"Good Nutrition During Pregnancy is Vital for Not Gaining Too Much Weight and Having a Healthy Baby"
Nutrition and pregnancy go hand in hand as practicing a healthy diet during pregnancy helps create a healthy child as well as a healthy mom. You want to have a healthy diet during pregnancy so you can maintain a healthy pregnancy weight and not put on additional pounds that won't come off when you have your baby. A healthy pregnancy diet is one of the ways you can achieve the best weight for you and help build a solid foundation for your child's future health.
How many calories should I eat?
During the first trimester you don't need any extra calories during this time, and many women even lose a few pounds, which is considered normal for a healthy pregnancy diet. Try drinking 100% fruit juices and eating fruits like watermelon or cantaloupe. Soups and dry crackers are also a good choices. You should only gain from 2 - 4 pounds during the first trimester of pregnancy (the first 3 months) to maintain a healthy pregnancy weight.
You may feel nauseated during part or all of the day. This is "morning sickness" although it frequently occurs at other times of the day, and ends after the first trimester. Do not force feed yourself.
Fruit and vegetable juices are good. Eat when you can, and do not eat junk food when you do feel like eating. This is not caused by poor nutrition during pregnancy, but by an onslaught of hormones that your body takes time adjusting to.
Nutrition and pregnancy tips to help combat nausea:
Eat a small snack when you get up to go to the bathroom early in the morning.
Take your prenatal vitamin before going to bed and with a snack - not on an empty stomach
Suck on hard candy
Taking more Vitamin B6 has helped some women with their morning sickness, but do not exceed 50 milligrams per day. In addition to eating a healthy diet during pregnancy, you should supplement with a good prenantal vitamin in order to have a healthy pregnancy.
If you have a fruit juicer, freshly squeezed vegetable juices are excellent sources of enzymes and nutrients and should be part of nutrition during pregnancy. Carrot juice is especially nutritious. Just carefully wash any vegetables with water, vinegar or the food washing agents made especially for washing foods - before you juice them: cabbage, beets, celery, etc. Nutrition and pregnancy are so important to the growth of your child.
Calories Needed After the First Trimester
First of all, you should never start to diet during pregnancy. Your growing child needs all the growing tools from food he/she can get, and to try to lose weight be detrimental to your child. Doing this will impair his/her development. With that said, normal-weight women need an extra 300 calories each day for a healthy pregnancy. To obtain enough foods for good nutrition during pregnancy, you should eat about 1,900 to 2,500 calories a day.
What If I'm not a normal weight?
If you were underweight, overweight, or obese before you became pregnant, or if you are carrying more than one baby, then you should talk to your doctor about caloric intake for optimal nutrition during pregnancy.
Nutrition During Pregnancy Guide for healthy choices containing 300 calories
1 piece of whole wheat toast spread with 2 Tablespoons of peanut butter
3 ounces of roasted lean ham or chicken breast and 1/2 cup of sweet potatoes
1 cup of raisin bran cereal with 1/2 cup of fat-free milk and a small banana
1 cup fat free fruit yogurt and a medium apple
1 cup of beef and bean chili sprinkled with 1/2 ounce of cheddar cheese
How Much Weight Should I Gain During Pregnancy?
A healthy pregnancy weight may help you have a more comfortable pregnancy and delivery. It also may help you have fewer complications, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, constipation and backaches. A healthy diet during pregnancy is vital to maintaining your weight.
Underweight
Gain 28 - 40 lbs.
Normal Weight
Gain 25 - 35 lbs.
Overweight
Gain 15 - 25 lbs.
Obese
Gain at least 15 lbs.
Healthy Pregnancy Diet
The USDA has established a Food Guide Pyramid to follow for a healthy diet. Use this guide to ensure optimal nutrition during pregnancy plus add the above to get an extra 300 calories per day.
*Grains should be made from whole grains, like whole wheat. Pastas are now available in most grocery stores that are made with whole wheat as well as breads. Brown rice should be eaten instead of white rice. Whole grains provide many more nutrients than bleached grains where the bran has been removed and provide better nutrition during pregnancy.
Fruit and Vegetable Group: 3 or more serving of fruits; 4 or more of vegetables
3/4 cup fruit juice or 1/2 cup vegetable juice
1 piece fresh fruit
1 melon wedge
1/2 cup chopped, dried, cooked or canned fruit
1/2 cup cooked or canned vegetable
1 cup chopped, uncooked vegetables
Dairy Group: 4 servings per day
1 cup low-fat milk or soy milk
1 cup low-fat yogurt
1 1/2 ounces of cheese
1/2 cup of cottage cheese
Protein Group: 3 servings per day
lean meat, fish or poultry the size of your closed fist
Salad dressings with olive or canola oils, or no fat
Sugar and Sweets Group: As little as possible for a healthy pregnancy weight. These are the best choices:
Fat free baked goods
Sherbet, sorbet, Italian ice, popsicle
Low-fat frozen yogurt
Fig bars
Angel food cake
Gingersnaps
Jelly beans, hard candy
Plain popcorn
Pretzels
Food Cravings
I've never had any weird cravings, but have heard of women who have had them during pregnancy. Nutrition and pregnancy researchers have tried to determine whether a hunger for a particular type of food means that the woman's body lacks the nutrients that food contains. This is not the case and it's still unclear why these urges happen.
Some women may even crave non-food items, such as clay and cornstarch. Eating things that aren't food can be dangerous to both you and your baby and are not part of a healthy diet during pregnancy. Eating Healthy During Pregnancy By Diversifying For a healthy pregnancy, you should vary the types of foods you eat to get a different set of vitamins and minerals. Don't always eat apples from the fruit group, when you can choose from oranges, bananas, pomegranates, plums, peaches, etc.
Good nutrition during pregnancy should contain a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. Nutrition and pregnancy go hand in hand to help your child grow properly each day of your pregnancy.
Having a healthy diet during pregnancy is the best way to give your growing child the best chance of proper growth physically and mentally, as the nutrients you eat in food go directly through the placenta to feed your child. Practicing good nutrition during pregnancy is vital to having a healthy pregnancy and is one of the best gifts you can give to your child for years to come!
Sources:
Mayo Clinic
Cleveland Clinic Foundation
March of Dimes
USDA
