Eating Right During Pregnancy
During pregnancy, the mother’s meals are the baby’s meals. So it’s doubly important for a pregnant woman to eat enough of the right foods to nourish both herself and her baby.
A healthcare provider can advise a pregnant woman on daily food needs and help her adapt these needs to her own preferences in food. For a pregnant woman, it is more important to eat a variety of nutritious foods than it is to closely watch her weight or count calories. Women should discuss with their healthcare provider how much weight gain is “normal” for them. Overweight women often gain very little weight while underweight women gain a lot.
Pregnant women can help themselves and their babies by following these nutrition tips:
- Eat plenty of foods that provide B vitamins, iron and folic acid. Many healthcare providers prescribe a prenatal supplement with extra folic acid, which as been shown to help prevent certain birth defects.
- Stay away from alcohol, high doses of vitamin A, and too much caffeine – more than the amount in two cups of coffee. All of these substances have been linked to birth defects.
- Avoid eating large meals, which can cause heartburn.
- Fight morning sickness by eating small and frequent carbohydrate snacks such as crackers or dry toast.
- Reduce constipation by eating more whole grain foods, fruits and vegetables. Drink plenty of water or clear fluids – 6-8 glasses a day. Never take laxatives or enemas while pregnant.
- Avoid large amounts of high calorie sweets, since they can contribute to diabetes in the fetus.
If you are pregnant, and have questions about food and nutrition, ask your Mid-City
OB-GYN healthcare provider for an eating plan that is right for you and your baby.