Healthy eating habits during pregnancy are important to the growth and development of your baby. You should consume about 300 more calories than usual, but that doesn’t mean more potato chips or candy. Variety and balance are key factors when thinking about your weekly menu. Read ahead to see how to make your calories count and which nutrients are especially important.
Folic acid
Folic acid is the most vital nutrient pregnant women need. Folic acid is a B vitamin that helps prevent neural tube defects (defects of the spine, brain, or their coverings) and other birth defects like cleft lip and congenital heart disease. By aiming to consume at least 400 micrograms of folic acid every day before getting pregnant, you can help reduce the risk of these defects. Once you become pregnant, this need increases to 600-800 micrograms per day. Folic acid is found in dark-green leafy vegetables like spinach or kale, beans and citrus fruits, and in fortified cereals and bread. To ensure you consume enough folic acid, it is best to take a daily vitamin that contains it. At your first prenatal visit, your health care provider will talk with you about taking prenatal vitamins with folic acid and iron.
Iron
Iron is needed to fuel hemoglobin production for you and your baby. Hemoglobin is a type of protein molecule that carries oxygen to body tissues for energy and growth. Iron also helps build bones and teeth. A shortage of iron can cause a condition called anemia. You may not have symptoms of anemia, but might have extreme fatigue. Your health care provider can check for signs of anemia through the routine blood tests taken in different stages of your pregnancy.
Most pregnant women take iron supplements once or twice a day. You can help prevent deficiencies by eating more iron-rich foods like seafood, chicken, liver, beef and eggs. The iron from animal sources is more readily absorbed, but that doesn’t mean you should overlook dark-green leafy vegetables, cooked dried beans and lentils, or iron-fortified cereals as additional sources. Note that vitamin C assists the vegetarian sources of iron in being absorbed more completely.
Key Food Groups
Always remember that you are eating to nourish your baby and choose a variety of foods from the Food Guide Pyramid. Also, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should have three to four servings of milk, yogurt, or cheese to meet their calcium needs. They should also eat more breads and cereals, fruits, vegetables, and meat and meat alternatives, up to a total of 2,200 or 2,800 calories. Try to have three meals every day or six smaller meals if you have problems with nausea or heartburn. Keep the following key food groups in mind when choosing foods during pregnancy:
- Protein-rich foods build muscle, tissue, enzymes, hormones and antibodies for you and your baby. They also have B vitamins and iron, which is important for your red blood cells. Protein is particularly important during the last two months of your pregnancy when the baby’s brain develops most rapidly.
- Carbohydrates give you energy, iron, B vitamins, some protein, and other minerals. Try to eat whole grains like whole-wheat bread because they have more vitamins and fiber.
- Milk and other dairy products have calcium, which both you and your baby need for strong bones and teeth. Milk and dairy products also have vitamin A and D, protein, and B vitamins. Vitamin A helps growth, resistance to infection, and vision. Pregnant women need 1200-1500mg of calcium each day. Try to have nonfat milk and milk products to lower your fat intake. Other sources of calcium include dark green leafy vegetables, dried beans and peas, nuts and seeds, salmon and sardines with bones, and tofu.
- Fruits and vegetables with vitamin C help you and your baby have healthy gums and other tissues and help your body to heal wounds and absorb iron. Sources of vitamin C include strawberries, melons, oranges, papaya, tomatoes, peppers, greens, cabbage, and broccoli. A variety of fruits and vegetables also add fiber and other minerals to your diet and give you energy. Dark green vegetables also have vitamin A, iron, and folic acid.
Water
Water plays a key role in your diet during pregnancy. It helps carry the nutrients from the foods you eat to your baby and also helps prevent constipation, hemorrhoids, excessive swelling, and urinary tract or bladder infections. Most importantly, drinking enough water, especially in your last trimester, prevents you from becoming dehydrated. Dehydration can lead you to have contractions and premature or early labor. Pregnant women should drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day and another glass for each hour of activity. Juice has a lot of calories and can cause you to gain extra weight. If water gets boring, try adding 100% juice to change the flavor. Coffee, soda, and teas that have caffeine act as diuretics and can actually reduce the amount of fluid in your body. Milk counts so don’t ignore the four recommended servings of dairy each day.
