| Return
to Your Pregnancy Main Page
Your
Pregnancy Diet:
What to Eat for Optimal Nutrition and Healthy Weight Gain
Congratulations!
You're pregnant! Whether you've been planning this moment for years
or just suddenly find yourself unexpectedly "expecting", your body
has embarked on a wonderful journey full of many changes. From head
to toe, it seems no part of your body escapes the effects of this
life-altering event. One of the most important questions you should
ask yourself is, "Am I eating right, now that I'm eating for two?"
There are many dos and don'ts for the expecting mother's diet, and
the following guidelines will help you navigate some of the most
commonly asked questions.
How
much more do I need to eat? The answer to this question is,
truly, not much more - at least not in terms of calories. During
the first trimester, your calorie requirements are the same as pre-pregnancy.
From about 13 weeks onward, your calorie requirements are about
300 calories above your normal intake. What is very important is
the quality of these calories. You need to jam-pack as many nutrients
as possible into your diet - and this means that you may actually
have to reduce the amount of junk food and empty calories you consume
in exchange for healthier, more nutritious choices. You'll want
to include servings of vitamin C rich foods, green leafy vegetables,
yellow-orange vegetables, protein, whole grains and calcium every
day. In addition, you should take a prenatal vitamin as extra insurance,
should you miss out on any vital components of your healthy diet.
Healthy eating should lead to more regular weight gain and better
health overall, meaning it's a great way to keep you (and your skin)
glowing, prevent fatigue, and give your body the appropriate nutritional
support for the hard work of creating a healthy baby.
Do
I really need folic acid? Yes, you do, and its best to begin
supplementing before you try to get pregnant. If you didn't supplement
pre-pregnancy, start getting a minimum of 400 mcg a day the moment
you know you're expecting (many doctors recommend 600 - 800 mcg
a day.) Pregnant women require more folic acid than other women,
so a choose a multivitamin formulated specifically for pregnant
women to ensure you get enough. Getting the recommended amount of
folic acid helps prevent spinal cord defects, and since the spinal
cord forms and fuses in the first four weeks of pregnancy, it is
never too soon to start getting the RDA of folic acid. Dietary sources
of folic acid include oranges and orange juice, leafy green vegetables
and enriched cereals, grains and pastas.
How
much should I gain? The general rule is that women of average
and healthy weight should gain between 25- 35 pounds. This translates
to about 5 pounds in the first trimester, and approximately a pound
a week thereafter. Overweight women should generally gain about
15 pounds, and women carrying twins generally gain between 35 -
45 pounds. Of course, these are just general rules. Your physician
will monitor your weight gain at every visit, and offer suggestions
to manage your diet if you're gaining too quickly, or not enough.
Never
diet to lose weight during pregnancy! If you gain too much early
on, simply look at how you've been eating and modify your diet to
gain more moderately from that point forward. Remember, the growing
fetus inside you needs a fresh supply of calories and nutrients
every day to aid in weight gain and development.
What
should I eat? Years ago, when weight gain was limited to 15
to 20 pounds, women were told to eat a high protein, high calcium
diet with plenty of fiber and whole grains. The same holds true
today, although we have since determined that a healthy weight gain
for a normal weight woman should be slightly higher (25 - 35 pounds.)
WHOLE
GRAINS
You
need plenty of complex carbohydrates every day as a rich source
of B vitamins, fiber, and trace minerals such as zinc, selenium,
chromium and magnesium and more. Dietitians encourage you to strongly
emphasize whole grains and the breads, cereals, pastas and more
that are made from them, while avoiding sugary foods, full of
empty calories. This means choosing whole wheat bread, oatmeal,
buckwheat pancakes, whole grain cereals and the like over white
bread, cookies made with sugar and white flour, commercial muffins
and similar foods. Sprinkle wheat germ on foods as well - one
quarter cup of wheat germ contains 15% of the RDA for protein,
vitamin E and iron; 30% for thiamine; 10 % for riboflavin and
B6; 20% for folic acid and magnesium, 35% for phosphorous and
30% for zinc. Whole grains simply pack more nutritional punch
than even enriched refined grains, so read labels carefully. As
an added bonus, many women find these whole grains help calm a
queasy stomach during the first trimester, and are a quick fix
for low blood sugar which can occur at any time during pregnancy,
and lead to lightheaded, dizzy feeling if you go too long between
meals. (Always report all of your symptoms, included dizziness,
to your doctor.)
