Nutrition and Supplements
Now that you're eating for two (or more!), this is not the time to cut calories or go on a diet. In fact, it's just the opposite - you need about 300 extra calories a day, especially later in your pregnancy when your baby grows quickly. If you're very thin or carrying twins, you'll need even more. But if you're overweight, your health care provider may advise that you consume fewer extra calories.
Healthy eating is always important, but especially when you're pregnant. So, it's important to make sure your calories come from nutritious foods so they can contribute to your baby's growth and development.
Try to maintain a well-balanced diet that incorporates the dietary guidelines including:
lean meats
fruits
vegetables
whole-grain breads
low-fat dairy product
By eating a healthy, balanced diet you're more likely to get the nutrients you need. But you will need more of the essential nutrients (especially calcium, iron, and folic acid) than you did before you became pregnant. Your doctor will prescribe prenatal vitamins to be sure both you and your growing baby are getting enough.
But taking prenatal vitamins doesn't mean you can eat a diet that's completely lacking in nutrients. It's important to remember that you still need to eat well while pregnant. Prenatal vitamins are meant to supplement your diet not be your only source of much-needed nutrients.
Calcium
Most women 19 years and older - including those who are pregnant - don't often get the daily 1,000 mg of calcium that's recommended. Because your growing baby's calcium demands are high, you should increase your calcium consumption to prevent a loss of calcium from your own bones. Your doctor will also likely prescribe prenatal vitamins for you, which may contain some extra calcium.
Good sources of calcium include:
low-fat dairy products including milk, cheese, and yogurt
calcium-fortified products, including orange juice, soy milk, and cereals
dark green vegetables including spinach, kale, and broccoli
dried beans
almonds
Iron
Pregnant women need 27 to 30 mg of iron every day. Why? Because iron is needed to make hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying component of red blood cells. Red blood cells circulate throughout the body to deliver oxygen to all its cells.
Without enough iron, the body can't make enough red blood cells and the body's tissues and organs won't get the oxygen they need to function well. So it's especially important for pregnant women to get enough iron in their daily diets - for themselves and their growing babies.
Although the nutrient can be found in various kinds of foods, iron from meat sources is more easily absorbed by the body than iron found in plant foods. Some examples of iron-rich foods include:
red meat
dark poultry
salmon
eggs
enriched grains
dried beans and peas
dried fruits
leafy green vegetables
iron-fortified breakfast cereals
Folate (Folic Acid)
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all women of childbearing age - and especially those who are planning a pregnancy - get about 400 micrograms (0.4 milligrams) of folic acid supplements every day. That can be from a multivitamin or folic acid supplement in addition to the folic acid found in food.
So, why is folic acid so important? Studies have shown that taking folic acid supplements 1 month prior to and throughout the first 3 months of pregnancy decrease the risk of neural tube defects by up to 70%.
The neural tube - formed during the first 28 days of the pregnancy, usually before a woman even knows she's pregnant - goes on to become the baby's developing brain and spinal cord. When the neural tube doesn't form properly, the result is a neural tube defect such as spina bifida.
Again, your doctor can prescribe a prenatal vitamin that contains the right amount of folic acid. Some doctors even recommend taking an additional folic acid supplement, especially if a woman has previously had a child with a neural tube defect.
If you're buying an over-the-counter supplement, keep in mind that most multivitamins contain folic acid, but not all of them have enough folic acid to meet the nutritional needs of a pregnant woman. So, be sure to check labels carefully before choosing one and check with your health care provider.
Fluids
It is also important to drink plenty of fluids, especially water, during pregnancy. A woman's blood volume increases dramatically during pregnancy, and drinking enough water each day can help prevent common problems such as dehydration and constipation.
What you can eat:
You don't have to give up all the foods you love when you're pregnant. You just need to eat smart and make sure that most of your choices are healthy ones. You only need 300 extra calories per day to support your baby's growth and development. Follow the serving recommendations. And watch your portions-you may be eating more than you think! Avoid too much sugar and fat in your diet.
Your Healthy Diet During Pregnancy
Eating healthy foods can help you have a healthy baby. But sometimes it's hard to know what foods to eat. This article will help. How much should you eat each day when you're pregnant? Follow these food guidelines.
Fruit
Eat 2 to 4 fruit servings each day. One fruit serving is:
1/2 cup fresh, frozen or canned fruit
1 medium whole fruit (orange, apple, banana)
3/4 cup fruit juice (avoid unpasteurized juices)
Vegetables
Eat 3 to 5 vegetable servings each day. One vegetable serving is:
1/2 cup raw or cooked vegetables
1 small baked potato
3/4 cup vegetable juice (avoid unpasteurized juices)
Grains
Eat 6 to 11 serving each day. One grain serving is:
1 slice bread
1 cup dry cereal
1/2 cup cooked rice, pasta or cereal
1 small pancake
1 small tortilla
Proteins
Eat 2 to 3 protein servings each day. One protein serving is:
2 ounces lean meat, poultry or fish (For more information on fish, see Food-borne Risks in Pregnancy.)
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1/2 cup dried or cooked beans
2 eggs
Milk Products
Eat 2 to 3 milk servings each day. (Low-fat or skim is best.) One milk serving is:
1 cup milk
1 cup yogurt
2 1-inch cubes cheese (Avoid soft cheeses such as feta, brie, Camembert, Roquefort, blue-veined, queso blanco, queso fresco or Panela, unless the cheese is labeled as made with pasteurized milk.)
You may find that your interest in food changes during pregnancy. You may not be very hungry during the first months. But you may want to eat all the time during the later months! Every woman is different. The important thing is to eat healthy foods that you like all during your pregnancy.
To learn more about healthy eating during pregnancy, listen to the March of Dimes Podcast with Marion Nestle, professor of nutrition
