What is My Prenatal Diet?

What to Eat While Pregnant

A good prenatal diet is very important when you are an expecting mother. In fact, a healthy diet is one of the very best gifts that you can offer your precious baby. What you eat does make a big difference in your baby's health. A healthy diet is important for your new baby to grow and develop properly. It is suggested that you increase the amount of calories that you normally intake by approximately 300 per day.

You should eat various different foods from the suggested food groups. A pregnant woman consumes at least six to 11 servings of whole grain and bread products such as bread and cereal. Also, as an expecting mother, you should at least consume two to four total servings of fruit per day, and at least four servings of vegetables. It's important to consume three servings daily of protein. Protein can be found in your meat products, as well as eggs and peanut butter and nuts. Physicians suggest that around four servings of dairy products are consumed by an expecting mother. You can get the recommended daily servings by drinking milk and eating cheese.

Prenatal Diet Plan

A high-fiber diet is very important for the mother and growing child. Foods with high fiber include pasta, rice, cereals, whole-grain breads, fruits, and vegetables. Your fruits and vegetables also contain many vitamins that are important for the growth of your developing child. Your OB/GYN may prescribe an additional prenatal supplement to be sure that you are receiving all of the much needed vitamins and minerals for a healthy baby. If you are prescribed a prenatal vitamin, please be sure to take it as prescribed.

The four servings of dairy you consume daily are very important to increase your body's Calcium intake. Calcium is required for yourself and your developing baby for healthy bones. In fact, it is highly recommended that you get at least 1000 mg of Calcium every day for your pregnancy diet.

Iron is another very important nutrient that is needed for a healthy pregnancy. Without Iron, the mother and baby can experience certain illnesses including anemia. When the mother is anemic, she will feel run down and very sick. Increase your Iron-rich foods to at least 27 mg per day. You can find Iron in cereal, beans, nuts, liver, oat and wheat bran, beef, collard greens, spinach, broccoli, and even sesame seeds.

Vitamin A is another much needed vitamin to ensure that you have a healthy pregnancy. Your prenatal diet should include carrots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, spinach, squash, apricots, turnip greens, and beet greens as a good source of Vitamin A. Please keep in mind that you only need to consume extra Vitamin A once every other day, as too much Vitamin A can cause birth defects.

While pregnant, be sure to add at least 70 mgs per day of Vitamin C. Vitamin C keeps the pregnant mother and baby in good health and builds a healthy immune system. Good sources of Vitamin C include strawberries, oranges, grapefruit, papaya, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, green peppers, and mustard greens.

To prevent certain birth defects, it is recommended that a pregnant woman consumes at least .4 mgs per day of Folic Acid. Folic Acid helps prevent tubal problems, including defects such as Spinal Bifida. You can increase your intake of Folic Acid by consuming plenty of leafy greens. Other Folic Acid sources include black- eyed peas, veal, chickpeas, and lima beans.

A proper diet when you are pregnant is very important for the health of the baby and mother. By following the above guidelines you will have the perfect happy and healthy newborn baby.