Nutrition of employed pregnant women

Diet for busy pregnant women can sometimes be a challenging task. Due to their obligations, they often do not get to have quality meals, and the fact that they need additional energy to successfully cope with tasks at work is an aggravating circumstance.

However, diet of pregnant women ne mora biti velika prepreka – postoji mnogo načina kako se možete adekvatno hraniti. Pritom zaposlenim majkama život uvelike olakšava planiranje unaprijed, praktični međuobroci i polugotova jela.

 

A meal on the go

If you travel by public transport to work or take a long car ride, always take a fruit like a banana or a snack like wholemeal crackers with you. Traveling to and from work is a good opportunity for a light snack, and if you get stuck in a crowd, you won't have to worry about missing anything. Also, keep in mind that the diet for pregnant women implies limiting intake caffeine at 200 mg per day which is equivalent to one to two cups of coffee per day, so avoid drinking large cups of coffee during the working day.

 

Snack at the workplace

One of the first steps when it comes to nutrition for pregnant women in the workplace is to "fill" your workplace drawer with healthy snacks so that they are always on hand in case of hunger.

Always keep in the table:

• several types of fruit. It is better to have less quantity, but more variety of fruits so that you don't get bored
• wholemeal crackers, rice crackers, muesli or fruit bars
• a mixture of nuts such as walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts
• cleaned vegetables such as carrots
• dried fruits such as dried figs, plums and apricots
• small packs of fruit juice and mineral water

Nutrition for pregnant women during the lunch break

The best way to provide the necessary nutrients is to bring a pre-prepared lunch from home, such as a salad with boiled grains and chicken or a fish salad. Similarly, you can prepare nutritious soups in advance over the weekend, which you will only heat up before leaving for work and take with you in a thermos. A quick option is a sandwich made of wholemeal bread with fish or meat steak from the previous lunch with the addition of various salads and grated carrots.

On days when you don't have a prepared lunch with you, you can reach for a store-bought sandwich, but choose those with integral pastries and reduce the addition of various sauces, which are often very fatty. Another option is ready-made salads, but when buying, make sure that it contains as many different ingredients as possible and be sure to check whether all the ingredients are fresh. Salads containing legumes or pasta will provide you with long-lasting energy. If you prefer vegetable salads, add a protein source and wholemeal bread to them to provide enough energy and nutrients.

Business lunch

Whether your job requires you to have lunch in a restaurant or you simply want to have lunch with colleagues, the first rule is to make sure that the food is healthy. Given that a healthy diet for pregnant women is essential to you during pregnancy, point out to the cook that meat, fish or egg dishes must be thoroughly cooked, and avoid dishes containing soft and semi-soft cheeses such as feta, brie, camembert, gorgonzola and roquefort or raw sprouts.

It is a good idea to avoid dishes that are breaded, fried or contain rich sauces, as they will easily strain digestion and contribute to the feeling of fatigue, which can often be very pronounced in pregnant women. Stews, thick vegetable soups or grilled meat with vegetables and side salad are a good choice for all pregnant women. When it comes to dessert, choose pudding, compote or fruit cake.

Light evening meals

There will be situations when you will come home exhausted and cooking will be the last thing on your mind. However, skipping dinner or eating biscuits and similar foods is not an option. Try the following strategies:

• let your partner cook occasionally
• prepare double the amount of food to freeze for times when you are too tired to cook
• if you have a good canteen at work, eat a cooked meal for lunch and a light dinner at home
• the pasta is always ready quickly. Make the sauce over the weekend and freeze it for use during the week

Don't forget about hydration

Sufficient fluid intake at work is as important as proper nutrition for pregnant women during pregnancy, so always keep a glass of water on your desk to drink regularly and then refill several times during working hours.

Don't forget the prenatal preparation

Since the period of pregnancy is a very challenging period in terms of meeting nutrient needs, and the nutritional needs of working pregnant women can be even greater, it is recommended to use a prenatal preparation that will provide the necessary amount of folic acid and iron, but also iodine, magnesium, vitamins B6 and B12. At the same time, preparations that, in addition to these critical nutrients, also provide important omega-3 fatty acids: EPA and DHA, have advantages.