11 tips for a healthy pregnancy diet
During my first pregnacy, I remember getting the advice to not diet while pregnent. Since I found overcoming my cravings more difficult during pregnancy than anyother time in my life, I took that advice to heart, eating whatever I wanted. I gained too much weight and struggled to loose it afterwards. In retrospect, not dieting during pregnacy is terrible idea. My outlook dring my second pregnacy was a lot different. I focused on a clean eating diet (although, a few cheeze its snuck in from time to time). And making sure I got a high enough calorie intake to gain weight.
The midwives I saw duirng my second pregnancy had a nutritionist on staff who gave me some excellet guidelines on a healthy eating during pregnacy. "Eating for two" is a bit of a misnomer since a pregnat woman only needs an extra 300 calories per day. The nutritionist suggested 2100-2400 calories per day. Of course, every woman's body has different needs, so always check with your provider.
1. Drink water
Water decreases constimaption, which I know is a problem during pregnacy. The nutritionist recomending going for 1 gallon of water per day. I got two huge water cups with a straws--one for home and one for my desk at work and sipped all day long. I found the straws helped me drink more. Limit soda and fruit juice--drink water instead.
2. Minimize Caffeine
As an avid coffe drinker, I didn't want to give up my cup of joe in the morning. I limited my self to one 6 oz cup of coffee in the morning, and I really looked forward to it each day. Two servings of caffiene per day should be find.
3. Eat 6 small meals a day
Eating smaller, more fequent meals keeps blood sugar more stable. It keeps you from getting as tired, and can reduce nausea and heartburn. Include protein in every meal.
4. Eat plenty of protein
Try to get 75-100 grams of protein, spread over 6 small meals. Protein comes from a variety of sorces such as meat, seafood, cheese, yogurt, nuts and nut butter, eggs, beans, tofu, portein bars. Seafood is a great pregnacy food because the Omega-3 fatty acids aid in the development of baby's eyes and braid. That being said, avoid king macerel, tilefish, swordfish, and shark. Also, check the lable of any cheeses for ones that say they are pasteruized.
5. Heat your meat
Make sure meat, eggs, and seafood are cooked. Sorry, no raw sushi. Lunch meat and hot dogs can be contaminated with listeria bacteria that, in rare cases, can cause miscarriage up to 20 weeks of pregnancy. Heating the lunch meat in the microwave or on the stove should kill any bacteria present.
6. Fiber, fiber, fiber
Shoot for 30 grams of fiber per day. A high-fiber diet prevents constipation. Eat fewer simple carbs (white bread, white rice, etc.) and replace them with multi-grans such as whole wheat, brown rice, popcorn, and oatmeal. Frutis and vegetables are excellet sorces of fiber.
7. Go for iron rich foods
The recomened intake of iron during pregnancy is 27 milligrams. Iron increases blood volume and prevents anemia. It should be eaten in combination with sodium, potassium, and water. Some good sorces of iron are beef, seafood, dark leafy greens, and oatmeal.
8. Consume calcium
The ideal daily intake of calcium is 1000 millagrams for pregnant women. Calcium helps regulate body fluids and builds baby's bones and tooth buds. Get calcium in your diet from a variety of sorces: milk, eggs, yogurt, tofu, white beans, almons, salmon, greens, and cabbage.
9. Find folate in foods.
The natural folate (vitamin B9) found in food is easier for bodies to processes and use than the folic acid found in low-end pre-natal supplements. Most people's bodies convert folic acid into the usable form, but a minoraty cannot convert synthetic folic acid into it's usable form. Folate is important in decreasing the risk of neural tube defets in fetal development. Between 600 and 800 micrograms daily is reconmend. In additon to a daily pre-natal suppliment, there are plenty of sources of folate that come from food: dark leafy greens, fruit, and legumes.
10. Eat foods rich in Vitamin C
Try to get 85 millagrams of Vitamin C each day. Eating foods high in Vitamin C help in wound healing, tooth and bone development, and metabolic processing. Some daily sorces are: oranges, strawberries, mango, tomato, kiwi, potato, pepper, and garlic.
11. Forgo Alcohol
The data is inconclusive as to how much alcohol causes fetal alcohol syndrom. As each woman metabolizes alcohol differently, there is no way of knowing how much is too much for your infant. The best recomendation is to not consume alcohol at all during pregnancy.
