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Savouring TCM Nutrition: Foods for a Healthy Pregnancy Start

As a new life blossoms inside the womb, the mom’s physical and emotional well-being becomes paramount while nourishing the body with proper nutrition.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offers valuable insights into nutrition that can complement a regular pregnancy diet, in which expectant mothers should be eating foods rich in energy, folate, calcium, iron, protein, Vit D & A.

TCM nutrition emphasises the importance of nourishing the body with a variety of natural and wholesome foods, each carrying unique properties that promote health and harmony. It is a time-honoured practice that takes into account the individual needs and constitution of the expectant mother, recognizing that no two pregnancies are alike.

How can TCM help?

TCM Physician Lim Sock Ling suggests ginger (gan jiang, 干姜), cumin, and cinnamon (rou gui, 肉桂), which can warm the stomach and spleen yang, balancing the yin obtained from most vegetables.

Goji berries (gou qi zi, 枸杞子) contain antioxidants that nourish the kidneys, liver, and blood. They also include the essential amino acids to fulfil your protein needs. Similarly, black sesame seeds (hei zhi ma, 黑芝麻) and longan (long yan rou, 龙眼肉) are beneficial in nourishing the blood.

TCM Herbal Remedies:

Si shen soup (四神汤) can enhance the digestive system, boost immunity, and relieve bloating.

Black Garlic is a highly nutritious food product. Not only does it contain high levels of antioxidants which help the pregnant mother fight emotional stress and hormonal imbalance, it also enhances the mother’s immune system and calms the mind. This enables the pregnant mother to better adjust to her physical body change during this period.

It’s essential to seek guidance from your TCM practitioner to receive herbal remedies that match your body’s specific requirements.

Gestational Diabetes

If diagnosed with gestational diabetes, your doctor or nutritionist will develop a meal plan tailored to your body’s needs. A restrictive pregnancy diet may mean:

Limiting your intake of sugars and sweet foods.

Controlling your consumption of foods cooked with coconut milk or cream, salad dressings, and fried, oily and spicy foods.

Keeping sweet sauces like tomato ketchup and chilli sauce to two teaspoons a day. Exercise to help promote a healthy pregnancy but consult your healthcare provider before starting any new regimen.

Knowing what foods to eat and avoid is one of the essential ways to help ensure your health and that of your baby. Complementing a well-balanced pregnancy diet with the following self-care habits would be best.

Self-Love for Two

Aside from nutrition, taking care of yourself not only benefits you but also supports the healthy development of your baby. Here are ways to give yourself some needed TLC:

Stay hydrated. Drink 8 to 10 cups of water daily to help maintain energy levels and prevent dehydration, which can lead to fatigue.

Get enough rest. Aim to get at least seven to eight hours of sleep a night and take breaks during the day when needed.

Exercise regularly. Target at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity daily exercise, such as walking, swimming, or yoga. Consult your healthcare provider before starting any fitness routine.

Part of self-care means going through your medical check-ups, even if your pregnancy feels fine. These prenatal visits allow your doctor to regularly monitor how you and your baby are doing and identify potential problems before they put your pregnancy at risk.

Remember, a balanced and nourishing diet is a cornerstone of a healthy pregnancy. By integrating TCM nutrition into your routine, you can enhance your well-being and create a nurturing environment for your growing baby. Always work closely with your healthcare providers and TCM doctors to ensure a safe and healthy pregnancy journey.

Growing Up with TCM Nutrition

Hands down, breast milk is the best for infants, providing them with essential nutrients and antibodies for optimal growth and development. However, as children grow older, their nutritional needs evolve, requiring a well-balanced and nutrient-rich diet to support their physical and mental development.

As infants transition to solid foods, incorporating nature's gifts can further enhance their health and well-being. Introducing a variety of wholesome and natural foods can ensure they receive the necessary vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients.

TCM Perspective

Physician Yang Wei of the Eu Yan Sang TCM Clinic @ Punggol, located in Punggol 21 Community Club, advises parents who are inclined towards traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to refrain from self-diagnosis and treatment.

