Week 6: Your baby has a heartbeat
Your baby now has a beating heart that is pumping blood throughout your baby’s body and supplying essential nutrients to the key developing tissues. By the end of this week, the neural tube (from which the brain and spinal cord form) fully closes and all organs are prepared for growth. Nutritional deficiencies at this time can adversely affect the developing organs.
Essential Nutrients this Week: Choline, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B6, Folate, Zinc, Magnesium, Chromium, Potassium, Phosphorus
Food of the Week: Beetroot
The beetroot is an excellent source of folate — 1 cup of beetroot supplies a quarter of the daily folate you need; as well as potassium, phosphorus and magnesium. Betacyanin, the pigment that gives beetroot its colour, is a powerful antioxidant used by the body to counteract free radicals, reducing cell damage and inflammation.
Recipes of the Week
Beetroot, Cacao & Chia Seed Muffins
As well as being a good source of folate, these muffins are high in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and protein. Beetroot also contains substances that enhance oxygenation, essential for great energy. They’re easy to make, are lovely and moist and freeze well.
Lentil, Pumpkin & Beetroot Salad
We love making a bit batch of this salad, storing it in an airtight container in the fridge and adding the dressing just before sitting down to enjoy it.
Tart Cherry Gummies
These homemade gummies may help ease morning sickness and are also a great way to get additional gelatin (and the amino acid glycine) into your diet. Glycine is a “conditionally essential” amino acid during pregnancy, meaning you must obtain it from your diet to provide enough to support the growth of your baby’s skeleton, teeth, internal organs, hair, skin, and nails. Glycine is also necessary to support your stretching skin, growing uterus, placenta, and to help your circulatory system adapt to the demands of pregnancy. It also plays a key role in methylation, much like folate, choline and vitamin B12.
Nourishing Bliss Balls
Keep morning sickness at bay by snacking on these nourishing bliss balls. Make a big batch and keep them in the fridge or freezer. When you’re feeling nauseas, eating can help. Small frequent meals, or simply a succession of nutritious snacks, will help keep your blood sugar levels stable and thereby relieve the feelings of morning sickness.
Healthful Tips
Relieving Nausea And Morning Sickness — 30+ top tips for relieving morning sickness and nausea during pregnancy
The Why And How Of Buying Organic Food When Pregnant — tips for minimising your exposure to toxins that may harm your health and your baby’s growth and development
Prenatal Vitamins Aren’t Created Equal — Are You Taking Quality Supplements? — a deep dive into why and how to choose quality supplements plus and how and when to take them for optimal effect
The Benefits Of Soaking Grains, Legumes, Nuts And Seeds And A How To Guide — a breakdown of how and why soaking and activating grains, legumes, nuts and seeds aids nutrient absorption and is important during pregnancy
Easy Pantry Swaps — a downloadable guideline for swapping in healthier alternatives