NUTRITION IN PREGNANCY

The truth is, eating for two means eating better, not necessarily more or at least not much more. It takes a total of 55,000 extra calories to make a baby. That may sound like a lot but the average pregnant woman only needs to add about 300 additional calories per day beyond her normal calorie intake (for most women this is between 1800 and 2000 calories total per day).

Good nutrition is very important, and be easy to accomplish during your pregnancy. You and your baby are nutritionally inseparable. How you take care of yourself, including how well you eat during pregnancy, directly affects both how you feel, and your baby. Pregnancy is a good time to fine tune an already good diet and improve a poor diet by eating nutritious, well balanced meals.

• Make every bite count. Before taking a bite of food ask yourself, “Is this nourishing me and my baby?” If the answer is yes, go ahead and enjoy yourself. But if the answer is no, think twice and make a better food selection for you and your baby.
• All calories are not created equal in the nutrition world. The nutritive value found in a 150 calorie doughnut made with white sugar and refined white flour will never compare with the nutrition found packed into a whole grain muffin sweetened with natural sugars and fruit.
• Never skip meals. Your baby needs regular nourishment at regular intervals. Even if you are not hungry, your baby is. If morning sickness or heartburn makes you feel miserable after eating, try eating five or six small meals spaced a few hours apart throughout the day rather than the traditional three large meals. See tips for dealing with morning sickness.
• Water Up. You need to drink 8-10 glasses of water per day.
• Limit caffeine to less than 3 cups per day. Caffeine is fine in moderation, but it has a diuretic effect (drawing fluids and calcium from the body, making you urinate more frequently). It may also interfere with your sleep.  
• Take a daily prenatal vitamin containing iron. Most women are anemic during pregnancy. When you take y our vitamins or iron supplements, take them with Vitamin C juice (ie orange juice). Don’t take them with soda or milk because they can interfere with the absorption of iron.

Please see the links below for additional healthy eating guidelines, tips, tricks, and recipes for a healthy pregnancy:

• What you need to know about Mercury in Fish and Shellfish