“Although we always talk about the ‘heaty’ or ‘cooling’ nature of foods in TCM, infants do not really have to avoid eating any particular type of food apart from overnight food,” Physician Yang explains. “If nothing is unbalanced and you try to enhance something, it may result in imbalances.” This includes giving babies tonics at a young age. “If there is any deficiency, I would advise them to seek medical treatment,” she says.

The baby’s age is to be taken into account when choosing the types of food and how it is to be prepared. Here’s our handy guide to give your little one the best start in life:

Six Months Old

Start introducing smooth, pureed foods once or twice daily with fruit, vegetables, rice cereal and oats. Ms Vanessa McNamara, Founder and Lead Dietitian of The Travelling Dietitian, advises caregivers to look for the following signs, which indicate that the infant is ready to explore the switch from liquid to solid:

Holds head steady
Stays in a sitting position
Gets hungry more readily
Shows an interest in your food
Loses the tongue-thrust reflex that makes him stick out his tongue

Seven months onwards

At this stage, many infants are now ready for foods they can pick up; some would already have started to feed themselves soft, cooked carrots or peas. Mothers can start feeding their infants mashed foods with soft lumps three times a day, and encourage self-feeding with soft foods for them to play and explore.

Your infant is really ready to venture into solid food if he displays these signs:

Picks up objects with thumb and forefinger
Puts everything into his mouth
Imitates adult eating habits
Grabs the feeding spoon
Mimics chewing patterns
Able to sit up with support
Opens mouth when he sees food approaching

Nutrients that are crucial at this stage include:

Calcium and Vitamin D: essential for bone formation and mineralisation. Food sources rich in Vitamin D include fatty fishes (tuna, mackerel, salmon) and egg yolk. Food sources rich in calcium include breast milk, iron-fortified milk and dark-green leafy vegetables such as kale and spinach.

Vitamin K: for normal blood coagulation. Newborns have low stores of this vitamin at birth. Food sources rich in Vitamin K include dark-green leafy vegetables (kale, spinach, turnip greens, collards). Alternatively, there are Vitamin K jabs available.

Protein: needed for the formation of new muscles, connective tissues and bones. Food sources rich in protein include meat, tofu and egg yolk.

Iron: essential for making haemoglobin, the oxygen carrying component of red blood cells. Baby cereals and mixed vegetables are good, iron-rich foods.

TCM Recommendations:

In TCM, orange vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes, butternut and acorn squash) and later non-glutinous grain cereals first (millet, rice, and quinoa) are recommended. These foods will tonify the spleen and help set your child up for healthy digestive function.

When introducing solids, TCM recommends steaming or slow cooking all foods and always serving foods warmed to a baby-appropriate temperature. Heating the food to body temperature helps to aid in the easy digestion of new solids. If your baby rejects food, maybe it’s too soon. Stick with breast milk and try again in a week or a few weeks.

When a baby reaches the age of six months, they’ll require more energy and nutrients that breast milk cannot provide. It’s why complementary feeding becomes necessary.

TCM Takeaways for Growing Babies:

Incorporating nature's gifts can further enhance children’s health and well-being. Here are some tips to bear in mind:

Baby’s food should be in natural flavour, balance and rich in nutrition. It is not advisable to add salt, essence, preservatives and excess sugar into baby’s food.
Do not feed babies with unpasteurized food, such as unpasteurized fresh juices. This is because food that hasn’t undergone pasteurisation may cause diarrhoea or other serious health problems to the babies.
Do have the egg yolk fully cooked before giving it to the babies. Babies below one year old should avoid taking egg white, because they are prone to allergy.
Fat intake is very essential to help babies grow. For babies below 2 years old, parents should not reduce the fat intake by babies, as they are at this peak phase of time happening to need more energy for proper growth.

Be patient when introducing new food to your baby. Offer a variety of options, and don't be discouraged if your child is initially hesitant to try new things. Keep the atmosphere positive and relaxed during mealtime.

As your child grows, their nutritional needs will continue to change. Be sure to stay informed about age-appropriate dietary recommendations and consult with a paediatrician or registered dietitian. For now, let your little one explore these flavourful foods.