Nutrition during pregnancy
During
pregnancy, most women need to eat more healthy food to help the baby grow. After the first 3 months, a pregnant woman must take in more
calories than usual to reach the recommended amount of weight gain during
pregnancy (usually 25 to 35 pounds). It is not a good idea to lose weight while you are pregnant. Your doctor or nurse will talk to you about how much weight you should gain. A healthy
diet and careful weight gain can prevent high blood pressure and other problems during pregnancy.
Are there any foods I should avoid?
Ask your doctor or nurse about using sugar substitutes like
aspartame (NutraSweet) or
saccharine,
caffeine, and foods with many
additives. You may be told to avoid these foods or cut down on how much of them you eat. Your doctor or nurse probably will tell you to avoid alcohol completely, since no safe amount of alcohol has been determined for pregnant women.
- Drink Plenty of Fluids: Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water each day. Try to limit the amount of soda you drink to 1 or 2 glasses each day. Caffeine-free drinks are best.
- Use the Food Guide Pyramid: You can use the Food Guide Pyramid to make healthy food choices. Every block in the pyramid represents a different food group. Each group has some of the foods you need, but not all. Follow the guidelines below. Eat a variety of foods from each group every day to help give your baby a healthy start.
- Bread and Grains:The bread and grains food group is at the bottom of the pyramid, which means it makes up the base of your diet. It includes breads, cereals, rice, and pasta. Most people should have 6 to 9 servings from this group each day. One serving equals:
1 slice of bread
1/2 cup of cooked cereal
1/2 cup of cooked pasta
1 ounce of cold cereal
1/2 cup of cooked rice
- Fruit: Fruit and fruit juice provide many vitamins and minerals, including potassium and vitamins A and C. Include 2 to 4 choices from this group each day. One serving equals:
1 banana
1/2 grapefruit
1/2 cup of canned fruit
1 slice of melon
1 medium apple, orange, or pear
1/2 cup of 100% fruit juice.
- Read juice labels. Many drinks that seem to be fruit juices are really drinks that have little or no fruit juice. Since fruit-type drinks are mostly sugar, they do not count as a serving. Remember, fresh fruits and dried fruits have more fiber than fruit juice, so they are better choices.
- Vegetables: You should eat a variety of green, leafy vegetables (e.g., lettuce and broccoli), yellow vegetables (e.g., carrots and yams), starchy vegetables (e.g., potatoes, lima beans, and corn), and others (e.g., zucchini and onions) during pregnancy. Include read more
