You've heard about "eating for two" in pregnancy, but following that advice could leave you with more baby weight to lose later. Actually, you need only about 300 additional calories per day to meet the nutritional needs of yourself and your unborn baby, according to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, or ACOG. The key to healthy growth for your baby is getting most of those calories from wholesome, nutrient-dense foods.
Grains
Choose healthy grains such as whole-grain bread and muffins, fortified cereals and whole-wheat pasta. According to the ACOG, you should have a total of 6 to 8 ounces of grains per day, with 1 ounce being a slice of bread or a half cup of pasta; eat less in the first trimester and more in the third. Grains offer you and your baby vital nutrients like vitamin B6 and folate, which helps prevent neural tube defects like spina bifida.
Vegetables
Eat about 3 cups of vegetables per day so your baby gets vitamins A and C for healthy bone growth and folate, which is present particularly in green leafy vegetables. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture My Pyramid program, good choices are carrots, tomatoes, spinach and sweet potatoes, along with cooked greens and winter squash. Vegetables also provide you with fiber, which is helpful for those occasional digestive problems of pregnancy.
Fruits
With nearly an entire day's recommended daily intake of vitamin C, fruits like oranges give your immune system a boost and allow absorption of iron, which helps blood cells brings oxygen to your baby. My Pyramid also recommends prunes, bananas and apricots as valuable sources of vitamins A and E, potassium and iron. In addition, avocados provide omega 3 fatty acids, which are good for fetal brain development. ACOG's recommended dietary fruit intake is 1½ to 2 cups per day.
Milk and Dairy
The calcium in milk products is essential to your baby's bone development and can help stave off painful muscle cramps in your legs during pregnancy. Your daily diet should include three servings of dairy from low-fat milk, yogurt or cheese. Two small slices of cheese or 1/3 of a cup of shredded cheese is equal to one serving, according to the ACOG.
Meats and Beans
My Pyramid recommends nuts, lean cuts of meat and beans such as chickpeas, kidney beans and lentils as appropriate sources of dietary protein when you are pregnant. According to the ACOG, you should get about 6 ounces of meat and beans per day. Two ounces is equivalent to approximately 1½ cups of beans or piece of meat about the size of a deck of cards. You also can eat fish, but stick to those with a low risk of mercury toxicity, such as yellowfin tuna, halibut or cod.
Fats and Extras
No more than 400 calories per day of your diet should come from sweets, according to the ACOG, and you can have 6 to 8 teaspoons of fats or oils. You can lessen the blow by making healthier choices in fats, such as coconut oil, olive oil or avocados. If you emphasize healthy foods during your pregnancy, your baby will grow strong and healthy, and you'll minimize the extra baby weight you have to lose later.
