• Nutrition During Pregnancy

It’s always important to eat a balanced diet — and it’s even more important when you’re pregnant because what you eat is the main source of nutrients for your baby. However, many women don’t get enough iron, folate, calcium, vitamin D, or protein. So when you are pregnant, it is important for you to increase the amounts of foods you eat with these nutrients.

Most women can meet their increased needs with a healthy diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and proteins. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), you should try to eat a variety of foods from these basic food groups. If you do, you are likely to get all the nutrients you need for a healthy pregnancy.

                                                                                                 Key Nutrients You Need

According to ACOG, you and your baby need these key nutrients for a healthy pregnancy:

Calcium
Helps to build strong bones and teeth. Main sources include milk, cheese, yogurt, and sardines. During pregnancy, you need 1,000 milligrams (mg) daily.

Iron
Helps red blood cells deliver oxygen to your baby. Sources include lean red meat, dried beans, peas, and iron-fortified cereals. During pregnancy, you need 27 mg daily.

Vitamin A
You need this vitamin for healthy skin, eyesight, and bone growth. Carrots, dark, leafy greens, and sweet potatoes are good sources. During pregnancy, you need 770 micrograms daily.

Vitamin C
Promotes healthy gums, teeth, and bones, and helps your body absorb iron. Good sources include citrus fruit, broccoli, tomatoes, and strawberries. During pregnancy, you need 85 mg daily.

Vitamin D
Aids your body in the absorption of calcium to help build your baby’s bones and teeth. Sources include exposure to sunlight, fortified milk, and fatty fish, such as salmon. During pregnancy, you need 600 international units (IUs) daily.

Vitamin B6
Helps form red blood cells and helps your body use protein, fat, and carbohydrates. You can find vitamin B6 in beef, liver, pork, whole-grain cereals, and bananas. During pregnancy, you need 1.9 mg daily.

Weight Gain
Weight gain is important during your pregnancy and something you and your doctor will monitor for nine months until you give birth.  However, gaining too much or too little weight can contribute to problems during your pregnancy for both you and your baby.

Just because you are eating for two doesn’t mean you should eat twice the amount of food. If you are a healthy weight before your pregnancy, you only need to eat an average of about 300 extra calories a day.

Recent recommendations by the Institute of Medicine for pregnancy weight gain begin your pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI).

• Ways to Stay Healthy During Pregnancy

  Eat healthy foods.
  Eating healthy foods is especially important for pregnant women. Your baby needs nutrients to grow healthy and strong in the womb. Eat plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables, whole grains, calcium-rich foods, and foods low in saturated fat.

   Take a daily prenatal vitamin.
  Taking a daily prenatal multivitamin can help ensure you get the right amount of the key nutrients you and your baby need during pregnancy. These include folic acid, iron, and calcium.

  Stay hydrated.
  A pregnant woman’s body needs more water than it did before pregnancy. Aim for eight or more cups each day.

Go to your prenatal care checkups.
Women should get regular prenatal care from a health care provider. Moms who don’t get regular prenatal care are much more likely to have a baby with low birth weight or other complications. If available, consider group prenatal care.

 Avoid certain foods.
There are certain foods that women should avoid eating while pregnant. Don’t eat:

Raw or rare meats
Liver, sushi, raw eggs (also in mayonnaise)
Soft cheeses (feta, brie)
Unpasteurized milk
Raw and unpasteurized animal products can cause food poisoning. Some fish, even when cooked, can be harmful to a growing baby because they’re high in mercury.

 Don’t drink alcohol.
Don’t drink alcohol before and during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Drinking alcohol increases the risk of having a baby with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). FASD can cause abnormal facial features, severe learning disabilities, and behavioral issues.

Alcohol can impact a baby’s health in the earliest stages of pregnancy, before a woman may know she is pregnant. Therefore, women who may become pregnant also should not drink alcohol.

 Don’t smoke.
Smoking is unhealthy for you and your unborn child. It increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), premature birth, miscarriage, and other poor outcomes.