Nutrition for Pregnancy - Things a Mum-to-be Must Know!

Good nutrition during pregnancy is of the utmost importance for your own health as well as the health of your baby. Your tiny, still being formed, child is depending on you to provide it with all it needs to develop normally. To give them the best start in life, and all the nutrients and goodness that they need, you need to know what you should eat during pregnancy, and what foods you should avoid.

Firstly, it is good to realise that good nutrition is important for your pregnancy even before you actually fall pregnant. If you are already eating a healthy, well balanced diet, you will only need to make some slight changes to meet the nutritional requirements of pregnancy. If you are not, there will be more changes for you to implement to ensure you are giving your baby what it needs.

There is the thought that when you are pregnant you can eat for two. This is a well known comment, but one that is misleading. You can eat additional calories per day, but don't take this too far and eat as much as you like! The advice from the experts is that expectant mothers should eat an extra 300 calories per day. These extra calories should, of course, be made up by adding healthy snacks which are rich in the extra nutrients you need to eat.

Six things you must eat during your pregnancy:
1. Foods which are good sources of VIT B and FIBER. Examples of this is : brown rice, oatmeal and multigrain bread.
2. Foods rich in CALCIUM, for example: milk and milk products, sesame seeds, almonds, calcium fortified juices and cereals
3. Foods which contain FOLATE, such as green leafy vegetables, peanuts, eggs, cheese, fish, potatoes and oranges
4. Foods rich in PROTEIN; ie, fish, chicken, meat, eggs, dairy products and nuts
5. Foods containing VIT C such as citrus fruit and juices, strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli and Brussels sprouts
6. Foods with FOLIC ACID, for example dried beans, peas, lentils, orange juice, oranges, dark leafy vegetables, whole grains, soy nuts, avocados, broccoli, asparagus.

Six things to eat only in Moderation during your pregnancy:
1. Sugary Foods
2. Salty Foods
3. Processed foods
4. Alcohol
5. Pre-packaged lunch meats
6. Caffeine

Six things to avoid completely while pregnant:
1. Raw Fish
2. Deli Salads
3. Cold cooked foods such as chicken and roast beef
4. Lots of garlic
5. Spicy food
6. Unpasteurized soft cheeses

There are more things that could be added to each list, but if you manage to abide by these 6 item lists, you will be doing great! As you can see, good nutrition for pregnancy is very very important and it is something all expectant mothers should be able to incorporate into their daily diet for the sake of their bodies and for the well being of their unborn babe.


------

Click here to find out more on nutrition for pregnancy and how you can give your baby the best start in life as well as looking after yourself during pregnancy, labour and recovery.