Q. If your 4 weeks pregnant and the baby is still too small to get food and liquid from you, then why is it important to eat and drink the right things?
Answer
The baby gets all the nutrients from what you eat. Eating healthy during early pregnancy is crucial. The baby develops from all the nutrients you receive. Try to stick on the healthy side. Eating good is very important for your baby's development and growth. You should consume about 300 more calories per day than you did before you became pregnant.
* Eat a variety of foods to get all the nutrients you need. Recommended daily servings include 6-11 servings of breads and grains, two to four servings of fruit, four or more servings of vegetables, four servings of dairy products, and three servings of protein sources (meat, poultry, fish, eggs or nuts). Use fats and sweets sparingly.
* Choose foods high in fiber that are enriched such as whole-grain breads, cereals, pasta, rice, fruits, and vegetables.
* Make sure you are getting enough vitamins and minerals in your daily diet while pregnant. You should take a prenatal vitamin supplement to make sure you are consistently getting enough vitamins and minerals every day. Your doctor can recommend an over-the-counter brand or prescribe a prenatal vitamin for you.
* Eat and drink at least four servings of dairy products and calcium-rich foods a day to help ensure that you are getting 1000-1300 mg of calcium in your daily diet during pregnancy.
* Eat at least three servings of iron-rich foods per day to ensure you are getting 27 mg of iron daily.
* Choose at least one good source of vitamin C every day, such as oranges, grapefruits, strawberries, honeydew, papaya, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, green peppers, tomatoes, and mustard greens. Pregnant women need 70 mg of vitamin C a day.
* Choose at least one good source of folic acid every day, like dark green leafy vegetables, veal, and legumes (lima beans, black beans, black-eyed peas and chickpeas). Every pregnant woman needs at least 0.4 mg of folic acid per day to help prevent neural tube defects such as spina bifida.
* Choose at least one source of vitamin A every other day. Sources of vitamin A include carrots, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, spinach, water squash, turnip greens, beet greens, apricots, and cantaloupe. Know that excessive vitamin A intake (>10,000 IU/day) may be associated with fetal malformations.
* Avoid alcohol during pregnancy. Alcohol has been linked to premature delivery, mental retardation, birth defects, and low birth weight babies.
* Limit caffeine to no more than 300 mg per day. The caffeine content in various drinks depends on the beans or leaves used and how it was prepared. An 8-ounce cup of coffee has about 150 mg of caffeine on average while black tea has typically about 80 mg. A 12-ounce glass of caffeinated soda contains anywhere from 30-60 mg of caffeine. Remember, chocolate contains caffeine -- the amount of caffeine in a chocolate bar is equal to 1/4 cup of coffee.
* The use of saccharin is strongly discouraged during pregnancy because it can cross the placenta and may remain in fetal tissues. But, the use of other non-nutritive or artificial sweeteners approved by the FDA is acceptable during pregnancy. These FDA-approved sweeteners include aspartame (Equal or NutraSweet), acesulfame-K (Sunett), and sucralose (Splenda). These sweeteners are considered safe in moderation so talk with your health care provider about how much non-nutritive sweetener is acceptable during pregnancy.
* Decrease the total amount of fat you eat to 30% or less of your total daily calories. For a person eating 2000 calories a day, this would be 65 grams of fat or less per day.
* Limit cholesterol intake to 300 mg or less per day.
* Do not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish (also called white snapper), because they contain high levels of mercury.
* Avoid soft cheeses such as feta, Brie, Camembert, blue-veined, and Mexican-style cheese. These cheeses are often unpasteurized and may cause Listeria infection. Thereâs no need to avoid hard cheese, processed cheese, cream cheese, cottage cheese, or yogurt.
* Avoid raw fish, especially shellfish like oysters and clams.
The baby gets all the nutrients from what you eat. Eating healthy during early pregnancy is crucial. The baby develops from all the nutrients you receive. Try to stick on the healthy side. Eating good is very important for your baby's development and growth. You should consume about 300 more calories per day than you did before you became pregnant.
