Food selection is particularly important during pregnancy when your baby relies on you for all of her nutritional needs. While you'll need to increase your usual daily caloric intake to meet your baby's needs, you'll also want to make sure that the foods you choose are healthy and contain the necessary nutrients, proteins, vitamins and minerals. Learning what types of foods to eat and what types to avoid can help your developing baby thrive.
A Well-Balanced Diet
Including food from the major food groups in your daily diet can help you ensure that your diet is nutritionally sound. The March of Dimes recommends eating at least 6 oz. of grains, 2 ½ cup of vegetables, 1 ½ to 2 cups of fruit, 3 cups of milk products and 5 to 5 ½ oz. of protein every day. Avoid sugary and fatty foods in favor of foods that will help nourish your baby. As a general rule, you'll need to eat an additional 300 calories per day, although that amount may vary depending on your weight at the beginning of your pregnancy. Foods high in folic acid, such as beans, lentils, pineapple juice, enriched cereals, spinach, asparagus and whole wheat bread and pasta, can help reduce the chance of birth defects in your baby's spinal cord or brain. Your doctor may also recommend that you take a daily vitamin that contains folic acid before and during pregnancy.
Importance of Calcium
Growing fetuses need calcium, a mineral that is necessary for bone and tooth development. Although milk and other dairy products are the most obvious sources of calcium, you can get calcium from other foods. Calcium is found in such foods as almonds, broccoli, spinach and tofu; it is also often added to other beverages and foods including orange juice and cereal. You'll need to increase the amount of calcium you consume during pregnancy to ensure that both you and your baby obtain enough. Your doctor may recommend that you take calcium supplements or vitamins containing calcium.
Choosing Iron-Rich Foods
Choosing iron-rich foods is important when you are pregnant because your body uses to iron to make hemoglobin, a protein in the red blood cells that transports oxygen to your body's cells. KidsHealth.org reports that pregnant women need about 30 mg of iron every day and advises that iron from meat sources is more easily absorbed by the body than iron found in plant foods. Iron is found in red meat, liver and other organs, dark meat from poultry, eggs, strawberries, raisins, prunes, shellfish, spinach, collard greens and whole wheat bread and grains.
Foods to Avoid
During pregnancy, it's important to avoid foods that contain dangerous chemicals or preservatives or foods that could cause foodborne illnesses. Eating raw fish, such as in sushi, or raw or slightly cooked eggs, can increase your chance of developing a foodborne illness. You should avoid unpasteurized milk or cheeses including feta, Roquefort, Brie and Camembert. Some types of fish are high in mercury, a mineral that can harm your baby's nervous system. The FDA recommends eating canned light tuna, shrimp, catfish, Pollock and salmon and avoiding tilefish, king mackerel, swordfish and shark. Other foods to avoid include deli meats, raw sprouts, herbal teas, undercooked or raw meat, hot dogs or pates and meat spreads that must be refrigerated.
