Having your doctor confirm that you are pregnant is an exhilarating moment in your life and in the life of your partner. The joy of knowing that you are pregnant and that you are responsible for the tiny life growing inside you is an awesome responsibility.
One of a pregnant woman's most important responsibilities is to ensure proper nutrition for her growing baby. Everything a pregnant woman eats eventually finds its way to her baby too. That makes it essential to choose healthy, nutritious foods that offer lots of vitamins and minerals for a growing baby.
Remember – the better you eat, the better your baby eats too! Keep these important tips in mind when caring for an unborn child.
Manage Your Calories
Dietary intake should include approximately 2,500 healthy calories unless otherwise instructed by a doctor or other healthcare professional. This equates to about 300-500 more calories than the normal recommended calories for a woman. Eating for “2” doesn’t mean doubling caloric intake!
Avoid Empty Calories
Avoid empty calories which offer little nutrition for you or your baby. Those empty calories come from foods such as candy, cookies, potato chips, soft drinks, sugary foods, and other high fat foods. Not only do empty calories have little or no nutritional value, they can leave you feeling tired.
Instead of eating empty calories, choose fresh fruits, vegetables, and other snack foods that are high in fiber and low in fat.
Eliminate or Minimize Caffeine
Caffeine is unhealthy for pregnant women. It can sometimes lead to miscarriage or other complications of pregnancy. Caffeine comes in many forms but is most often consumed in coffee, tea, or soft drinks. Avoid these types of beverages and eliminate them from your diet during pregnancy. Another culprit that is high in caffeine is chocolate so limit the intake of chocolate or foods containing chocolate.
Eat Protein and Dairy Products
During pregnancy, it’s important to get adequate amounts of protein and dairy. Lean meats and dairy products offer lots of benefits, including a good punch of protein, calcium, and other valuable nutrients. Even vegetarians need to ensure enough protein and dairy are included in their diet during pregnancy.
Manage Intake of Sugar
Sweets and foods high in sugar can be alluring! But it’s important to manage sugar intake. Totally eliminating sugar or desserts from a diet while pregnant is not necessary, but managing intake of sugar is important. (If you are diabetic, consult your doctor).
Instead of foods that are high in sugar, opt for ways to satisfy a sweet tooth with natural sugars that offer healthy benefits. Fresh fruit is an excellent choice. Jell-O with whipped topping, pudding fortified with fresh milk, fruity sorbets, and similar types of desserts are good choices.
Manage Portions
Pregnancy is a great time to begin a diligent practice of managing portions. Portion control is one key to a healthier diet and lifestyle. Eating an appropriate portion of food helps with the maintenance of weight and assures a good, healthy intake of adequate calories.
Don’t overeat while pregnant and you’ll also potentially avoid indigestion, heartburn, bloating, and other side effects. Eat until you feel comfortable and satisfied and then push away from the table. Over-eating is unhealthy any time, but especially during pregnancy.
It’s not just what you eat – it’s also how much you eat that counts!
Foods to Avoid
There are some foods which should be totally avoided during pregnancy.
- Raw eggs (contained in some Caesar salad dressing, raw cookie dough, or any other dish that contains partially cooked eggs)
- All raw fish, sushi, swordfish, tuna, and tilefish
- Any unpasteurized milk or juice
- Alcohol in any form
- Rare or under-cooked meats, fish, and poultry
- Frozen entrees or frozen foods – they tend to be high in sodium
Pregnancy is an exciting time and it also means additional responsibility for making wise food choices. Consider how foods will affect an unborn child before consuming them and make smart choices. Your baby’s life is too precious to do anything else!
NOTE: Be sure to talk with your doctor if you are diabetic, over-weight, or have other health problems. Only your doctor can advise you on the proper nutritional plan and prenatal care.
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