* Eat a variety of foods to get all the nutrients you need. Recommended daily servings include 6-11 servings of breads and grains, two to four servings of fruit, four or more servings of vegetables, four servings of dairy products, and three servings of protein sources (meat, poultry, fish, eggs or nuts). Use fats and sweets sparingly.
* Choose foods high in fiber that are enriched such as whole-grain breads, cereals, pasta, rice, fruits, and vegetables.
* Make sure you are getting enough vitamins and minerals in your daily diet while pregnant. You should take a prenatal vitamin supplement to make sure you are consistently getting enough vitamins and minerals every day. Your doctor can recommend an over-the-counter brand or prescribe a prenatal vitamin for you.
* Eat and drink at least four servings of dairy products and calcium-rich foods a day to help ensure that you are getting 1000-1300 mg of calcium in your daily diet during pregnancy.
* Eat at least three servings of iron-rich foods per day to ensure you are getting 27 mg of iron daily.
* Choose at least one good source of vitamin C every day, such as oranges, grapefruits, strawberries, honeydew, papaya, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, green peppers, tomatoes, and mustard greens. Pregnant women need 70 mg of vitamin C a day.
* Choose at least one good source of folic acid every day, like dark green leafy vegetables, veal, and legumes (lima beans, black beans, black-eyed peas and chickpeas). Every pregnant woman needs at least 0.4 mg of folic acid per day to help prevent neural tube defects such as spina bifida.
* Choose at least one source of vitamin A every other day. Sources of vitamin A include carrots, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, spinach, water squash, turnip greens, beet greens, apricots, and cantaloupe. Know that excessive vitamin A intake (>10,000 IU/day) may be associated with fetal malformations.
* Avoid alcohol during pregnancy. Alcohol has been linked to premature delivery, mental retardation, birth defects, and low birth weight babies.
* Limit caffeine to no more than 300 mg per day. The caffeine content in various drinks depends on the beans or leaves used and how it was prepared. An 8-ounce cup of coffee has about 150 mg of caffeine on average while black tea has typically about 80 mg. A 12-ounce glass of caffeinated soda contains anywhere from 30-60 mg of caffeine. Remember, chocolate contains caffeine -- the amount of caffeine in a chocolate bar is equal to 1/4 cup of coffee.
* The use of saccharin is strongly discouraged during pregnancy because it can cross the placenta and may remain in fetal tissues. But, the use of other non-nutritive or artificial sweeteners approved by the FDA is acceptable during pregnancy. These FDA-approved sweeteners include aspartame (Equal or NutraSweet), acesulfame-K (Sunett), and sucralose (Splenda). These sweeteners are considered safe in moderation so talk with your health care provider about how much non-nutritive sweetener is acceptable during pregnancy.
* Decrease the total amount of fat you eat to 30% or less of your total daily calories. For a person eating 2000 calories a day, this would be 65 grams of fat or less per day.
* Limit cholesterol intake to 300 mg or less per day.
* Do not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish (also called white snapper), because they contain high levels of mercury.
* Avoid soft cheeses such as feta, Brie, Camembert, blue-veined, and Mexican-style cheese. These cheeses are often unpasteurized and may cause Listeria infection. Thereâs no need to avoid hard cheese, processed cheese, cream cheese, cottage cheese, or yogurt.
* Avoid raw fish, especially shellfish like oysters and clams.
are my eating ways healthy for pregnancy?
Kate
i am 14 weeks pregnant, i am trying to eat healthier. i eat alot of cereal, i try to eat meat that's not from Wendy's or McDonald's. i eat salads and i try to stay away from fries but im craving them. oh, i have been eating alot of eggs lately. what else could i eat that would be good for my baby? what could i fit into my diet that would be benefit my baby?
