UNAIR NEWS – Celebrating Mother’s Day are not only making a party celebration for them, taking mothers for a walk, or taking pictures with mom and posting them on social media. However, it can also be done by paying attention to the nutritional needs for mother to anticipate earlier.
Lailatul Muniroh, SKM., M.Kes or commonly called Lail, coordinator of FKM UNAIR S1 Nutrition study program explained that mothers are divided into three groups. The first are pregnant and lactating mother group, mothers of childbearing age or adults, and elderly mothers.
Pregnant and Breastfeeding Mothers
“The nutrition needs of pregnant women depends on the trimester of pregnancy,” said Lail. In the first trimester, pregnant women have a tendency to nausea and vomiting so food intake cannot be too much. This condition can make a mother lack of nutrition.
Because pregnant women cannot eat a large portion but they can eat a small amount regularly. In addition, in this trimester is micronutrients needed for them. Mothers also need to avoid food that triggers vomiting.
“In the first trimester, doctors usually give folic acid supplements.” explained Lail.
Furthermore, in the second trimester, mothers have no tendency to nausea and vomit so they can eat more. This time, they will get proportional nutrition for their fetal growth and preparation for childbirth.
“For fetus formation, all of nutrients are important. But there are more important nutrients such as iron, calcium, protein, lemate, and vitamin A, “explained Lail.
While in the third trimester, maternal nutritional needs are not so different from the last of trimester. It’s just that the portion is more bigger.
Pregnant women also need substitute food, given that they need more of nutritional needs. In choosing a snack, it’s better for mothers to avoid fried food because they are high in fat calories but low nutrients. It can be replaced with fruits that are high in vitamins and minerals or high-carbohydrate foods such as biscuits, remember that when you are pregnant, you need more carbohydrates.
In addition, there are several food taboos that are still familiar in the community, not everything are right or wrong. Pineapple is one of the example that mother needs to avoid while they are pregnant
“Pineapple contains bromelain which can cause miscarriage if someone in the early trimester consume it.” Lail said.
Fertile or Adult Mothers
For adult mothers, nutritional needs can be seen in Nutrition Adequacy Rate (AKG) published by department of health (dinkes) or health ministry (Kemenkes). In AKG you can find out how many calories, protein, carbohydrates, or other nutrients for mothers based on their age.
In addition, on balance nutrition for mother concept needs to adjust the proportion of nutrients consume not the amount of food they take. Moreover, Arranging these portions can be seen in ‘My Dinner Plate’.
“In adulthood, it is important for mothers to maintain their food intake. Because, degenerative diseases that attack mother when they are elderlyis the result of their lifestyle during youth, “explained Lail.
Elderly Mother
In this stage, mother will experience a decrease in metabolism and physiological conditions. Mothers will be more susceptible to disease. So, they need a special food intake based on the type of disease suffered by mother.
“If mothers suffering from diabetes mellitus or DM. “Then the things that need to be regulated are hours, types and quantities (3J) in eating food,” Lail explained.
Even though some healthy elderly do not have certain diseases, the physiological condition will decrease slowly. For example from digestive side, In adulthood, 50% of the protein can be absorbed by mother up to 30%. But when they are older, mothers can only absorb 10% of the protein.
“We need to pay attention on tooth structure. Older women will find it difficult to eat hard or rough foods. Then the texture of food needs to be softened, “said Lail.
Although in older women a lot of nutrients must be improved. But there are also some nutrients that they need to avoid.
Celebrating 90th Mother’s Day, Hopefully mothers can be healthy so they can take care of the household well. Mothers must be smart in providing food, and ensure that the food intake for their family is healthy.
“To be smart, mothers must be up to date on information and healthy so they can take care of their family,” concluded Lail.
Information regarding AKG can be seen at: http://bit.ly/akgdepk
Information regarding balance nutrition guidelines can be seen at: http://bit.ly/giziseimbangdepkes
Author: Galuh Mega Kurnia
Editor: Binti Q. Masruroh
