Pregnancy - 21
Your baby
Your baby is now around 26cm long and weighs about 8oz. He can hear when you talk and sing – so now’s a good time to start one-sided conversations with him, if you haven’t started already!
As his kidneys are now working, he’s starting to process his own waste. His brain is developing fast too, and needs lots of omega fatty acids to sustain its growth. These building blocks come from your own internal stores, so make sure to include foods such as oily fish in your diet. They’re a prime source of omega 3.
You
Not all fats are the same, and not all fats are bad. When it comes to healthy eating during pregnancy it’s important to focus on getting the right mixture of fat in your diet.
To stimulate and sustain your baby’s growth and development, fat is an important nutrient, especially for the development of the brain.
One type of fat in particular, long chain fats, are thought to be crucial for healthy growth. These fats, also called omega fats, are found in fatty fish (mackerel, salmon, trout and herring) and some plant and nut oils. It’s a good idea to help your body (and your baby) by stocking up on these and getting plenty in your diet in these final important weeks.
If you do not eat oily fish, ask your doctor about taking an omega fat supplement.
Did you know?
The bigger the ‘shelf’ on the food pyramid, the more of those foods you should be eating to get the balance just right. The smallest shelf at the top contains foods to enjoy in moderation.
This is particularly important during pregnancy when sweets, crisps, cakes, biscuits, fats, oils and sugar all provide extra calories but not much of the nutritional value that you and your baby need. Over-indulging now means it will be harder to regain your pre pregnancy weight afterwards. So there’s an incentive!
In the forum »
4 week baby with yellow loose stools
Posted by suzanneo
crying
Posted by mother off four
