Healthy Eating
Despite what you might have heard about eating for two, it is not how much you eat (you only need on average 300 more calories a day) but what you eat when you're pregnant that matters. Focus your diet on fruit and vegetables. Raw green vegetables like spinach and lettuces are good but remember to wash them well.
Essentials:
There are a few vital nutrients that play particularly important roles in baby's development. Those important nutrients are:
- Calories: Proper weight gain on your part is needed to make sure your baby is born at a healthy weight. Add 200 to 300 calories per day for the last two thirds of pregnancy.
- Protein: Protein provides materials for the growing tissues, including the placenta, the mother's blood and the baby. Get three good servings a day from beans, chicken, fish, or eggs.
- Calcium: This mineral is needed for proper bone formation in the baby and to help preserve the mother's bone strength. Drink a glass of milk a day to keep levels topped up.
- Iron: An iron supplement is recommended during pregnancy since it is so difficult to get enough in your diet. You will need this extra iron to replenish red blood supply.
- Folic Acid: Folic acid taken while trying to conceive and in early pregnancy can help prevent certain birth defects of the brain and spine. This is important from the very beginning of your pregnancy, try to include foods like orange juice and spinach in your diet.
- Fluids: You need extra fluid to feed your increased blood volume and for amniotic fluid. Drink at least six to eight glasses of liquid a day.