Answer
Pregnant women have special dietary needs. They need to follow a healthy diet not only for their body, but more importantly for the development of their unborn child. The expression âeating for twoâ plainly describes this need for greater nutrient intake during pregnancy. Eating for two does not mean increasing one's food intake, but refers to improving the quality of ones diet. What pregnant women must keep in mind is that the baby is not as big as a full grown adult, so his/her dietary consumption is greatly different.
During pregnancy the basic principles of healthy eating remain the same â plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains and lean sources of protein. This is aided by the fact that during pregnancy, your body becomes more efficient at absorbing nutrients in the digestive system. Instead, the body doesn't excrete nutrients to build up stores of vitamins and minerals. However, certain nutrients must be emphasized in the diet. These nutrients, such as folate (folic acid), calcium, vitamin D, iron, protein and essential fatty acids (EFAs), are essential for the baby's growth and development.
â¢Women need more folate, a B vitamin. Among the best sources of folate are leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits, and dried beans and peas, while the synthetic form of folate found in supplements and fortified foods (such as cereals) is known as folic acid.
â¢Pregnant and lactating women need calcium and vitamin D to maintain the integrity of their bones, while providing for the skeletal development of the fetus and the production of breast milk. The best sources of calcium and vitamin D are dairy products.
â¢Additional iron is needed during pregnancy to increase the maternal red blood cell mass and to supply the growing fetus and placenta. Iron can be found in abundantly in lean red meat, poultry and fish.
â¢Protein is crucial for your baby's growth, especially during the second and third trimesters. Good sources of protein include lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, nuts, and low- or non-fat dairy products.
â¢It is important that pregnant women consume adequate amounts of essential fatty acids (EFAs) in their daily eating patterns for proper fetal neural and visual development.
Women are also encouraged by their doctors to keep track of what they are eating in a diary, to make sure that their diet encompasses all the required nutrients. Having a sensible diet coupled with mild exercise will help ensure that both mother and baby are healthy and happy.
Pregnant women have special dietary needs. They need to follow a healthy diet not only for their body, but more importantly for the development of their unborn child. The expression âeating for twoâ plainly describes this need for greater nutrient intake during pregnancy. Eating for two does not mean increasing one's food intake, but refers to improving the quality of ones diet. What pregnant women must keep in mind is that the baby is not as big as a full grown adult, so his/her dietary consumption is greatly different.
During pregnancy the basic principles of healthy eating remain the same â plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains and lean sources of protein. This is aided by the fact that during pregnancy, your body becomes more efficient at absorbing nutrients in the digestive system. Instead, the body doesn't excrete nutrients to build up stores of vitamins and minerals. However, certain nutrients must be emphasized in the diet. These nutrients, such as folate (folic acid), calcium, vitamin D, iron, protein and essential fatty acids (EFAs), are essential for the baby's growth and development.
â¢Women need more folate, a B vitamin. Among the best sources of folate are leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits, and dried beans and peas, while the synthetic form of folate found in supplements and fortified foods (such as cereals) is known as folic acid.
â¢Pregnant and lactating women need calcium and vitamin D to maintain the integrity of their bones, while providing for the skeletal development of the fetus and the production of breast milk. The best sources of calcium and vitamin D are dairy products.
â¢Additional iron is needed during pregnancy to increase the maternal red blood cell mass and to supply the growing fetus and placenta. Iron can be found in abundantly in lean red meat, poultry and fish.
â¢Protein is crucial for your baby's growth, especially during the second and third trimesters. Good sources of protein include lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, nuts, and low- or non-fat dairy products.
â¢It is important that pregnant women consume adequate amounts of essential fatty acids (EFAs) in their daily eating patterns for proper fetal neural and visual development.
Women are also encouraged by their doctors to keep track of what they are eating in a diary, to make sure that their diet encompasses all the required nutrients. Having a sensible diet coupled with mild exercise will help ensure that both mother and baby are healthy and happy.
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Title Post: why is eating healthy important in early pregnancy?
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