Good nutrition during pregnancy, and enough of it, it is very important for your child to grow and develop. You should consume about 300 more calories per day than you did before you became pregnant.
Although nausea and vomiting during the first few months of pregnancy can make this difficult, try to eat well-balanced meals and take prenatal vitamins. Here are some recommendations to keep you and your baby healthy.
Healthy eating goals when pregnant
Eat a variety of foods to get all the nutrients you need. Include the recommended daily servings 6-11 servings of bread and grain , 2-4 servings of fruit and four or more servings of vegetables and four servings of dairy products , and three servings of protein sources ( meat , poultry, fish , eggs or nuts ). The use of fats and sweets sparingly.
Choose fiber - rich foods that are enriched such as whole grain breads , cereals, pasta , rice , fruits and vegetables.
Make sure you are getting enough vitamins and minerals in your daily diet during pregnancy. You should take a prenatal vitamin supplements to make sure you get enough of constantly vitamins and minerals every day. Your doctor can recommend over - the - counter brand or prescribe prenatal vitamin for you.
Eat and drink at least four servings of dairy products and calcium-rich foods a day to help ensure that you are getting 1000-1300 mg of calcium in your daily diet during pregnancy.
Eat at least three servings of iron - rich foods daily to ensure that you are getting 27 mg of iron per day .
Choose a good source of at least one of vitamin C every day , such as oranges, grapefruit, strawberries, aphids, papaya, broccoli, cauliflower , Brussels sprouts , green peppers , tomatoes and mustard greens . Pregnant women need 70 mg of vitamin C daily .
Choose one source at least as good of folic acid every day , such as dark green leafy vegetables , veal, and legumes (beans , black beans , black - eyed peas , chickpeas ) . Every pregnant woman needs at least 0.4 mg of folic acid daily to help prevent neural tube defects such as spina bifida .
Choose the source and at least one of the vitamin A each day. Sources include vitamin A , carrots , pumpkin, sweet potatoes, spinach, squash , water , turnip greens , beet greens , apricots and cantaloupe .
