Nutrition During Pregnancy
You can begin being a responsible, loving mother from the first day you find out you are pregnant. Eat well for your growing baby. There is nothing more important you can do over the next nine months than to take care of your own body and nourish the baby with safe and nutritious foods.
Pregnant women are often concerned about gaining too much weight. If you’re eating sensibly, most of the weight you are gaining is the baby - for most women its about 40 percent of the weight they gain. An average weight gain is between 20 and 35 pounds.
During pregnancy all nutrients are important, however, special attention should be given to taking foods rich in calcium, iron, zinc, and folic acid. Make sure that you are eating foods high in calcium by drinking 3 - 4 cups of low fat milk each day or eating other dairy products like cheese and yogurt.
Be sure to include iron and zinc rich foods like lean red meats, lentils and beans, and whole grain cereals.
Eat plenty of dark green leafy vegetables as these are excellent sources of folic acid, a nutrient which can help prevent some birth defects. Other good sources of folic acid include oranges, peas and melons. Ask your doctor if he or she feels you require a prenatal vitamin and mineral supplement. Remember, even if you are taking a supplement you must continue to include foods as recommended by Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating.
You should avoid eating raw or undercooked meats, fish and eggs due to the chances of bacterial infection for you and your baby.
If you are a lacto-ova vegetarian (this is one who eats dairy products and eggs) you can obtain all the nutrients you need to produce a healthy baby if you follow Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating. Be sure to eat 3 to 4 servings per day of beans or bean alternates and drink milk in amounts recommended. If you are a vegan (who is someone who avoids foods of all animal origin products) you must also give attention to the nutrients found in milk, vitamin D, calcium and vitamin B12. As your dietitian or doctor for non-dairy sources of these nutrients and about a supplement.
The book "Becoming Vegetarian" by Melina, Davis and Harrison is a good reference for all vegetarians and has a special section on pregnancy.
Use of the artificial sweeteners cyclamate and saccharin is not recommended in pregnancy. Sweeteners containing aspartame (Equal or Nutrasweet) and sucralose (Splenda) may be taken in moderation as a substitute for sugar or honey. You should not have more than 4 packages of these sweeteners or 2 cans of diet beverages in a day.
Limit your intake of caffeine containing beverages (like coffee, tea or cola) to 2 cups per day.
If you have nausea during your pregnancy, try to eat 5 to 6 small meals per day. Cold foods and drinks are easier to tolerate than hot items. Sometimes it helps to drink beverages 30 - 60 minutes after eating solid foods. Eat slowly and relax after meals.
Good nutrition is an important part of
prenatal care. Eat a variety of foods from each food group every day.