During pregnancy, proper nutrition and a balanced diet is essential to the well being of your baby and basic to your health. The added nutritional demands that pregnancy places on your body requires you to start, if not already, making good food choices like choosing the correct nutrients and healthy weight gain.
If you already have good eating habits then eating a proper balanced diet will take little effort, just add a few calories. If you are just now starting to eat a well balanced meal to help ensure proper health and growth of your baby, we can help by showing you correct food choices, which nutrients are essential and how much weight gain is necessary.
"What is a healthy diet during pregnancy?" A healthy diet during pregnancy includes all of the essential nutrients that will help your growing baby. Let's begin by looking at the Food Guide Pyramid to ensure that you are eating a balanced diet. The food guide pyramid is a guide to help you choose the correct servings of the major food groups. Although it is not designed for pregnancy, it will give you an idea of the types and servings that are required from each group. The pyramid guide emphasizes diets that are low in fat, sugar and cholesterol, while high in fruits, vegetables and grains.
"What are the food groups that make up the Food Guide Pyramid?" The Food Guide Pyramid is made up of six food groups:
1. Complex Carbohydrate Group
The base or bottom of the pyramid represents complex carbohydrates (starches). Examples of complex carbohydrates are bread, cereal, rice and pasta. Complex carbohydrates are good sources for vitamins, minerals and fiber. You can have 6 to 11 servings from this group during the day. One serving equals one slice of bread, one cup of cereal and half a cup of rice or pasta.
2. Vegetable Group You are allowed to have 3 to 5 servings from this group daily. Each serving equals one cup of salad greens, half a cup of cooked or raw vegetables and three quarters of a cup of vegetable juice. Vegetables are high in fiber and low in fat. They are a good source of vitamin A, C, folic acid, iron and other minerals.
3. Fruit Group Fruits are rich in A and C vitamins and potassium, as well as high in fiber. Make sure you drink fruit juice and not fruit drinks that contain mostly sugar. You can have 2 to 4 servings from this group a day. Each serving consists of one apple, banana, orange or pear, plus half a cup of chopped canned fruit, 3/4 a cup of fruit juice and 1/4 cup of dried fruit or raisins.
4. Dairy Group Milk, yogurt and cheese are a great source of protein, calcium and vitamins. You can have 2 to 3 servings from this group. Each serving consists of one cup of milk or yogurt, 1 1/2 ounces of natural cheese and 2 ounces of processed cheese.
5. Protein Group This group includes meat, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts. It contains B vitamins, protein, iron and zinc. Make sure to choose lean meats and cut away the surrounding fat. You can have 2 to 3 servings from this group.
Each serving consists of 2 to 3 oz. of cooked meat, poultry or fish, one cup of cooked beans, 2 eggs, 2 1/2 oz. of soy burger, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter or 1/3 cup of nuts (both substitute as one ounce of meat).
6. Fat Group This group is very high in calories and has few vitamins. Limit to less than 30% of your daily calorie selection to be from this group. Restrict your consumption of butter, margarine and salad dressing. This category should be saved for a special treat, such as dessert.
"What are the key nutrients and their recommended daily allowance during pregnancy?"
Calcium is a key nutrient needed to form strong bones and teeth for your baby. If your daily amount of calcium is inadequate then the baby will remove the calcium from your bones. This can cause consequences to you and you may develop osteoporosis, a disorder causing weak and fragile bones, in the future.
During pregnancy the recommended daily amount of calcium depends on your age. If you are less than 19 years old, you require 1300 mg of calcium and 1000 mg if older. The best additional sources for calcium are dairy products, such as milk and cheese. Three glasses of milk each day will satisfy this nutritional need.
Iron is a key nutrient that is needed to develop a healthy baby. Iron is used to make the hemoglobin in your red blood cells that carries oxygen. When you become pregnant, you will need extra iron to keep up with the increased production of red blood cells seen in pregnancy.
If you do not have adequate intake of iron, you will develop anemia and fatigue. You need 27mg of daily iron in your diet during pregnancy. Make sure you eat more foods that are rich in iron such as lean meat, beans, dark leafy greens and whole grains. If you think you need a supplemental iron pill speak with your physician. Iron can cause constipation and may require a stool softener to also be taken.
Folic Acid is a very important nutrient needed before and during the first trimester of pregnancy. Not having enough folic acid can lead to birth defects (neural tube defects). Folic acid is of such importance before pregnancy that it is added to many foods to help prevent your risk of neural tube defects.
Before pregnancy you should take 0.4 mg of folic acid each day. During pregnancy, it is recommended that you increase your folic acid to 0.6 mg each day.
Higher doses of folic acid are recommended if you have had a prior child with a neural tube defect. You are recommended to take 10 times the normal dose or 4 mg each day for 30 days before conception and 3 months after.
Vitamins are important to you and your baby’s development. Your normal prenatal vitamin has all the vitamin A, B and C that is required. No other supplemental vitamins are needed. Keep in mind that some vitamins such as vitamin A and D can be harmful in large concentrations. So don't think that more is better.
"How many extra calories should I eat each day during pregnancy?" Most women, who are not pregnant, will eat about 1800 to 2200 calories every day. During pregnancy you will need to add about 300 additional calories to your daily intake. Three hundred calories can be added by eating an extra apple, a glass of skim milk, and cup of yogurt. Be careful when eating for two, it does not mean you can eat twice as much.
Proper nutrition and a balanced diet are necessary in pregnancy. After your baby is born you will want to continue the good nutrition practices that you have developed. This will help you with nursing, recovery, and you will have more energy. Maintaining healthy habits will promote lifelong health for you and your baby.
