Eating Healthy During Pregnancy

Starting off your with a healthy well


balanced diet is the best thing you do for yourself


and your baby. This way, you'll only need to make


a few adjustments during your pregnancy.




Your first trimester


If you find it tough to maintain a balanced diet


during your first trimester, you can rest assured


that your not alone. Due to queasiness, some


women will eat all of the time and gain a lot of


weight in the process. Other women have trouble


getting food down and subsequently lose weight.




Preventing malnutrition and dehydration are your


most important factors during first trimester.




Calories


When you are pregnant, you need to consume around


300 calories more than usual every day. The best


way to go about doing this is listening to your


body when you are hungry. You should try to eat


as many foods as possible from the bottom of the


food pyramid.




If you gain weight too slow, try eating small


meals and slightly increase the fat in your diet.


You should always eat when you are hungry, as you


are now eating for 2 instead of one.




Calcium


By the second trimester, you'll need around 1,500


milligrams of calcium each day for your bones and


your baby', which is more than a quart of milk.


Calcium is something that's missing from many


diets. Along with milk, other great sources for


calcium include dairy products, calcium fortified


juices, and even calcium tablets.




Fiber


Fiber can help to prevent constipation, which is


a common pregnancy problem. You can find fiber in


whole grains, fruits, and even vegetables. Fiber


supplements such as Metamucil and Citrucel are


safe to take during pregnancy.




Protein


Unless you happen to be a strict vegetarian, your


protein intake is not normally a problem for women


who eat a healthy diet.




Iron


A lot of women will start their pregnancy off with


a bit of iron deficiency. Good sources of iron


include dark leafy green vegetables and meats. Iron


supplements should be avoided, as they can cause


internal symptoms such as cramping, constipation,


or diarrhea.




Vitamins


Seeing as how you get a majority of the vitamins you


need in your diet, you may want to discuss prenatal


vitamins with your doctor. Folate is one of the most


important, and if you are getting enough of it, you


may be able to avoid vitamins all together - just ask


your doctor to make sure.