It was once said that “eating for two” was the number one rule for pregnancy nutrition. In actuality, eating too much food will cause you to gain too much weight. On the opposite side of the spectrum, eating too little or low cal while pregnant can lead to a mentally retarded child. If you had a healthy diet before you got pregnant, then you will only need to make slight adjustments to your diet. However, if you were not watching what you ate, then you need to take better care of yourself. Your child will ultimately consume the unhealthy foods you eat as well. You have to include certain essential vitamins and minerals to ensure your baby will be born healthy and strong. You owe it to him or her to help start life off on the right foot.
Back to the Basics: Four Food Groups
In regards to eating healthy, pregnant women should increase their daily servings from the food groups appropriately and moderately. Women should have four or more servings of the following: fruits and veggies, whole-grain or enriched breads, and milk products. Three or more servings of meat, eggs, nuts, and beans are also needed for proper pregnancy nutrition. Overall, calorie intake should be increased by 300 calories, bringing your daily total, for most women, to 2,500 calories.
Calcium
A necessary component of nutrition during pregnancy is calcium. The extra servings of calcium will help with the development of your child’s bones. You will receive your necessary calcium from the milk you drink as well as other milk products you consume. Not everyone can consume milk, though. If you are lactose intolerant, there are other non-milk sources that are just as good. Try greens (mustard and turnip), tofu, broccoli, and cauliflower. If you still are not getting the calcium you need, you can take calcium supplements instead.
For Your Later Trimesters: Iron
Though iron is necessary before you get pregnant, maintaining the correct amount for pregnancy nutrition is imperative. In fact, you need twice as much iron in your second and third trimesters as you normally do. Taking iron supplements during the first trimester can make you experience a lot more morning sickness. After your first trimester, make sure you are taking about 30mg a day.
Folic Acid: Friend or Foe?
The decision on the necessity of folic acid in your diet is ongoing. Some doctors feel that folic acid reduces the chances of neural tube defect in babies. Because of this, they recommend that pregnant women take it. Other doctors, however, do not agree with this idea. They feel that healthy women do not need to take folic acid. They feel that only women who are smokers, drinkers, or drug users need to take it. Truthfully, there is no clear-cut answer to the need for folic acid. The best advice that can be given is to consult your doctor before you decide to add folic acid to your pregnancy nutrition.
There have been many vitamins and minerals listed above. You could go out and buy each one individually, but they may be hard to keep up with. This is where pre-natal vitamins come into play. Pre-natal vitamins supply all the nutrients you need in one capsule. You should consult your doctor about your desire to take pre-natal vitamins and about all of the nutrients listed above.
By Tamara C. Jude