Eating a healthy diet is important during pregnancy to ensure both the pregnant mother and the growing fetus get the nutrition they need. The calcium and vitamins found in many dairy products are essential to fetal development, especially the bones. Unless lactose-intolerant, consume some dairy products each day while pregnant. However, be selective about your sources of dairy to avoid excessive fat or unpasteurized items.
Calcium Requirements During Pregnancy
The U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance for calcium is 1,200 mg. per day for pregnant women over age 24, which generally can be obtained through eating four servings of calcium-rich foods each day. In addition to dairy products, calcium is also found in broccoli, spinach, dried peas and beans. According to the Cleveland Clinic, women need more calcium than usual during pregnancy to ensure sufficient calcium gets to the developing baby; otherwise, the woman's body will take calcium from her bones, decreasing bone mass and increasing her risk of osteoporosis.
Dairy Sources of Calcium
Calcium-rich dairy choices include low-fat, vitamin-fortified milk, low-fat cheese and yogurt. Some cream soups and puddings also contain calcium. Recommended dairy serving sizes during pregnancy are 1 cup of milk, 1 1/2 to 2 ounces of hard cheese and 1 cup of yogurt. Fortified milk also includes vitamin D, which helps the body use calcium effieciently. Products like ice cream also contain calcium. However, they may also be high in saturated fats.
Dairy Products to Avoid
The biggest risk to pregnant women from dairy products comes from those that are unpasteurized. According to "Sure Baby," unpasteurized dairy products may contain harmful bacteria which can make you or your baby extremely ill. Soft cheeses like brie are often unpasteurized; they can be a breeding ground for listeria and campylobacter bacteria. To avoid these potentially dangerous bacterial infections, examine product labels carefully to be sure any dairy foods you are getting are fully pasteurized.
Lactose Intolerance During Pregnancy
Any woman who is lactose intolerant should talk to her doctor about how best to obtain sufficient calcium, vitamin A and vitamin D during pregnancy. Try milk products that contain less sugar, including hard cheeses, yogurt and cottage cheese. Consume at least two to three servings each day of green, leafy vegetables or beans; they are rich sources of non-dairy calcium. Ask your doctor if one of the commercially available milk alternatives might be an acceptable source of calcium. If you cannot get sufficient calcium from dairy or other food products, your doctor may prescribe a calcium supplement.
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