Third Trimester

Eating light

The principle

The last part of pregnancy isn't the easiest: it's difficult to move around easily and your digestive system is under pressure because the baby is growing every day. The stress about the birth starts, insomnia, lower back pain, water retention...but this is no time to crumble! Don't fall back into snacking, you need to keep eating well. The baby is nourished by everything you eat and gets used to the foods that are transmitted through the amniotic fluid.

Foods to aid digestion

Increase fibre: lentils, cannellini beans, peas, broad beans cabbage, wholemeal (whole-wheat) bread, prunes. Drink lots of water with lemon or mint leaves. Take advantage of peaches in summer, or else eat plums or apples and dates.

Foods to give you energy

Grains, dried fruit and nuts, fruit juice diluted with a little water (you can also mix half-glass of apple juice with a little soda water). Eat pasta or brown rice with cashews or any sort of nut.

Foods to combat stress

Magnesium-rih foods: chocooate, dried legumes, dried fruit and nuts, Brazil uts, pepitas (pumpkin seeds), sunflower seeds, unblanched almonds, sea salt coriander seeds.

Iron rich foods

Black pudding, red meat, white meat, fish and eggs. Also lentils, cabbage, watercress, ginger, cinnamon and cumin seeds.

Omega-3 rich foods

Salmon, sardines, mackerel, walnuts and walnut oil, canola oil, hempseed oil, chia seeds.

Third Trimester

In the third trimester, focus on bibre and energy and give yourself little morale-boosting treats. Here are a few ideas if you want a quick and healthy breakfast.

Craving hot milk

As a change from a hot chocolate, which can be too heavy and sweet, try almond or rice milk. They are more digestible than cow's milk but just as creamy. Rice milk is high in silica for boosting calcium; almond milk is rich and delicious, it contains vitamins (A, B, and E), calcium, magnesium and iron. These milks can be flavoured like ordinary milk (gently heat the milk and dissolve the flavouring in it).

• rice milk + squares of chocolate + agave syrup
• almond milk + cardamom + sugar
• cow's milk + vanilla + cinnamon + a few drops of caramel sauce.

Craving fruit

Fruit you eat with a spoon is quick and full of vitamins.

• 1/2 grapefruit + raw (demerara) sugar
• 1 kiwifruit + mint
• 1/2 small melon + raspberry coulis

Craving a quick muesli

No time to toast nuts and grains but really craving a good muesli? Here are a few combinations to try for a full load of protein, carbohydraes and fiber.

• rolled oats + pepitas (pumpkin seeds) + hazelnuts + grapes
• puffed quinoa + flaked coconut + dried mango + roughly chopped Brazil nuts
• corn flakes + sesame seeds + roughly chopped macadamia nuts + honey

Special Fiber Breakfast

Whole and fiber-rich foods to regulate your digestive system.

Green smoothie

Fenne + Green Apple + Mint

Makes 2 Large Glasses

Preparation Time 10 Minutes

• 1/2 fennel bulb
• 2 green apples
• 10 mint leaves
• 150 ml (5 fl oz) water
• 1 tablespoon agave syrup

Blend the fennel with the green apples, mint, water and agave syrup until you have a semi-thick consistency (about 30-45). Serve immediately.

Pear bruschetta

With Almond Butter + Seeds

Makes 2 Generous Bruschetta

Preparation Time 10 Minutes

• 2 slices rye bread
• 2 teaspoons unblanched almond butter
• 1 pear, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon linseeds (flaxseeds)
• a drizzle of agave syrup (or honey)

Toast the slices of bread and spread them with almond butter. Cover with slices of pear and linseeds. Drizzle with a little agave syrup and put under the grill for a moment

Comforting Breakfast

Quick, simple, balanced.

High-protein Breakfast

Protein, antioxidants, calcium

Deciding between Breast and Bottle Feeding

Sep 08, 2019 Osric Neal

Deciding between Breast and Bottle Feeding