What Is Ideal Diet And Nutrition For Surrogate Mothers?

Gestational surrogate mothers should take the proper diet and nutrition food to keep themselves and babies in good health.

 

Being a gestational surrogate mother requires a lot of changes in lifestyle. You need to change yourself because the baby you are carrying is not your own, it belongs to someone else. So, it is not just you who is getting affected, the other family will also be equally affected. That is why following an ideal diet and nutrition for surrogate mothers will help all parties.

So, the question that came here is of diet. What diet should the surrogate take? Remember, your dietary habits will change after you become a surrogate for someone. You need to make a whole lot of changes in your diet and eating habits.

So, what should you eat as a gestational surrogate mother? What things you should avoid?  Your surrogacy agency and your infertility doctor may guide you about diet and nutrition. Still, here is the answer to all of your questions regarding the diet of the surrogate.

Read more on this topic:

Surrogacy FAQs

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Eat for Nutrition

Surrogacy pregnancy is equally important for the surrogate and intended parents but both of them should enjoy the experience.

While you are pregnant, you should take each of the nutrients and macronutrients in the required amount. These micronutrients include Carbohydrates, Proteins, Vitamins, Minerals, and Fats.

While there are many things that include carbohydrates, you need to find the healthy version of each of these micronutrients.

For example, whole grains, vegetables, and sweet potatoes are the healthier version of carbohydrates while cookies also contain carbohydrates but they are not the healthy version of carbohydrates to be included in the diet of a surrogate.

Similarly, cheeseburgers and French fries may be a good source of proteins and fats but they are not the good version to be included in a diet of a surrogate. Healthy fats include – avocados and fatty fish. The good version of protein includes lean meats, tempeh, tofu, and soy.

The food you must take in your diet:

1. Whole Grains

Whole grains (including whole grain bread) are a great source of carbohydrates, which, particularly during childbirth, acts as the fuel your body needs. These whole grains are, however, a great source of B vitamins, fibers, and protein. It is recommended that you consume a minimum of 6 to 11 ounces of whole grains a day during your pregnancy, depending of course on your weight and size.

2. Proteins

Protein is important, particularly during pregnancy, for everyone. Meat, eggs, poultry, and fish can be a great source of protein and other important nutrients, including vitamins B and iron. Nonetheless, it is important for you to avoid having in your diet certain types of meat, dairy, and fish.

Lean beef, turkey, pork, and lamb can be properly cooked for some good protein choices. The FDA recommends that you eat about 27 mg of protein per day.

3. Dairy

Calcium is a key nutrient for pregnant women. Just as when you were a kid and told that calcium allows your bones to grow, it’s the same for the bones of the unborn baby. To build strong bones, teeth, and muscle/nerve function, calcium is also necessary.

It is advised to consume the maximum amount of calcium, which is at least 1000 mg per day, with at least 4 portions of dairy products per day.

4. Vitamins

It is important that the food you consume during your pregnancy is rich in nutrients that you need. That being said, supplementing the diet with prenatal vitamins is also recommended. In addition to conventional multivitamins, prenatal vitamins are explicitly chosen to help the baby get the nutrients required for strong and healthy development in the womb.

When it comes to prenatal vitamins, the easiest way to talk to your doctor is to help you and your baby select the right vitamins.

Maintain Healthy Weight

Being overweight could increase the risk of both you and the baby during pregnancy and birth for health complications. The risk of a woman having gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and c-section delivery are all increased.

The doctor will give you specific guidelines, but in general, it is recommended that women who are normal weight before pregnancy and who hold one child gain 25-35 pounds. In the first trimester, most women are encouraged to gain a few pounds and then in the second and third trimesters a pound or two a week.

Before birth, women who are overweight must gain less weight, typically about 15 to 25 pounds. Women who are underweight must gain a little extra weight before they get pregnant; somewhere between 28 to 40 pounds.

At each appointment, keeping an eye on your weight gain will help you gauge your eating habits. You may need to increase your food intake if you don’t put on enough weight from month to month. Someone who puts on more than is normal might want to keep an eye on what they eat and make sure they make good choices. If you have trouble finding healthy foods you enjoy eating, the doctor can make recommendations or even refer you to a nutritionist.

Foods you must avoid

In addition to the abovesaid food and materials, you must also take care that you avoid a few substances as well. These include the following –

• Smoking: This one may seem like common sense, but when you are pregnant it is extremely important not to smoke.
• Deli meats: Deli meat can carry listeria, including the all-American hot dog, and during pregnancy, it is advised to avoid it.
• Raw Meat: Raw meat, including sushi, fish, and uncommon or undercooked beef and poultry, carries a risk of bacteria, salmonella contamination, and toxoplasmosis.
• Certain fishes:  Fish with high levels of mercury (tuna, shark, swordfish, and king mackerel) and fish with high levels of should be avoided other than raw fish.
• Unpasteurized dairy products:  Raw milk, soft cheeses imported, or other unpasteurized foods can carry a type of bacteria called listeria. It can cause stillbirth or other serious complications if the baby gets infected.
• Alcohol: Alcohol travels through the placenta, from wine to drink, and can affect the baby directly. It is strongly recommended that no alcoholic beverages be consumed during pregnancy.
• Raw Eggs: Raw eggs or any food containing raw eggs (homemade ice cream, mayonnaise, and Caesar dressing) may contain salmonella.

Conclusion

Surrogate pregnancy is precious for both intended parents and surrogate mothers. That is why both parties need to do everything possible to make it an easy and stress-free experience.

The role of a gestational carrier is most important. She is carrying a new life and any of her actions directly affect the well-being of the baby. Surrogate compensation is just a materialistic reward but most surrogates feel immense emotional satisfaction with their surrogacy journey.

Therefore, it is extremely important to take care of your dietary inputs while playing an integral role in extending the family of a childless couple. Take help from your surrogacy agency if you are not sure what to follow or not follow.

If you’d like to learn more about IVF, Egg Donation, or international surrogacy programs globally, check out the rest of our website at IVF Conceptions.

I am Neelam Chhagani, a chief Surrogacy Consultant, representing IVF Conceptions, with more than 10 years of experience in international surrogacy.  It will be my great pleasure to assist you. With vast experience and deep subject knowledge, I guide and support intended parents, understanding the surrogacy process in terms of process, costs, and legalities country-wise and then manage their journey with one of our programs/partners worldwide. So, basically, saving their ton of research time and money and thus, channelizing you toward the right direction.