Nutrition for Pregnant Women
| Eating good food is important for a successful pregnancy. Your baby needs protein, calcium, iron and other nutrients to build healthy bones and tissues. The nutrition guide below will show you how much of each foods you need to eat daily. You may need more than the suggested number of servings from the four food groups to get enough calories. Calorie requirements for non-pregnant women range between 1600-2500 calories per day depending on age, body size and physical activity. Three hundred extra calories per day are recommended during pregnancy. Your food intake must be of high nutritional level during your pregnancy to meet these needs. |
2 or 3 Fruit3 or 4 VegetableServings per day |
These foods provide complex
carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Add a wide variety
of fruits and vegetables in your diet.
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2 or 3 MeatServings per day |
These foods supply protein, iron,
niacin, thiamin, zinc and other vitamins and minerals. Your body
needs at least 60 grams of protein each day while you are
pregnant. Make sure to eat one serving from the meat group at
each meal so your body will have a supply of nutrients throughout the
day. You will get about 25-30 grams of protein from the three
servings of milk. Cook all meat, fish and eggs thoroughly.
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3 MilkServings per day |
These foods provide calcium, protein,
riboflavin, vitamins A and D. Buy milk fortified with Vitamins A
and D. Pregnant women need 1000 milligrams of calcium per
day. Dark green leafy vegetables, legumes and fortified foods
like orange juice with calcium can provide part of your calcium
requirement. Warning: Avoid unpasteurized milk and soft cheeses
such as brie, feta and soft Mexican cheeses. They can carry a
bacteria that is particularly dangerous for pregnant
women.
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6-9 Bread, Cereal, Rice & PastaServings per day |
These foods supply your body with
complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins and minerals including thiamin,
niacin, and iron. Whenever possible, choose whole grain breads,
cereals and rice containing more vitamins, minerals and fiber than
highly refined "white" grain products.
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Things you also need
Vitamin and Mineral Supplements. When you follow the nutrition guide above with a variety of food from all of the food groups, you will get almost all the nutrients that you need. Your doctor will probably subscribe an iron supplement and an additional supplement for other vitamins and minerals. It is also recommended that women start taking folic acid even before becoming pregnant to prevent certain birth defects of the brain and spinal cord by 70%. Salt. Using salt in your food is no longer a concern in a normal pregnancy. It is actually recommended to use a moderate amount of salt in your cooking. Your doctor may consider limiting your salt intake if you have had high blood pressure. Fluids. While you are pregnant, you body especially needs plenty of extra liquids every day. The minimum daily recommendation is at least 6-8 glasses. You can count the milk and fruit or vegetable juices as servings from the four food groups and make up the remainder with water. Things to avoidAlcohol. Drinking alcohol during your pregnancy increases the risk of having a baby with serious physical or mental problems. A safe level of alcohol consumption has not been identified, therefore it is best to avoid beverages with alcohol altogether. Drugs. If you are taking any medications when you become pregnant, notify your doctor immediately. Some drugs are known to be harmful to your baby if used during your pregnancy while others have some risk associated with their use. Don't leave out over-the-counter medications such as headache relief, antacids, allergy medications, etc. Over-the-counter medications should not be used unless cleared by your doctor. Caffeine. It is recommended by the Food and Drug Administration that eliminating or limiting caffeine from your diet during pregnancy assists in avoiding potential problems. |
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