Eating During Pregnancy


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Eating During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is an exciting time, but it also means big changes for a woman's body. Eating the right foods is very important to help both the baby and the mom stay healthy. A good diet during pregnancy includes the right vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. Knowing what to eat and what to avoid can make a big difference. In this article, we will talk about the best foods for pregnancy, clear up some common myths, and give easy tips for making healthy choices.

Important Nutrients

Once you become pregnant, your body is going to require more nutrients to help grow and develop your baby.

Folate/Folic Acid

Your baby needs folic acid before you even know you’re pregnant. Folic acid helps baby’s brain and spinal cord form properly. Folic acid may also help fight heart disease, colon and cervical cancers. Continue to take a daily multivitamin after your pregnancy, too!

You need 400 micrograms of folic acid a day. The best way to get it is to take a multivitamin every day and eat a healthy diet. Foods rich in folic acid include orange juice, fortified cereals, and leafy green vegetables.

Iron

During pregnancy, your body is making more blood and iron is a critical part of this! Your daily iron needs increase to 27 mg during pregnancy.

Iron can be fond in WIC cereals, meat (beef, pork, chicken), dark green leafy vegetables (turnip, mustard, collard, spinach), dried beans and peas, and dried fruit like apricots.

Calcium

As your body is building your baby’s bones, it is important for you to be eating enough calcium. During pregnancy, you need 1,000 – 1,300 mg each day depending on your age. You can find it in foods like yogurt, cheese, milk, soy beverage, and tofu.

Choline

Choline helps your baby develop correctly when you’re pregnant. Pregnant women are recommended to have 450 mg each day of choline. You can find it in foods like meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy, potatoes, and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower.

Iodine

Not getting enough iodine during pregnancy has been associated with miscarriage, preterm delivery, and other complications. This makes it a very important nutrient! Most salt has iodine added to it, look for the container that says ‘Iodized Salt’. You can also find iodine in some seafood like cod, haddock and salmon or a variety of dairy products like yogurt and cottage cheese. Pregnant women need 220 mg each day!

Protein

Protein is always important for good health, but especially during times of growth, including pregnancy! Pregnant women should eat at least 5-7 ounces each day. Foods like beef, pork, chicken, fish, beans, legumes, eggs, and nuts/nut butters are good sources of protein.

Fish has many health benefits for you and your baby and is encouraged to be included in part of your diet. If you’re pregnant, you should eat 8-12 ounces of a variety of different seafood each week. The palm of your hand is about 4 ounces. Ideally, choose seafood that is lower in mercury like catfish, cod, crab, lobster, perch, pollock, salmon, sardine, shrimp and tilapia. For a full list, check out this chart from the FDA.

Water!

Staying hydrated will help you feel more energized and help you digest your food better. Although water is the number one choice, drinks like unsweetened teas and low fat or fat free milk can also help you reach your fluid goals for the day. Pregnant women should drink at least 3 liters of total water each day, or about 10 cups. But do what feels best to you and drink more if needed!

Eating a balanced diet is the best way to make sure you’re getting all the nutrients you and your baby need. Growing a baby does require more calories than when you’re not pregnant, about 300-450 extra calories each day. Check out the chart below to know how much to eat from each food group and then check out the 300 calorie snack list for some ideas!

Daily Food Chart for Pregnant Women

Food Groups

Serving Size Examples

Pregnant *

Grains

Make at least half the grains whole grain or fortified with iron and B-vitamins. (whole grain, whole wheat flour, whole oats, whole corn should be listed first in the ingredient list.)

1 oz serving

1 slice bread

6” tortilla

1 small biscuit

1 small muffin

1 hot dog

1 hamburger bun

½ cup cold cereal

½ cup cooked cereal

½ cup cooked pasta

½ cup rice

3 cups popcorn

4-6 crackers

5-7 oz.

Vegetables

Vegetables provide good sources of vitamin A. These foods will help with eyesight and keep skin and hair healthy. Vary the types of vegetables throughout the week.

½ cup serving

Raw leafy vegetables (1 cup = ½ serving)

6 baby carrots

½ cup cooked

½ cup canned

½ cup raw

½ cup 100% vegetable juice

3 or more cups

Fruits

Fruits provide a good source of vitamin C every day. Focus on whole fruits more often than juice.

½ cup serving

½ small apple

½ large banana

½ cup 100% fruit juice

½ cup of chopped, cooked, or canned fruit (ie. applesauce, fruit salad, etc.)

¼ cup dried fruit

2 – 3 cups

Protein

Protein helps build and repair body tissues like skin, bone, hair, blood, and muscle.

Cooked meat, fish, or poultry

Cooked dried/canned beans, peas, lentils
(¼ cup = 1 oz.)

1 egg = 1 oz

1 Tbsp peanut butter = 1 oz.

5-7  oz.

Dairy

Dairy foods keep bones and teeth strong. Choose low-fat or fat-free milk for yourself.