PROTEIN
You
need more protein, and should aim to include two or three servings
of protein in your diet every day, of about three ounces each.
Good sources of protein include meat, fish, eggs and poultry.
Higher fat sources of protein, for those having trouble gaining
enough weight, include peanut butter. Choose lean sources if you're
gaining too rapidly. If you're a vegetarian, work hard to include
complete vegetable protein combinations in your diet using portions
of legumes and grains together, or dairy protein by combining
dairy and either legume or grain servings.
CALCIUM
You need about 900 milligrams every day, and 1200 milligrams during
the third trimester. Get your calcium from skim milk and cheeses,
and remember hard cheeses have more calcium per ounce than softer
cheeses. Eat non-fat yogurt, and you'll be getting protein as
well. Snacks such as almonds, baked good made with soy flour and
dried apricots and figs also contain calcium.
GREEN LEAFY AND YELLOW VEGETABLES AND FRUITS
These vegetables are excellent sources of fiber and vitamin
A (you need 5,000 international units of vitamin A a day while
pregnant and 6,000 when nursing.) They also offer many trace vitamins,
minerals and metals. Again, you can choose double duty foods -
like cantaloupe, broccoli, peppers and tomatoes (including tomato
juice, sauce and paste) which also provide vitamin C. Try to eat
three servings a day.
IRON
You need iron-rich foods because your body is working hard to
create the extra blood supply you need to support you and your
growing baby. Your pregnancy supplement should include about 30
- 60 mg of iron. You don't want to oversupplement if you don't
need to, because iron supplements can cause diarrhea or constipation
in some women. Try to include a iron-rich foods such as these
in your diet every day, but do take your supplement as well: beef,
chickpeas and other dried beans and peas, raisins and other dried
fruits, spinach, pumpkin seeds and soy products.
VITAMIN
C FOODS
Have
two servings of vitamin C-rich foods every day, for about 100
milligrams. Try to eat fruits and vegetables raw, whenever possible,
as cooking reduces their vitamin content. Examples of tasty vitamin
C sources include berries of all kind, oranges, tangerines, cantaloupe,
grapefruit, mango, papaya, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, broccoli,
cabbage, kale, tomatoes, peppers and spinach.
Start
a Pregnancy Journal. A great way to stay on track! One way to
help you remember your nutritional goals is to make notes about
what you need to eat every day and keep a food journal throughout
your pregnancy, to monitor how effectively you are incorporating
all the components of a healthy diet. Especially in the early days,
this journal will help you become aware of what you eat and support
you in forming good dietary habits, which will serve you well throughout
your pregnancy and beyond. If you fall short of your requirements
for a few days due to illness or lack of planning, simply begin
being more fastidious again as soon as you are able, without agonizing
too much over your lapse. Also, use the journal to keep track of
your weight gain, so you can modify your diet if you're gaining
too quickly or not enough. In fact, a pregnancy journal is an excellent
way to track much more than your nutritional progress: you can record
all the exciting emotions and milestones on the journey to motherhood.
Make notes on everything from what you want to buy for the baby's
room to notes from doctor's appointments, and a list of questions
you want to ask at your next visit. (And don't forget to document
the delivery, too - time can fade even the most vivid memories,
and you'll certainly want a detailed account of that landmark occasion
to keep forever!) Your journal will become a cherished keepsake
of this special time, as well as an excellent way to help you stay
organized and on track with your nutritional goals! 
Return
to Your Pregnancy Main Page
|
Site by CarneyFireman,
Inc.
