Within this assignment I am going to discuss the differences and the similarities in nutritional and energy requirements of my two chosen groups. And those are Pregnant Women and Breast feeding mothers.

Nnutritional and energy requirements, comparing and contrasting similarities and differences between the two groups for each nutrient, and for energy. Pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers. It is very important for pregnant women to understand what kind of food is best for them as well as their baby, because you would need the full requirements of energy and nutrients for the baby as it will help protect them whilst they’re developing in the womb, this would also help protect the health of the mother and provide optimal growth and development of her baby that is in the womb. In the first half of pregnancy, the nutrition requirements mainly concern quality, while in the second half; quantity is also an issue to ensure fetal growth. With good and proper nutritional habits there should already be an establishment at the start of their second life. And if possible even before conception. The pregnant mother's body is a subject to many greater demands that would ensure any fetal developments as well as growth, health and the functioning of the uterus, placenta and amniotic fluids. Daily increase of 150 calories in food consumption is recommended at the start of pregnancy and eat healthily and maintain their balance. On the other hand both breastfeeding mothers and pregnant women would both need to have their right amount of nutrition for pregnant women and a breast feeding mother because, it helps them fully protect their health. The food group that includes meats, poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, and beans offers your body protein, B vitamins, folate, and iron. Dairy products are the best source of calcium and vitamin D, so all these are very essential for pregnant women’s.
Also, for breastfeeding having nutrients is very important because whatever you consume is going to the baby. Taking alcohol is bad because those fluids can go through your blood vessels into your breast and then you will be feeding your baby alcohol. And this can be dangerous for the new born baby. However, taking enough fluids is also health because it would help with the development for the baby’s growth. Whilst, during pregnancy drinking alcohol is also not very good for the development of the baby, as go for breastfeeding. On the other had breastfeeding is the healthiest way to feed your baby giving your baby breast milk only is recommended for around the first six months (26 weeks) of your baby's life. After that, giving your baby breast milk alongside other food will help them continue to grow and develop healthily. Energy for pregnancy can be difficult for some pregnant women’s as they become more fatigue and less energetic. However, for breastfeeding is essential, they would need to eat much protein they can, such as egg, yoghurt etc. Eating a healthy, varied diet in pregnancy will help you to get most of the vitamins and minerals you need. There are some vitamins and minerals that are especially important. It's best to get vitamins and minerals from the food you eat, but when you are pregnant you will need to take some supplements as well.
The nutrition requirements for breast-feeding are similar to those for pregnancy, and women are recommended to continue eating similarly to how they were eating during their pregnancy. However, a breast-feeding woman would need about 200 more calories per day than she did during pregnancy, and it is important that the calories come from nutritious foods. Breast-feeding women usually lose 1 to 4 pounds per month