Benefits of Drinking Milk During Pregnancy — Daily Pregnancy Tips
Benefits of drinking milk during pregnancy. Cow’s milk is not forbidden during pregnancy because it is rich in calcium, vitamin D, zinc, proteins, which are essential nutrients for both mother and child. However, milk must be pasteurized in order to eliminate bacteria that can cause some diseases.
To obtain all of the benefits, it is recommended that the pregnant woman drink, on average, 750ml of cow’s milk each day. Milk can also be consumed in other foods such as cheese or Greek yogurt. When breastfeeding, it is recommended to increase milk intake to 1 liter per day. If lactose intolerance is present, women can choose aged and cured cheeses, as well as almond milk, to replace cow’s milk.
Additional nutrition tips besides increasing milk intake help ensure the baby receives all the nutrients needed for a healthy pregnancy and healthy development and the risk of complications during pregnancy is reduced. Understand what nutrition should be during pregnancy.
Benefits of Drinking Milk During Pregnancy
1. Placenta formation
Milk has proteins and a woman’s body needs protein during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy since the production of the placenta and for the development and growth of the child is increased.
Proteins are also present in foods such as cheese, yogurt, beans, peas, meat, fish or eggs.
2. Development of baby’s bones and teeth
Another advantage of drinking milk during pregnancy is that because the main nutrient in milk is calcium, which is vital for the development of the teeth and bones of a baby, as well as for reducing the mother’s own dental problems. Click here to learn more about toothache in pregnancy
Calcium needs vary between women according to age, with 1300 milligrams per day for women 14–18 years old, and 1000 milligrams per day for women 19–50 years old.
Aside from milk, calcium is found in dairy products, like dairy yogurt or cheese, cooked kale, tofu, or whole rye bread. Make sure to choose a dairy product with a lower percentage of fat, as they lower calcium intake.
3. Functioning of the immune system
Milk is full of zinc, which helps the immune system and neurological development of the baby. In severe cases, zinc deficiency can lead to malformations, underweight, or premature death.
You can also find zinc in dairy products like cheese or yogurt, in beef, in cereals, or in oilseeds like almonds, peanuts, or walnuts.
Also read: 30 Magical Tips on How to stay fit during pregnancy
4. Cognitive development of the baby
It is important to consume milk during pregnancy as it contains iodine, a crucial mineral for the brain and nervous system growth and development of the unborn baby, and its deficiency can result in cognitive malformations.
Despite the fact that milk contains iodine, it can be consumed during pregnancy and while breastfeeding since its iodine helps with the woman’s metabolism and helps her to eliminate urine.
A number of foods are high in iodine such as dairy products like cheese or yogurt, fish, particularly from the sea, legumes or vegetables, and seawater, where the advantages of bathing in the sea are obvious.
Also read: Infant Baby Nutrition: How to Feed Newborn
5. Maintain intestinal health
Drink milk during pregnancy also helps and supports intestinal health because milk has probiotics, also called good bacteria found most commonly in yogurt and fermented milk.
During pregnancy, the consumption of probiotics has an effect on the baby’s intestine because the good bacteria pass to the fetus in the womb, during delivery, or during breastfeeding.
Probiotics also help with weight management after childbirth as well as the prevention of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and depression.
Is drinking coffee with milk bad for you?
It is safe to drink coffee with milk during pregnancy, as long as the amount consumed is moderate, because excessive caffeine in coffee can increase the risk of prematurity and even spontaneous birth. Any other food that contains caffeine should also be consumed in small amounts.
After the baby is born, it is best to avoid caffeine while breastfeeding so that the baby does not become agitated.
Caffeine can be consumed for up to 300 mg per day, with one cup of instant coffee has about 60–70 mg of caffeine, one cup of espresso having about 100–150 mg of caffeine, and 200 ml of tea having approximately 47 mg of caffeine.
Alternatives to milk consumption
If the woman doesn’t like milk, she can consume butter, pasteurized cheese, or yogurts, as well as foods that contain the same nutrients as milk, including nuts, cereals, dark vegetables, fish, meat, or eggs.
Also read: Foods to Eat When You’re Pregnant
Other dietary precautions during pregnancy
During pregnancy, certain foods should be avoided due to health benefits, such as foods rich in iron, calcium, or proteins, while others should be eliminated from the diet to protect the pregnancy and the infant.
It is recommended that raw foods should be softened and not sliced or cubed. However, they must be well washed, while other foods need to be thoroughly prepared for consumption, like raw cheese, unpasteurized milk, raw fish, raw eggs, and raw shellfish.
Originally published at https://dailypregnancytips.com on April 7, 2021.
