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Third Trimester Diet – What to Eat & What to Avoid

Third Trimester Diet – What to Eat & What to Avoid


Congrats! You are now in the third trimester of your pregnancy. You should be feeling excited, worried, and most importantly impatient to meet your little one! As you approach the last leg of your pregnancy, your excitement level must be off the charts. You must be excited about holding your baby for the first time in your arms, but that doesn’t mean you become careless, when it comes to what and what not you should be eating. 


You may want to celebrate your way to delivery by eating all your favorite dishes as after delivery you have to avoid fatty, spicy, and sugary food, but you should not give in to the temptation. 


You should proceed with a healthy eating routine during your third trimester to ensure you have a safe delivery. A healthy eating regimen would not only ensure your future weight loss goals but also guarantee the healthy physical and mental development of your baby. 


What You Should Be Eating in Your Third Trimester 

For the healthy development of your baby, you can rely upon what you eat, and that is extremely important in the third trimester of your pregnancy diet. You will have to consume an additional 200 calories along with a satisfactory amount of nutrients, fiber, and minerals to ensure you have a safe delivery and a healthy baby. Here are some things that you ought to remember during the last leg of your pregnancy. 


  1. Consume Food Rich in Iron 

iron rich

Including Iron-rich food in your eating regimen can help overcome anemia during your pregnancy. Lack of iron in the third trimester can make you feel tired, exhausted, and confused. Iron deficiency during pregnancy could lead to excessive bleeding during childbirth. You should include meat, dairy items, eggs, wheat grain, and beans in your last trimester diet. 


  1. Consume Food Rich in Protein 

Your body will require around 70 grams of protein during this third trimester for the healthy development of your baby’s body. Eating protein-rich food will guarantee that your blood glucose levels stay steady and you are not at risk of diabetes. You can eat food varieties like tofu, vegetables, fish, and meat. 


  1. Consume Food Rich in DHA 

dha

Having docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-rich food during pregnancy can help in the healthy development of your baby’s mind. During pregnancy, you should be consuming about 200 milligrams of DHA daily. For that, you can include milk, eggs, and natural products in your eating regime. 


  1. Consume Food Rich in Folic Acid 

folic acid

Folic acid is found in green vegetables like spinach, lettuces, and kale – that you can incorporate into your third-trimester diet. Consuming folic acid-rich food will guarantee healthy fetal development and lower the danger of the low birth weight of your baby.  


  1. Consume Food Rich in Calcium 

calcium rich

In the third trimester of your pregnancy, you should include food rich in calcium to ensure the healthy bone development of your baby. You need to consume around 800 mg of calcium daily especially when you are pregnant. To meet your calcium requirements, you can add dairy items like salmon, cheddar, tofu, nuts, and yogurt to your eating routine.  


  1. Consume Food Rich in Magnesium 

magnesium

Your body requires magnesium to absorb and digest calcium as well as help repair damaged tissues. You need to consume at least 350 to 400 mg of magnesium. You can include almonds, oats, beans, pumpkin seeds, and artichokes into your eating regimen.  


  1. Consume Food Rich in Vitamin C, B6, and B12 

Vitamin C, B6, and B12 assume a significant part in the healthy musculature and placental development of your baby in the third trimester. These nutrients can be found in food varieties like oranges, bananas, sweet lime, carrots, chickpeas, and almonds. 


  1. Green Vegetables and Fruits  

green leafy

Eating leafy foods is significant during pregnancy as they provide necessary nutrients for your and your baby’s healthy development. Fiber-rich leafy vegetables and fruits help in improving digestion as well as alleviating constipation. You can consume them in the form of juices, smoothies, freshly chopped vegetables, and fruit salad, as well as in the form of frozen or canned food. 


  1. Nuts 

nuts

Another important food item that you should include in your third-trimester diet is nuts. They are a healthy source of protein, thiamine, and omega-3 fats. Food items like almonds, walnuts, pecans, and pistachios can be included in your diet.  


Third Trimester Dietary Tips:

  • Do not skip dinner and have a light supper 
  • Ensure your everyday diet incorporates all nutrition 
  • Remove sugar and salty food from your eating routine 
  • Decrease the consumption of soda-based drinks 
  • Say no smoking and alcohol

What to Avoid in the Third Trimester of Pregnancy 

Below we have mentioned the food items that you should not include in your third-trimester pregnancy diet:


  • Salt: Avoid eating foods like potato chips and fries that are high in salt
  • Raw Vegetables: Some raw or uncooked veggies can cause gas, hence you should avoid them 
  • Spices: Spicy food can cause acid reflux and indigestion so you should avoid it in your third-trimester diet

Conclusion:

If you love eating healthy and quality food, then whether you are pregnant or not, it is a great way of living your life. However, if you love to indulge in food, then you will have to roll up your sleeves and make a huge improvement in the way you consume food. 


In any case, some dietary changes should be incorporated in the third trimester of the pregnancy. You have done as such well up until now, so proceed with what time is left with utmost care and precaution. It is for the well-being of you and your baby! Be that as it may, always reach out to your doctor before making any big changes in your lifestyle during your pregnancy to ensure both you and your baby are safe and healthy!


Studies: 

Dietary Change during Pregnancy and Women’s Reasons for Change

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6115730/


Diet in pregnancy—more than food

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5682869/


Maternal Dietary Patterns during Third Trimester in Association with Birthweight Characteristics and Early Infant Growth

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3893866/


Trimester-Specific Assessment of Diet Quality in a Sample of Canadian Pregnant Women

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6388152/


Modern dietary guidelines for healthy pregnancy; maximising maternal and foetal outcomes and limiting excessive gestational weight gain

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29842836/

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