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Pregnancy Nutrition Basics Pregnancy & Baby Pregnancy Nutrition Basics Consuming a healthy diet is one of the best ways to give Baby a healthy start. Nutrition is instrumental in the prevention of birth defects and the optimal development of Baby’s bodily systems. But not only is a healthy diet crucial for Baby’s health, it also helps Mom maintain her own nutritional status. If your intake of certain nutrients is not sufficient during pregnancy, Baby may take from your stored nutrients, leaving you nutritionally compromised. Maintaining nutritional health will help you feel your best while pregnant and also will speed your recovery after the birth. FIRST TRIMESTER For the first 13 weeks, your calorie needs are about the same as they were pre-pregnancy so you don’t need to eat too much more. But this doesn’t mean that your eating habits aren’t important. Sufficient intake of vitamins and minerals is crucial for Baby’s development during the entire 40 weeks. Take a prenatal vitamin as a nutrition insurance plan—It will help you meet your elevated folic acid and iron needs. You also want to make sure your diet provides good sources of protein, vitamin A and vitamin C. See below for suggestions. And finally, this is not the time to try to lose weight. “Dieting” and depriving yourself also deprives your baby. But if you are concerned about your weight, talk to your doctor or a dietitian for help achieving appropriate weight gain during your pregnancy. SECOND AND THIRD TRIMESTERS Baby will start out the size of a strawberry in week 14 and grow exponentially until her arrival. To support this amazing growth you need more nutrients—You will need more calories, more protein, and more vitamins and minerals than you did before you were pregnant. To meet your elevated needs, try to eat the following foods on most days of the week: 3–4 servings of protein foods. One serving is equal to 3 ounces of lean meat, poultry or fish, 1 1/2 cups beans, 2–3 eggs, 3/4 cup cottage cheese, or 1 cup of tofu. Try to include at least 1 serving of fish each week. 5–8 servings of breads, cereals, rice, and pasta. One serving = 1 slice bread, 3/4 cup cereal, rice or pasta, 1 ounce crackers, or 1 small tortilla. Aim for at least three servings to be made from whole grains. 1 vitamin C rich fruit or vegetable. Examples: apple, potatoes, berries, citrus fruits, kiwi, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, or tomatoes. 1 vitamin A rich fruit or vegetable. Examples: sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach and other dark leafy greens, cantaloupe, apricots, tomatoes. 3+ other fruits and vegetables. A serving equals 1/2 cup cooked or chopped, 1 cup raw leafy greens, or 1 small piece of fruit. 3–4 servings low fat dairy products or other good sources of calcium. One serving is equal to 1 cup milk or yogurt, 1 cup calcium-fortified juice, 1 1/2 ounces cheese. FOODS TO AVOID WHILE PREGNANT From very early in your pregnancy both you and your baby are vulnerable to chemicals, toxins and infection by food-borne bacteria. To protect both of you, avoid the following: Alcohol Raw or undercooked beef, poultry, pork, fish, and eggs Unpasteurized dairy products including raw milk cheeses. Deli meats including turkey, ham, roast beef, pastrami, etc. Fish that contain the highest levels of mercury including swordfish, shark, king mackerel, tilefish, and canned albacore tuna. Article provided by HAPPYBABY Food. Learn more at www.happybabyfood.com