We may not often think about it, but food plays a very important role in our journey as parents, especially for us moms, as what we eat or do not eat during the pregnancy can significantly impact the health and well being of our child.
I remember going to the GP during the initial stages of pregnancy as like most first time mothers I was curious about the dos and don'ts - things I should eat and avoid. He told me about the usual ones, like soft cheeses, deli meats etc, but he also said that anything I would cook for myself at home would be better and to avoid junk food, processed meat etc.
I have always enjoyed cooking and prepared most of our meals at home but would still have a couple of lunches outside or have a takeaway dinner once in a while. So, after that initial appointment, I made a conscious decision to eat home cooked meals only and I am glad I did - a colleague of mine saw an unrefrigerated delivery van drop raw chicken off to a very popular restaurant, where we had lunch often...which made me wonder, how do we even know how food we eat outside is handled or prepared...how long does it sit in hot vans unrefrigerated etc. maybe, I was a bit paranoid, but I decided it was better to err on the side of caution much to the chagrin of some family and friends...while there were many who were very supportive.
Besides eating outside, I also avoided caffeine - once we had decided to start trying, I cut down the 3-4 coffees I had every day down to one, and then slowly changed it to decaf, and soon enough I was able to eliminate it completely. I have never been a fan of carbonated drinks so it was really easy to rule them out. Alcohol was a bit harder as I enjoyed a glass of wine every now and then or a cold cider on a hot day. But pregnancy is not just about avoiding food items, it is also making sure that you are getting enough nutrients. I made sure that I had a minimum of two serves of fruits everyday and a fresh salad with dinner every night. I ate plenty of nuts and yogurt as healthier snack options and avoided sugary foods to ward of gestational diabetes, as I have a family history and was considered at risk. Closer to full term, my mum recommended I have semolina porridge...not sure what it does, but I ate it whenever I could as I realised it would do me no harm. So, in a nutshell, food played a major role in my pregnancy,
But this was the easy part, little was I to know that food would play an even bigger role post delivery. My mum had me on a special diet (based on old family tradition and recipes) for the first three days after the delivery to ensure adequate breast milk supply and on a restricted diet for the next 40 days. Not sure if it was the care she took or a lucky coincidence, I had ample breast milk and neither I nor the baby had any issues. It was only when my mum returned to India and I resumed what I though was a normal diet (healthy and balanced diet), that I noticed the frequent spit ups and diarrhoea. So, around the four month mark I started the elimination diet, which really brought into focus the things I could eat and forced me to find healthier substitutes for food items I was eliminating. I also decided to avoid preservatives like sulphates and any additive that was defined with a number like 220, 340, 511 etc. If they could not even name it on the ingredient list, I decided to avoid it.
Food is also extremely important when you start introducing solids to your baby, and I wanted to make sure I was giving my baby the best start possible - I believe that it is in the early, formative years that we lay the foundation for our kids health and well being, so all the effort and time spent taking the extra bit of care, whether it is making your own food or sourcing organic produce is well worth it.
In this section of my blog, I aim to share some of my baby food recipes and the special recipes that my mum prepared for me as well as outline the things she suggested I avoid. I will also outline the early days of my elimination diet, the early cues and symptoms for food intolerances (based on my personal experience), food items I avoided and the current progress of my diet in case it helps any other mums out there who may be going through something similar. I also want to emphasise that this is all based on my personal experience and cultural background and in no way should be taken as medical advice for which you should see your GP or paediatrician.
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