Without a doubt, a nutritious, well-balanced eating plan can be one of the greatest gifts you give to your soon-to-be-born baby. Supplying your own body with a tasty blend of nutritious foods can not only improve your fertility, keep you feeling healthy during pregnancy, and pave the way for an easier labor, but it can also help to establish essential building blocks of growth and overall health for your child.
The food we eat on a daily basis affects how our bodies work, how we heal and grow, and how we maintain energy and strength for years to come. It also determines the basic nutritional health that our children are born with, and provides a model for their eating habits during childhood and beyond. Pregnancy is the one …show more content…
By the time a fetus is born, 900 grams of protein are stored in the fetus. So extra protein is an essential component in a pregnant woman's diet. Proteins are used in building your baby's brain cells and a critical part in proper brain development. Sixty grams of protein is recommended during pregnancy. Protein is found in animal products and dairy products. Cheese, eggs, fish, chicken, beef, lamb, and yogurt are some examples of protein sources. You can also find incomplete proteins in sources such as cereals, grains, pasta, legumes, beans, peanuts, broccoli, peas, and leafy green vegetables. Complimentary proteins only give you part of your protein needs so they need to be combined with other complimentary proteins to make a complete protein. They don't have to be eaten at the same meal. Here is a sample of how much 60 grams of protein a day would include 4 oz pot roast, 3 oz chicken, 2 cups of milk, 1 cup of cereal, and 1 cup of broccoli.
Calcium is another nutrient that a pregnant woman needs to increase. Calcium and phosphorous are needed for your baby's bone and tooth formation. You need approximately 1200 mg of calcium a day during pregnancy and lactation. Calcium can be found in dairy products and some plant sources of calcium are green leafy vegetables. Add two ounces of cheese and a cup of orange juice with added calcium to the above sample meal and you have your 1200 mg of …show more content…
Liver, lean beef, legumes, egg yolks, and dark green leafy vegetables are good food sources of folic acid.
General Guidelines
Use the freshest foods you can, choose a varied, high-quality diet, and prepare the foods carefully to ensure you get the most nutritional value from your food. Vitamins, especially the water-soluble vitamins (folic acid, niacin, vitamin C, and the B vitamins), are easily destroyed by overcooking. Uncooked vegetables and fruits have the highest vitamin content. Next best is to use very little or no water to cook and to cook for a very short time.
It is important to note that consuming excess amounts of supplements of certain nutrients, particularly vitamins A and D, iodine, and zinc, may produce toxic effects and congenital anomalies (birth defects).
Some doctors prescribe prenatal vitamins, while others may prescribe only folic acid supplements or iron supplements. Remember that these supplements are not a substitute for a good diet. They supply only some of the nutrients needed for health. The rest you must get from food. There are also foods and harmful things to avoid during pregnancy. We'll learn about these in the next