Foods to Avoid
There are several foods that you should avoid while pregnant:
- Don’t consume raw or undercooked meat/meat products. Make sure you cook food to proper temperatures. Steer clear of raw fish too, especially shellfish like oysters and clams.
- Avoid soft cheeses such as feta, Brie, Camembert, and blue-veined cheese. These cheeses are often unpasteurized and may cause Listeria infection. There’s no need to avoid hard cheese, processed cheese, cream cheese, cottage cheese, or yogurt.
- The use of saccharin (Sweet ‘N Low) is strongly discouraged during pregnancy because it can cross the placenta and may remain in fetal tissues. Some sweeteners are approved by the FDA including aspartame (Equal or NutraSweet), acesulfame-K (Sunett), and sucralose (Splenda). These sweeteners are considered safe in moderation, but research is limited on their effects during pregnancy.
- Be aware that several kinds of fish may be contaminated with mercury. Women who are pregnant or nursing are urged to avoid shark, swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish, fresh tuna, sea bass, halibut, marlin, and pike. Canned tuna should be eaten no more than once a week, and other types of fish should be limited to no more than 12 ounces per week. Farm-raised trout and catfish, shrimp, fish sticks, flounder, wild pacific salmon, croaker, mid-Atlantic blue crab, and haddock are considered safest.
Food Cravings During Pregnancy
Food cravings during pregnancy are normal. Although there is no widely accepted explanation for food cravings, almost two-thirds of all pregnant women have them. If you develop a sudden urge for a certain food, go ahead and indulge your craving if it provides energy or an essential nutrient. If your craving persists and prevents you from getting other essential nutrients in your diet, however, put the brakes on.
During pregnancy, the appeal of certain foods may change. You may suddenly dislike foods you were fond of before you became pregnant. In addition, some women feel strong urges to eat non-food items such as ice, laundry starch, dirt, clay, chalk, ashes, or paint chips. This is called pica, and it may be associated with an iron deficiency such as anemia. Do not give in to these nonfood cravings -- they can be harmful to both you and your baby. Tell your health care provider if you have these nonfood cravings.
If you have any problems that prevent you from eating balanced meals and gaining weight properly, ask your health care provider for advice. Nutritionists can guide your good eating habits throughout your pregnancy.
Vegetarian Diets
Just because you are pregnant doesn’t mean you have to eat meat. Your baby can receive all the nutrients required to grow and develop while you follow a vegetarian diet if you make sure you eat a wide variety of healthy foods that provide enough protein and calories for you and your baby. Depending on the type of vegetarian meal plan you follow, you may need to adjust your eating habits to ensure that you and your baby are receiving adequate nutrition.
Discomforts of Pregnancy
The following complications are all related to digestion, which is compromised when you are pregnant. The baby growing inside you takes up some room and displaces your organs. This distress is normal, but that doesn’t make them it easier to endure.
Here are some suggestions for coping:
- Morning sickness. Eat crackers, cereal, or pretzels before getting out of bed; eat small, frequent meals throughout the day; and avoid fatty, fried, and greasy foods. If it is the smell of food that is bothering you, try cold foods like sandwiches and avoid cooking until the symptoms pass.
- Constipation. Choose more fresh fruit and vegetables. Remember to drink 6-8 glasses of water daily.
- Diarrhea. Eat more foods that contain pectin and gums (two types of dietary fiber) to help absorb excess water. Examples of these foods are applesauce, bananas, white rice, oatmeal, and refined wheat bread.
- Heartburn. Eat small, frequent meals throughout the day, try drinking milk before eating, and limit caffeinated foods and beverages. Don’t eat too late in the evening.
Weight Gain
This is a common concern that crosses every pregnant woman’s mind at some point and guidelines depend on your pre-pregnancy weight. If you were of a healthy weight prior to pregnancy, then the recommended amount of weight gain is 25-35 pounds. If you were underweight prior to conception, your goal may be a weight gain of 28-40 pounds, and if you were overweight, you may be advised to gain 15-25 pounds. This is based on several factors, so do discuss this with your physician.
The schedule of weight gain can vary as well. Some women gain 2-4 pounds the first trimester or may not gain any weight at all. After the first 3 months, most women gain up to a pound per week; some weeks may be more or less. There is a new life growing inside of you so be excited about your changing body and try to enjoy every step of the way!
