Maintaining a balanced diet and carefully monitoring nutrition during pregnancy is essential to both mother and baby. Eating wisely and learning which foods to avoid during pregnancy will help the expectant mom and unborn child stay healthy and strong.
One obvious thing to keep in mind is that, as the famous saying goes, you're eating for two now. The baby's added consumption means that you should boost your daily caloric intake by about 300 or so. This is not always easy during the early months of the pregnancy, as frequent bouts of nausea can make eating a less than appetizing experience, but it's important to keep mother and child alike well fed. You also want to concentrate on gaining weight slowly and steadily, not taking on a whole bunch of added pounds in one fell swoop.
A good building block for pre-natal diet is to eat several small meals a day. More specifically, you want to have a half dozen servings of fiber, two to four fruit portions, three servings of high-iron foods, four servings apiece of dairy products and vegetables, and three servings of protein, such as meat or chicken. You also want to make sure you have daily servings of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and folic acid. http://www.webmd.com/parenting/nutrition-two-7/eating-right Water, too, is vitally important, with eight to ten glasses a day recommended.
A diet also consists of what you need to avoid. If you're pregnant, you want to incline toward low-fat, low-sugar foods. Fat calories should not be more than 30 percent of your total intake. You also need to avoid or strictly limit alcoholic beverages (although some doctors say a glass of wine is OK), caffeine, saccharine, shellfish, and soft cheeses.
There are also specific dietary changes you might need to adopt depending on the development of your pregnancy and your own health. For instance, if you are suffering from constant constipation, a doctor would likely recommend eating more fruits and being sure to hydrate yourself.
Foods to Be Cautious with During a Pregnancy
Nutrition is always important to maintain a healthy body, but during pregnancy the need for nutrition is even greater. Both mother and unborn child are affected by everything the mother ingests into her body. For this reason, it is wise for all expectant mothers and women trying to conceive a baby to be educated on the risks certain food items pose to an unborn child.
This video by Pregnancy Health Guru addresses some of the foods to avoid during pregnancy.
Disclaimer
The content in this page is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please contact a doctor before using the information presented here.
References
Fast Facts
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Eat small meals every few hours rather than three large ones.
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Exercise regularly while pregnant (unless otherwise directed by your doctor).
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Avoid sushi, oysters, and soft cheese
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Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water or other fluids a day.
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Avoid or, at the very least, limit caffeine consumption in drinks and food.