Milk, yogurt (choose low-fat or fat-free dairy)

½ cup cottage cheese = ¼ cup milk

1½ oz. cheese (size of 6 dice) = 1 cup of milk

3 cups

Water/Other Liquids

Water, 100% juice (no more than 8 oz/day), milk, soup

12 cups


Source: Nutrition Care Manual, DGA

*Pregnant or breastfeeding under the age of 18 should consult with their WIC Dietitian.

300 Calorie Snacks

Choosing just one of these 300 calorie snacks each day, in addition to your regular, balanced diet, will help meet your extra calorie needs.

  • Fruit and Cheese Kabobs: 2 oz. low-fat cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, etc.) – cubed, 1/2 cup strawberries— sliced, 25 grapes
  • Whole Wheat Crackers with Sliced Cheese: 2 oz. low fat cheese – thinly sliced, 1 serving whole wheat crackers (about 4) of your choice. 
  • Apple Slices and Peanut Butter: 1 apple—cored and sliced, 2 tablespoons peanut butter. 
  • Strawberry Banana Smoothie: 1 banana, 1 cup frozen strawberries, 3/4 cup plain or vanilla yogurt, 1/4 cup milk. 
  • Blueberry Peach Smoothie: 3/4 cup plain or vanilla yogurt, 1/2 cup frozen blueberries, 1/2 cup frozen peaches, 1 banana, 1/8 cup milk. 
  • Beans and Rice: 1 cup brown rice and ½ cup black beans (be sure to drain and rinse canned black beans)
  • Hard Boiled Eggs and Wheat Toast: 2 slices whole wheat bread—toasted, 1 egg—hard boiled. 
  • Cereal with milk and banana: 1 1/4 cup whole grain cereal (such as Rice Krispies or Cheerios), 1/2 cup low fat or skim milk, 1 banana, 2 tsp sugar. 
  • Oatmeal with berries: 1/2 cup instant oatmeal + 1/4 cup milk for cooking, 1 cup mixed berries, 2 tsp sugar. 
  • Hummus, Whole Grain Tortilla, and Pea Pods: 1/2 cup hummus*, 1 whole grain tortilla, 1/2 cup pea pods. 
  • V8 and mozzarella stick: 8 oz. glass V8 juice, 3 oz. mozzarella cheese
  • PB &J: 1 whole wheat tortilla or whole wheat bread, 2 tbsp. peanut butter, 1 tbsp. jelly 
  • Homemade Sweet Potato Chips: 2 med sweet potatoes—peeled, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1/2 tsp sea salt, pepper to taste.
    • Cut sweet potatoes into thin slices. Toss slices in bowl with oil, salt, and pepper.
    • Place in single layer on 2 baking sheets and bake at 400°F for 10-15 minutes (until edges are crisp but centers still soft).
    • Cool 5 minutes and transfer to parchment paper. Chips will crisp as they cool completely. 
    • Serve with 1 tbsp. low fat ranch dressing. Total Calories: 271

Foods/Drinks to Avoid

Pregnancy is a vulnerable time for your body, which is why it is so important to be extra cautious of food borne illnesses.

Here are some foods to avoid or watch out for:

  • Raw (uncooked) or rare (undercooked) fish or shellfish – like sushi
  • Raw or rare meats, poultry and eggs
  • Unpasteurized juice, milk, or cheese
  • Lunch or deli meats, smoked seafood, and hot dogs – heat these until steaming hot or 165 degrees F
  • Prepared meat or seafood salads like ham, chicken or tuna salad
  • Raw sprouts

Alcohol

Alcohol is not safe during pregnancy, in any amount. It can be harmful to your baby and lead to fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.

Caffeine

It is a good idea to limit or avoid caffeine from coffee, tea, energy drinks, or soft drinks when pregnant or breastfeeding. The March of Dimes recommends that pregnant women consume no more than 200 mg of caffeine per day. Some studies have shown an increased risk for miscarriage at amounts greater than 200 mg per day.

Please consult your doctor about caffeine intake during your pregnancy.

Vitamin Supplements

Your doctor will likely recommend you take a prenatal vitamin. Read about the difference between prenatal and multi-vitamins here. Be sure to take this vitamin every day and check that it has folic acid, iron, iodine, and choline as these are all important for you and baby. Ask your WIC staff or doctor for recommended brands!

Debunking Myths

There are many wives tails and myths out there about pregnancy and pregnancy nutrition is no exception! You have likely heard that you should ‘eat for two’, but this is not the case! Your body is very efficient and sends all the right nutrients to your growing baby. As mentioned earlier, you only need about an extra 300-450 calories each day compared to when you’re not pregnant. So don’t get carried away ‘eating for two’!

Read about how much weight you should be gaining during your pregnancy here.

Another myth you might hear is that eating too much sugar during your pregnancy can lead to gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes is much more complicated than this and has many factors that lead to its development. Just be sure to eat a healthy, balanced diet and wait for your doctor to let you know it is time for your glucose test. You can read more about gestational diabetes here.

 

Sources: OASH