Eating Healthy While You Are Pregnant:

Have you ever heard the phrase, "eating for two"? It sounds funny but it is true-what you eat during your pregnancy can make a big difference when it comes to your baby's healthy development. So it’s critical that you make good choices to provide your body with the proper nutrients.

Think about it this way-eating well doesn't just help your baby; it helps you as well. Making smart choices about what you put into your body goes a long way toward helping you maintain your own health and giving you the physical endurance you’ll need for your 40-week voyage.

It’s a myth that you need to double your portions and “eat for two.” By adding only 300 extra calories per day and maximizing the nutritional value of each calorie, you’ll be well on your way to having a healthy pregnancy and birth experience. Of course, this doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the occasional dessert or other treats; but it’s important that you don’t make a habit of eating a whole bag of chips as a meal!

Prenatal Nutrition Tips

While it may be difficult to make every calorie count when you are dealing with morning sickness, just do your best to eat what you can keep down. Once the morning sickness abates, you can add more foods to your pregnancy diet.

Be sure to eat a variety of foods. Fruit and vegetables will give you a lot of nutrients and fiber, both of which are important to stay healthy during pregnancy. The recommended amounts are two to four servings of fruit per day and for or more servings of vegetables per day.

Getting adequate amounts of folic acid is very important for your baby to develop properly. You can find folic acid, or folates, in dark green leafy vegetables, legumes, veal and fortified cereals. Lack of folic acid has been associated with spina bifida, which is a developmental problem of the spine. If you are planning to become pregnant, start eating folic acid foods early so there is no lack of this nutrient in your system.

Those dark leafy greens are also a good source of other nutrients like iron, fiber and other vitamins. Your medical care provider may also suggest a vitamin supplement. Some women have problems keeping prenatal vitamins down, however, so choosing healthy foods is still very important.

If you tend to suffer from low iron levels, try to eat at least three foods that contain iron every day, or look for an herbal iron supplement.

Dairy products and many green vegetables are a great source of calcium. Be sure and eat enough calcium during pregnancy as it will help your baby to grow strong bones and teeth, keep yours in shape, and help your blood clot normally. Calcium is also useful in your muscles and nerves, as well as extremely important in maintaining a normal heart beat.