"You are what you eat" is a phrase that has some merit, especially when you are pregnant. It is never too late to improve your eating habits. Poor maternal nutrition can have serious effects on the growing baby. These include: low birthweight babies, increased incidence of premature birth, and increased risk of miscarriage, to name a few.
Weight reduction diets, while pregnant, can cause grave harm to the baby. Discuss your dietary habits with your physician. Each woman is an individual with unique requirements. However, there are some common, basic needs of most pregnant women. The average weight gain to be desired in pregnancy is 24-30 pounds. Most weight gains are shown in the last thirteen weeks. Just as severe weight restrictions may be harmful, excessive weight gain may also cause severe harm. This may also be indicative of underlying diabetes in pregnancy.
Nutrition in pregnancy is a balancing act of eating the right foods without overeating or dieting. Depending on what reference source you use, the average daily caloric intake required by a healthy, pregnant woman is around 2,400 calories. This is about 300 calories more per day than the non-pregnant state. This number varies with the individual and their circumstances, so consult a physician.
Calcium: About 1,200 calories of calcium per day is needed. This can be found in milk, cheese, yogurt, or cottage cheese. Calcium can also be found in some leafy vegetables such as broccoli and spinach, but they are not as readily absorbed. Four cups of milk per day should supply you with enough calcium.Protein: Protein is needed to help with the growth of your fetus. Your protein needs are about double versus the non-pregnant state. Besides milk, you will need two servings of either meat, fish, poultry, and an additional serving of either grains, nuts, beans, rice or pasta.
Iron: Few women consume enough iron, therefore, many women require taking iron pills. Ask your doctor about what nutritional requirements you need at your first prenatal visit.