What you eat builds your baby’s immunity before birth

Eat right for your baby, as a mother your diet will definitely affect your child’s immunity. Maternal malnutrition leads to loss of macronutrients and white blood cells in the fetus which is the basic defense of your baby.

There is evidence that dietary intake during your pregnancy and lactation play a vital role in developing your offspring’s immunity against allergic diseases, including dietary intake and type of food utilization (fruit, fish, and vegetables, and other allergic foods).

It has been always thought that babies are born with uninfected digestive system and bacteria comes during birth when they get in contact with mum’s skin. But research studies found that babies are already born exhibiting some gut bacteria from the mother’s digestive system during pregnancy.

Food rich in Vitamin D

It’s important to be healthy and well-nourished. It’s important to eat food rich in vitamin D, such as oily fish, cereals and eggs. Pregnant women should eat fish twice a week but keep away from raw seafood (such as oysters or uncooked fish like sushi). But take care that the majority of fish contain traces of methyl mercury which is a harmful metal that affects brain of your baby when ingested in high doses.

Food rich in Zinc

Your body requires zinc for the production, repair, and functioning of DNA of your baby’s cells. Zinc is found naturally in many foods, including dairy products, beans, nuts and bread and cereal products. Although oysters are the richest natural source of zinc, yet avoid eating it due to the risk of food-borne illness.

Salmon

Go for Cooked salmon fish, with sufficient amount of proteins and calcium and decent amount of Omega-3 is essential for brain to develop and natural anti-oxidants to clear your body and your baby from harmful toxins.

Fruits and vegetables

As a pregnant mother, you should increase the intake of some vegetables and fruits that are associated with reduced risk of allergic outcomes. In particular, higher maternal intake of green, yellow vegetables and citrus fruits which is associated with reduced early childhood eczema. Apples appeared to have a great role in reducing early childhood wheeze and asthma.

Broccoli and spinach, include fibers, multi-vitamins, folic acid, and calcium, needed by unborn baby to enable red blood cell formation which is one the most important elements needed for developing strong defensive immune system for your baby. To increase absorption, combine iron-rich foods with vitamin C. Vitamin C helps your unborn baby to fight infections and act as anti-oxidant to prevent any damage in the baby’s developing cells. Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits, vegetables and cereals, but you have to remember to eat them fresh as much as you can as heat damages Vitamin C.

Low healthy Fat diet

A recent study in 2017, presented a fact concerning the need to maintain low fat healthy diet, they mentioned that high fat diet increases the risk of affecting your baby’s gut with living bacteria impacting the proper development of immune system.

Nuts

Almonds and walnuts, are great for a strong immune system, walnuts can provide you with your share of omega-3. You can add them to any food or salad.

Dairy Products

Very good source of calcium, which is highly recommended for expecting mothers. Calcium is necessary for maintaining health of the bones of mother and to ensure baby teeth development. Milk and low fat yogurt is a rich in calcium and proteins.

Remember to:

• Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Avoid over intake of sugar.
• Eating organic food with no harsh chemical pesticides, will sure save your baby’s body from early immune system damage & potential infections.
• Please stop smoking at least during pregnancy, as this will not only jeopardize your pregnancy by risking of miscarriage and giving birth to small baby but also harming your unborn child by developing allergies and allowing his tiny lung bronchioles of developing asthma during his early childhood.
• Drink from 7-8 cups of water every day, along with the huge advantages water provides your body, water will prevent urinary tract infections, so no risk of infecting your baby with any harmful bacteria during natural vaginal birth.

A mother’s nutrition, is very important to your child over all heath and developed immunity. Food is more than just a source of nutrition, it carries with it a lot of symbolic meanings and influence.