What you eat affects your baby’s growth. So make sure to consume foods rich in all sorts of beneficial nutrition as those are a vital source of nourishment for your baby.

Essential Nutrients

When you are in the second trimester of pregnancy, ensure to go for a prenatal visit to your doctor to check the following for maintaining a healthy pregnancy.

• Any current discomforts
• Your body weight and blood pressure
• Urine test
• Size of the uterus 
• Amniotic fluid amount surrounding your baby
• Growth, development, and heartbeat of the fetus

Take enriched supplements that you need during pregnancy. Eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids which support your baby’s brain development.

During the second trimester, you may gain weight to carry the growth of your baby. However, it is essential to maintain proper weight, as your body weight impacts your pregnancy during labor. Be more active because it has many benefits and helps to improve your health.

Consume a balanced diet that includes:

• Fruits & Vegetables
• Whole-grains
• Low-fat dairy products
• Lean meat, egg, and sea foods

Importance of Calcium

Calcium is required for the baby's development to form bones and teeth and build a complete skeleton structure. It acts as the primary nutrient for the development of your baby's heart, muscles, and nerves.

During pregnancy, your baby needs a sufficient amount of calcium from your body. Hence it is recommended to consume calcium-high foods regularly to prevent calcium deficiency and other complications like osteoporosis.

Some of the recommended sources of calcium are-

• Low-fat dairy products like pasteurized milk, cheese, and yogurt
• Fresh fruit juices include orange juice, soy milk, and cereals
• Dark green vegetables 
• Seafood with low-level of mercury
• Almonds and Beans

Calcium intakes are necessary for every pregnant woman. However, having excess calcium from supplements may cause side effects like constipation. A calcium supplement is a combination of many calcium food sources that provides the mineral to support you and your baby during pregnancy.

While taking calcium, remember that you should not have iron supplements simultaneously because they may interrupt iron absorption. Hence eating a healthy, well-balanced diet and prenatal calcium supplements supply all the calcium required during pregnancy for your baby’s proper growth and development and increase milk production during breastfeeding time.

Even after your delivery and baby is born, check to take your calcium intake supplements to strengthen your bones and prevent bone density loss as you age.

Importance of Iron

Every pregnant woman needs iron because it is a vital nutrient to produce hemoglobin, the component of red blood cells carrying oxygen. Without sufficient iron, your body cannot construct the required red blood cells, and the body's tissues and organs may not function well. 

During pregnancy, the demand for iron increases as the blood flow level increases, even low iron may lead to anemia which is associated with premature delivery, and low-weight birth. Iron helps in building the perfect immunity system.  Hence every pregnant woman must have iron-rich foods or supplements in their regular diet.

The two forms of iron are heme iron and non-heme iron. Iron found in animal sources is called heme iron which can easily be absorbed by your body more than the non-heme iron found in plant sources. 

Best iron-rich foods are-

• Red meat, Poultry, and Salmon
• Eggs
• Whole grains, legumes, and peas
• Nuts and dark green vegetables
• Iron-fortified cereals

Exercise

In the second trimester, you may watch your body's reaction when exercising, and accordingly, you may increase the length of your workout time. You may even try swimming, and water aerobics as these have low impact, and these exercises assist in building strength, flexibility, and relaxation. Ensure avoiding dangerous activities like gymnastics, skating, and hiking, and avoid playing sports as well.

Talking about yoga, at the time of your pregnancy, you may stop doing poses like backbends, inverted poses, or any moves that lie on your stomach or back. Be careful to avoid over-stretching or any sudden moves.

Always ensure to get advice from your doctor before starting to do physical activities or any exercise routines.

Exercising during pregnancy is beneficial as it helps to-

• Prevent gaining excess body weight
• Reduce pregnancy-related health difficulties like back pain, swelling, and constipation
• Improve good sleep
• Increase body energy
• Enhances your mood
• Prepares for easy labor birth
• Get sooner recovery after your delivery

Keep aware of any body changes happening while exercising. Your body produces a hormone called relaxin during pregnancy since it may help the pubic area and the cervix to get more flexible for birth. The relaxin loosens your body ligaments making you more unstable and easily prone to injury.

Always remember, before you go with whatever exercise, it is suggestible to get advice from your doctor, take breaks in between often, and drink plenty of fluids. You may stop continuing if you feel inconvenient by any chance.

Sleep

Sleeping is necessary during your pregnancy. You may feel exhausted as your baby grows, and finding a convenient position may be difficult.

The second trimester provides you a good quality sleep. Lying on either side and placing a pillow between your knees is considered the best sleeping position in your second trimester of pregnancy. This position keeps the baby's weight from putting pressure, allows adequate blood flow, and may help reduce leg cramps, hemorrhoids, and swelling in your legs.

While sleeping, use pregnancy pillows or wedge pillows to comfort you with a more convenient sleeping position.

Related: When will I Feel My Baby Move and Kick?