Your Pregnancy Diet
Eating for Two
Throughout an expectant mom’s pregnancy she and her baby will need sufficient nourishment to stay healthy. This involves a well-rounded diet and exercising discipline over the types of food that are eaten. It also involves changes in eating habits—especially for those who have developed poor eating habits.
Good Reasons to Maintain a Healthy Diet
Certain foods are necessary to keep your body functioning properly— especially your kidneys and intestines. Adequate nourishment is necessary in building new tissues in the baby through mom’s body, and replenishing lost cells in the new growing life. An adequate supply of vitamins and minerals are also important for mom and baby.
In choosing what foods to eat, it is important to follow simple guidelines to eating a balanced diet of foods from each of the food groups while consuming enough calories for mom and baby, but not in excess.
Knowing approximately the number of calories your body requires varies for each person. For most expectant moms, who are about the average weight for height and age, approximately 2300 calories a day is necessary, which is about 300 calories more than the non-pregnant woman requires. Getting specific about calories is not the focus but eating healthy foods and good eating habits are. ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologist) suggest the following guidelines:
Milk
4 servings of 8oz cups of milk each day. Portions of this may be consumed as milk-based soups, cheese (2 slices), cottage cheese (½ cup), custards and milk with cereal.
Fruits and Vegetables
5 servings of oranges, grapefruit, melons, lemons, grapes, pineapples and strawberries. Juices of any of these fruits are also good.
Raw or cooked vegetables. An 8 oz serving of beans, carrots, broccoli, peas, or asparagus will supply essential iron and vitamins to your diet. Steamed vegetables are preferable, so the nutritious elements will be retained. Fresh produce is excellent but frozen and canned vegetables may be used.
Protein
3-4 servings of 8oz of lean meat, preferably chicken or turkey. Protein is available from a variety of foods such as red meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products. Fish is an excellent source of protein; however, there are some precautions to take when eating fish. Avoid eating fish known to contain high levels of methyl mercury which would include swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish and shark. Smaller fish such as bass, salmon and shellfish are safe to eat. Tuna is also safe to eat but should be limited to one half pound per week
Whole Grain Products
4 servings. Whole wheat bread is more nutritious than white bread. Other good choices are any of the whole wheat, rice and grain cereals (hot or cold). Macaroni, noodles and spaghetti are nutritious but fairly high in calories.
Foods that cause digestive problems should be limited or avoided completely. Some of these foods are fried and greasy foods such as bacon, gravies, French fries, and rich foods such as cakes and pastries.
Avoid foods such as sushi (raw fish) as well as raw or very rare meat. These foods may contain bacteria or parasites. Proper cooking destroys these when foods are cooked medium-well to well-done.
Most women do not need to change their seasoning habits although some women may be advised to reduce their use of salt if they are hypertensive or have heart disease. Sodium is necessary in a pregnant woman’s diet and severe restriction is not advisable since mom and baby have increased needs for sodium. Eating lightly seasoned foods and limiting foods with chili, garlic and pepper can decrease stomach discomfort, heartburn and indigestion. Chewing gum for about 30 minutes after eating may even help prevent symptoms of heartburn. Eating more slowly and avoiding lying flat after eating may also help.
Some women prefer to exclude meat, poultry and fish from their diet and become vegetarians. There are a few guidelines for developing a nutritious diet for vegetarians. A sufficient quantity of protein is important. Increasing dairy foods for calcium and protein and increasing intake of dried seeds and nuts, whole grain breads and cereals for protein and iron is essential. It is also important to increase one’s intake of fruits and vegetables for vitamins A and C and for minerals.
When looking at improving nutritional patterns, it is important to consider all the cultural and lifestyle factors that give different meanings to food, as well as financial resources. Many women are referred to the WIC (Women Infants and Children) nutrition program.
Women who have medical problems such as kidney disease, diabetes, bulimia, inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease or anorexia nervosa should consult their primary care provider along with their obstetrician because of the specific metabolic disorders that occur with these illnesses and to address nutritional concerns.
A healthy eating pattern throughout pregnancy, and maintaining it throughout life, will bring about important changes and help prepare the expectant mom for feeding her family nutritionally for the years to come.