NUTRITION DURING PREGNANCY

Eating well-balanced meals is one of the best ways to invest in the well-being of both you and your baby. Nutrition is an ssential foundation for the growth and overall health for your child. The food we eat on a daily basis affects how our bodies work, how we heal and grow and how we maintain energy and strength for years to come. It also determines the basic nutritional health that our children are born with, and provides a model for their eating habits during childhood and beyond.
Eating vegetables, whole grains and legumes, lean protein, and other good food selections will give your baby a strong start to life.

What are the Weight Change and Calories I need to know about?

It is a wonderful fact - your body will gain weight during your pregnancy! As you watch your weight begin to increase, take it as proof that your body is nurturing your growing baby. By the time you are ready to give birth, your total blood volume will have increased by as much as 60%. Your breasts will have filled with milk. Your uterus has grown to accommodate your baby and has filled with amniotic fluid; your baby has grown to weigh 6 to 10 pounds (on average). To accomplish all of these
productive changes, your body needs approximately 300 extra calories per day during your 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy. Every woman should discuss her individual nutrient needs with her health care provider. Do not neglect your baby’s health by neglecting your own!

Here is a breakdown or list of healthy nutrients along with some basic food guides on how to get those nutrients:

Protein (Meats, Beans, Etc.)
Experts recommend 75 to 100 grams of protein per day. Protein in your foods positively affects the growth of fetal tissue, ncluding the brain. It also helps your breast and uterine tissue to grow during pregnancy, and it plays a helping part in your increasing blood supply.

Examples of daily sources of protein:
2-3 servings of meat (1 serving = approx. 3 ounces/ size of a deck of cards)
fully cooked fish or seafood
liver
chicken
lean beef
lamb
pork
nuts (1 serving = approx. ? cup)
tofu (1 serving = approx. ½ cup)
2-3 servings of legumes (1 serving = approx. ½ cup)
split peas
red and white kidney beans
black beans
navy beans
black-eyed peas
chick peas (garbanzo beans)

Calcium (Dairy, etc.)
Daily requirement of calcium is around 1000 milligrams during pregnancy. Calcium helps your body regulate fluids, and it helps build your baby’s bones and tooth buds.

Examples of daily sources of calcium:
3-4 servings of dairy
milk (1 serving = 1 cup)
eggs (1 serving = 1 large egg)
yogurt (1 serving = 1cup)
pasteurized cheese (1 serving = approx. 1.5 ounces/ 4 dice stacked together)
tofu (1 serving = ½ cup)
white beans (1 serving = approx. ½ cup)
almonds (1 serving = approx. ? cup)
salmon (1 serving = approx. 3 ounces)
turnip greens (1 serving = approx. 1 cup)
cabbage (1 serving = approx. 1 cup)

Iron (Vegetables, Grains, Meat, etc.)

In combination with sodium, potassium, and water, iron helps increase your blood volume and prevent anemia. A daily intake of 27 milligrams is ideal during pregnancy.

Examples of daily sources of iron:

2-3 servings of green leafy vegetables (1 serving = approx. 1 cup)
collard
turnip
spinach
lettuce
cabbage
3 servings of whole grains (1 serving = approx. ½ cup or one slice)
bread
cornmeal
cereal
oatmeal
2-3 servings of lean protein (1 serving = approx. 3 ounces/ size of a deck of cards)
beef
seafood
poultry

Folate/Folic Acid (Legumes, etc.)

Folic acid plays a key role in reducing the risk of neural tube defects, including spina bifida. Experts recommend 600 to 800 micrograms (.6 to .8 milligrams) daily.

Examples of daily sources of folate:

2 servings of dark green leafy vegetables (1 serving = approx. 1 cup)
collard
turnip
spinach
lettuce
cabbage
2-3 servings of fruit (1 serving = approx. ½ cup)
orange
strawberry
lemon
mango
tomato
grapefruit
kiwi
melon
3 serving of whole grain (1 serving = approx. ½ cup or 1 slice)
bread
cornmeal
cereal
oatmeal
2 servings of legumes (1 serving = approx. ½ cup)
split peas
red and white kidney beans
black beans
navy beans
black-eyed peas
chick peas (garbanzo beans)

Vitamin C (Fruit, etc.)

Fruits and vegetables rich in Vitamin C will help with wound healing, teeth and bone development, and promotes metabolic processes. Experts recommend at least 85 milligrams per day.

Examples of daily sources of Vitamin C:

3 servings of fruit or vegetables (1 serving = approx. ½ cup)
orange
strawberry
lemon
mango
tomato
grapefruit
kiwi
melon
potato
peppers

Compiled using the following sources:
Blount, Darynee (2005). Growing a Baby: Diet and Nutrition in Pregnancy. The Birthkit, Issue 46.
Gatsa, Katie Gates (1997). Internal Ecosystem Health. Midwifery Today, Issue 42, pgs. 28-29.
Haas, Amy V. (1995). Nutrition During Pregnancy. Having a Baby Today, Issue 5.
The Bradley Birth Method, Retrieved July 2006, from www.bradleybirth.com/pd.aspx
Nutrition for Pregnant Women. Retrieved July 2006, from http://scc.uchicago.edu/nutritionpregant.htm