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A balanced diet is a basic part of good health at all times in your
life. During pregnancy, your diet is even more important. The foods you
eat are the main source of nutrients for your baby.
Before You Become Pregnant
The best time to begin eating a healthy diet is before you become
pregnant. This will help you and your baby start out with the nutrients
you both need.
A Healthy Diet
The first step toward healthy eating is to look at the foods in your
daily diet. Early in pregnancy, morning sickness can affect your eating
habits. You may crave certain foods or not feel like eating. If this
happens, you still should try to eat a variety of foods each day to
help ensure you are getting the right amount of nutrients.
Healthy
eating also means avoiding things that may be harmful. This includes
alcohol (beer, wine, or mixed drinks) and illegal drugs
Meal Planning
Planning meals in advance can help ensure you and your family eat a balanced diet.
Basic Nutrients
Every
diet should include proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and
minerals. To be sure your diet provides you with the right amount of
nutrients, you should know which foods are good sources of each.
The
RDA — recommended daily allowance — on food labels shows the levels of
nutrients you need every day. During pregnancy, the RDAs are higher for
most nutrients.
Extra Nutrients
Pregnant women need extra iron and folic acid, and these are usually
prescribed in pill form as supplements. Sometimes a prenatal supplement
that contains these two nutrients plus vitamins and minerals is
recommended.
Women
should take 400 micrograms of folic acid daily, in addition to a well
balanced diet, for at least 1 month before pregnancy and during the
first 3 months of pregnancy. This can help prevent neural tube defects,
which affect the spine and skull of the fetus.
Weight Gain
When you are pregnant, you need to eat more to help the growth and
development of your baby, as well as for the changes in your own body
that promote a healthy pregnancy. During at least the last 6 months of
pregnancy, you need to eat or drink about 300 calories more a day than
you did before you were pregnant.
How
much weight you gain during pregnancy depends on your weight before
pregnancy. A healthy gain for most women is between 25 and 35 pounds.
If you are overweight, you should gain less, but some weight gain is
normal. If you are underweight, you should gain more.
Special Concerns
Vegetarian Diets
If you are a vegetarian, you can
continue your diet during your pregnancy. However, you will need to
plan your meals with care to ensure you get the nutrients you and your
baby need.
Lactose Intolerance
Milk and other dairy products are the best sources of calcium in your
diet. Some women have symptoms such as bloating, diarrhea, gas, and
indigestion after drinking milk or eating dairy products. This is known
as lactose intolerance.
During
pregnancy, these symptoms often improve. But if you still have problems
after eating or drinking dairy products, talk with your doctor or
dietitian.
Mercury
Fish and shellfish are good sources of high-quality protein and other
nutrients. However, pregnant women should not eat certain kinds of fish
because they contain high levels of a form of mercury that can be
harmful to the developing fetus.
Listeriosis
Listeriosis is an illness caused by bacteria that can occur in
unpasteurized milk, soft cheese, and prepared and uncooked meats,
poultry, and shellfish. It can be particularly harmful to pregnant
women and their babies.
Pica
During pregnancy, some women feel strong urges to eat nonfood items
such as clay, ice, laundry starch, or cornstarch. This is called pica.
Pica can be harmful to your pregnancy.
Finally...
Eating
right during your pregnancy is one of the best things you can do for
yourself and your baby. Take a look at the foods in your daily diet.
Make sure they provide the nutrients you and your baby need. It is
never too late to start eating a healthy diet.
This
excerpt from ACOG's Patient Education Pamphlet is provided for your
information. It is not medical advice and should not be relied upon as
a substitute for visiting your doctor. If you need medical care, have
any questions, or wish to receive the full text of this Patient
Education Pamphlet, please contact your obstetrician-gynecologist.
Copyright © July 2007 The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
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