 1–1.2 liters. Representatives of modern European views recommend drinking as much as you want, without restrictions, in order to remove toxins from the body. As a result, if 75% of the liquid you drink is excreted in urine per day, there is no excess weight gain - everything is fine and you should not limit yourself.
It is important to avoid eating mushrooms.

Interesting to know! American scientists believe that the nutritional pattern and diet of a pregnant woman can affect the brain of the unborn child. It is known that a pregnant woman’s diet and lifestyle affect the health of the unborn child. American scientists (Yale School) believe that with an emphasis on fatty foods, especially in the third trimester, changes occur in the child's hypothalamus, which leads to metabolic diseases (obesity, diabetes). And scientists from the Karolinska Institute (Stockholm), in turn, have already proven that children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy increased the risk of bronchial asthma by 65%.

Menu for a pregnant woman in the 3rd trimester

When creating a menu, pay attention to:

• The daily menu should contain at least three servings of foods that are rich in calcium (milk, cottage cheese, cheese, fresh herbs) and iron (meat, spinach, berries, cabbage, buckwheat).
• At least once a day you should eat a food rich in folic acid (greens, beans, lentils).
• Eat foods containing vitamin C every day.
• In the first half of the day, focus on protein foods; in the second half of the day, eat only light foods that are well and quickly absorbed: fermented milk products, salads, cereals.
• Do not combine solid and liquid foods - you can eat soup, and after a couple of hours the second.

Sample menu diagram

Breakfast:

• Porridge with butter – 100 g/cottage cheese – 100 g/omelet or scrambled eggs,
• Fruit/toast with jam,
• Warm drink.

Lunch:

• Yogurt – 100 g,
• Berries or fruit – 150 g.

Dinner:

• Soup with a piece of bread
• A glass of compote or juice,
• Dried fruits – 70 g.

Second lunch:

• Meat or fish – 200–300 g,
• Vegetable salad/legume side dish,
• Dessert.

Afternoon snack:

• Nuts, seeds, dried fruits – 100 g.

Dinner:

• Vegetable stew with a piece of bread/puree soup,
• Fruit/fruit-milk smoothie.
• Before bed, kefir, apple, glass of milk.

Weight gain

Weight gain per week should not exceed 300–550 g. During the second half of pregnancy, a woman should normally gain 60% of the total weight gain, for a total of no more than 16 kg for the entire pregnancy. In multiple pregnancies, the values ​​will be higher.

Difficulty with stool

To prevent constipation, it is advisable to eat foods rich in fiber, namely: wholemeal bread, bran flakes, muesli with added fiber, oatmeal, legumes, lentils, eat raw vegetables and fruits throughout the day, prunes, fresh blueberries, apples , eat beets (both raw and boiled) daily, season salads and cereals with vegetable oil. Drink mineral water with a high content of magnesium. Before going to bed, drink yogurt and one-day kefir.
Avoid rice and eat less flour.

Heartburn

Heartburn occurs due to the fact that the child is large and presses the internal organs upward. Heartburn continues to worsen towards childbirth. To prevent heartburn, follow these tips:

1. Do not eat large amounts of food, especially after 16.00–17.00;
2. Eliminate all fried, smoked, fatty foods;
3. Do not eat acidic foods such as apples, lemons in the evening;
4. After eating, you can walk for about 30 minutes, sit, but do not lie down;
5. Many people with heartburn are helped by drinking a glass of cool milk, freshly squeezed potato juice, tea from fennel or dill seeds, nuts, oatmeal or semolina porridge in milk with butter, pumpkin seeds;
6. In the afternoon, avoid foods that cause heartburn in you;
7. If you cannot cope with heartburn using the methods listed above, then during pregnancy you are allowed to use the antacid drug Rennie.

Prevention of hypogalactia

Even during pregnancy, a woman should prepare for breastfeeding and exclude the occurrence of hypogalactia (lack of milk). To do this, you need to eat nutritiously, following the rules for the third trimester of pregnancy and massage the mammary glands. In the last two months of pregnancy, massage should be given 2 minutes a day. It consists of the following: take the nipple on both sides with your index finger and thumb and make rhythmic squeezing movements. Contraindication to this exercise: threat of premature birth.

Food poisoning

To avoid infection with dangerous pathogens of intestinal infections, it is advisable not to eat:

• Pates;
• Raw eggs, soft-boiled eggs;
• Unboiled goat milk;
• Soft cheeses;
• Sweets with butter cream;
• Wild game meat, raw meat dishes, meat cooked over a fire;

And also important:

• Cereals must be washed in cold water before cooking;
• Fruits and vegetables purchased at the market or in a store should be washed under running water and soap;
• Drink boiled water;
• Eat only fresh dairy products, pay special attention to their expiration date.

Prevention of gestosis

Preeclampsia is a complication of the third trimester of pregnancy, also called late toxicosis. In severe cases of gestosis, hospital treatment is mandatory. However, it can be avoided: it has been noted that if you follow a diet throughout pregnancy, an adequate supply of vitamins, potassium and iodine, the risk of developing preeclampsia is minimized.
The presence of proteins of both plant and animal origin in the diet is important, because it is protein that returns excess fluid from the tissues back into the blood, and subsequently it is excreted through the kidneys in the urine. Avoid salty foods: salt retains water in the body. It is important to maintain a balance of vitamin B6 in the body. When toxicosis begins, it is good to drink a soothing mixture, valerian, motherwort, aromatherapy with soothing essential oils is effective.

Fasting day

A fasting day is an opportunity for the body to rest and get rid of unnecessary substances. In the third trimester, fasting days can and should be done, especially for those who have excess weight gain. It should be done once a week (not more often). It is advisable to do it on the same day. In terms of energy reserves, it is approximately 1000 kcal. Includes the same type of low-calorie food, distributed into 5-6 servings.

Examples of a fasting day:

1. 1 kg of apples, can be eaten raw, make a salad with vegetable oil from grated apples, can be baked in the oven with a spoonful of honey.
2. 500 g of fresh cottage cheese, cottage cheese can also be browned in the oven.
3. 500 g apples plus 250 g cottage cheese.
4. 800–1000 g baked potatoes.
5. 400 g of baked or boiled potatoes plus 250 g of boiled lean meat.
6. 1 kg of any fresh vegetables.
7. 400 g of vegetables plus 250 g of boiled meat.

Edema. What to do

Edema is usually a manifestation of gestosis and indicates fluid retention in a woman’s body.
Tips to help reduce swelling:

• We exclude salt completely, there is a complete limit on sausage, crackers and chips, fried, smoked.
• Limit the liquid you drink to 1.5 l/day, this volume includes soups, cereals, vegetables and fruits (one piece is considered approximately 50 ml of liquid).
• Protein foods must be present in the diet; at least 200 g of meat and 200 g of cottage cheese should be eaten per day.
• Instead of water and tea, drink a decoction of lingonberry leaves, strawberry leaves, drinks with the addition of chicory, an infusion of dried fruits, eat lingonberry jam instead of sweets, include in your diet more foods that have a diuretic effect (cucumbers, melon, watermelon, parsley, celery, carrots and carrot juice).
• Eliminate all fatty foods, marinated foods, replace mayonnaise and ketchup with horseradish or mustard.
• Be sure to give yourself a fasting day once a week.
• After a walk, you can lie down with your legs up.
• Self-prescribing diuretic medications is prohibited; this can lead to dehydration!

Proper nutrition in the last months of pregnancy is good preparation for both childbirth and pregnancy.