Nutrition: Eating When Expecting
Nutrition is vital before, during and after pregnancy. Following some basic eating guidelines will ensure you and your baby get the nutrition you need.
What’ s The Optimum Diet For a Pregnant Woman?
• 6 servings of whole grains per day
• 3 servings of dairy
• 5 servings of fruits and vegetables
• 1 to 3 servings of protein: extra lean chicken without the skin, peas and beans, or fish
• 8 or more glasses of water per day
Minerals and Calcium If you’ re a vegetarian, you may need supplements to make sure you’ re getting enough protein, vitamin B12, vitamin D and iron. In fact, lactose intolerance can actually improve during pregnancy. But if your dairy issues persist, talk to your healthcare provider about supplements so you’ re getting enough calcium. Remember that milk is not the only calcium source – it can also be found in spinach, kale, yogurt, cheese, salmon and white beans.
Stay Away From:
• Paté and all meat spreads
• Raw eggs, raw or undercooked meat, and shellfish
• Fish that might contain mercury or heavy metals, such as tuna
• Unpasteurized milk
• Smoked seafood
• Imported, soft cheeses
Work with your provider to establish an eating plan that’ s right for you. For example, during your first trimester you might eat a small breakfast if you have morning sickness. Toward the end of your pregnancy you may eat a lighter dinner if heartburn is a problem.
Healthy weight gain is normal. If you’ re putting on a healthy number of pounds, so is your baby. The following are general weight recommendations for pregnancy. Consult your provider about how much you gain, to ensure you’ re maintaining the right weight for your body mass index( BMI).
Underweight women( BMI < 20): 30-40 pounds Normal-weight women( BMI 20-25): 25-35 pounds Overweight women( BMI 26-29): 15-25 pounds Obese women( BMI > 29): up to 15 pounds
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