Eating Healthy during Pregnancy

The best thing you can do for yourself and your baby is to start off with a healthy, well-balanced diet. So, you will only have to make a few changes while you are pregnant.

Your first three months

If it’s hard for you to eat well during the first three months of your pregnancy, you’re not the only one. Some women eat all the time and gain a lot of weight because they feel sick all the time. Some women have problems eating, which makes them lose weight.

During the first pregnancy, it’s most important to avoid being undernourished and dehydrated.

Calories

When you’re pregnant, you need to eat about 300 more calories each day than you normally would. The best way to do this is to pay attention to when your body tells you it’s hungry. You should try to eat as many things as you can from the bottom of the food pyramid.

If you don’t gain weight fast enough, try eating smaller meals and a little more fat. Since you are now eating for two instead of one, you should always eat when you are hungry.

Calcium

By the second trimester, your bones and the bones of your baby will need about 1,500 milligrams of calcium each day, which is more than a quart of milk. Calcium is something that many people don’t get enough of. Other good sources of calcium besides milk are dairy products, drinks with added calcium, and even calcium tablets.

Fibre can help keep you from getting constipated, which is a usual problem during pregnancy. Whole grains, fruits, and even veggies all have fibre. It is safe to take fibre products like Metamucil and Citrucel while you are pregnant.

Protein

Unless you are a strict vegetarian, the amount of protein you eat shouldn’t be a problem for healthy women.

Iron

A lot of pregnant women start out with a little bit of an iron shortage. Dark, leafy green veggies and meat are both good sources of iron. Iron pills should be avoided because they can cause cramps, constipation, or diarrhea inside the body.

Vitamins

Since you get most of the vitamins you need from the food you eat, you may want to talk to your doctor about prenatal pills. Folate is one of the most important vitamins, and if you get enough of it, you might not need any other vitamins at all. Ask your doctor to be sure.