Bed rest is sometimes recommended for pregnant women who have certain health conditions that may threaten their pregnancies. Staying on your bed and getting a lot of rest is what you are going to do if your doctor recommends bed rest for you. Simple as it may sound, bed rest can be exhausting. It is important to maintain a healthy diet while during your bed rest. Here are 8 tips to do just that:
Balance your diet
Make sure your daily meals consists of foods from all the food groups, including:
- 4 servings of fruit and vegetables;
- 4 servings of starch and grains;
- 4 servings of milk;
- 3 servings of meat or protein.
Stay hydrated
Staying hydrated helps minimize swelling and constipation, which usually happen when you are not physically active. But remember to steer clear of sodas, juices, and other types of sugary drinks.
Get some good fat
Muscle and bone loss are common complications commonly of bed rest and inactivity. Those side effects can be mitigated by adding foods high in omega-3 fatty acids to your diet. A diet full of fish, nuts and olive oil greatly helps with retaining bone and muscle during your bed rest.
Keep yourself comfortable
Stay away from spicy and fatty foods. Try to divide your meals into five or six small meals and spread them throughout the day. Also, eat slowly and remember to sit up for an hour after eating.
Pack in fibers
Fibers also reduce the risk of constipation. To avoid getting constipated, include some high-fiber foods in your meals like whole grains and fresh fruit.
Do not forget breakfast
The fact that you are lying in your bed all day long does not mean you can skip your breakfast. Try cereals with added vitamins and some fruits for an easy breakfast.
Enjoy healthy snacks
Are you bored? If so, have some snacks. But make sure they are as healthy as possible. Low-fat or fat-free yogurt and whole-grain crackers are good examples.
Remember your prenatal vitamins
Do not forget your daily doses of iron and folic acids. Iron makes sure your blood healthy. Folic acid significantly reduces the risk of your baby getting birth defects.
Include seafood
Seafood is full of essential nutrients for the development of your baby. But remember to avoid those with high levels of mercury.
Although bed rest is annoying, it provides you and your baby the chance to rest and heal. Take advantage of this time to get plenty of rest before you welcome your baby into this world. By then, you are going to miss a lot of sleep.
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