Womens Health - Pregnancy Nutrition is for All Women of Child Bearing Age

During pregnancy your nutrition needs are going to increase. Even before becoming pregnant it is a good idea to make every effort to start eating healthy and taking a women's multivitamin. A prenatal multivitamin is a better choice during Pregnancy.

Let's start with the recommended daily intake of food during Pregnancy.

DURING Pregnancy :

7 or more Fruits and Vegetables (3 fruits/4 vegetables)
Fruits and Vegetables high in vitamin C are the best. These include strawberries, melons, oranges, papaya, tomatoes, peppers, greens, and broccoli.

9 or more Whole Grain Products
A fortified breakfast cereal containing iron and folic acid is the best way to start each day. Enriched bread, rice, pasta, and any whole grain product are your other choices.

4 or more dairy products
Low-fat milk or non-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese are the obvious choices.

60 grams of protein (two or more 2-3 ounce portions of lean meat)
Other sources of protein include eggs, nuts, dried beans, and peas. Do not eat undercooked or uncooked meat or fish. (NO SUSHI) Do not eat deli luncheon meats

Pregnancy nutrition FACTS

Fish

Some fish are higher in mercury content than others. Mercury can cause problems with your growing baby's brain and nervous system.

Fish to avoid completely:
shark
swordfish
king mackerel
golden snapper
white snapper

Fish eating limitations:
Limit your intake of fish to 12 ounces a week
Limit your intake of white tuna or tuna steak to 6 ounces a week

Safest fish to eat:
shrimp
salmon
catfish
light tuna

Weight

Calorie intake should only be increased by 300 a day during Pregnancy for the average woman.
Weight gain should be around 28-40 pounds for women that are underweight at Pregnancy.
Women that are overweight at Pregnancy should gain only 15-25 pounds.
Weight gain should be around 2-4 pounds the first trimester and 3-4 pounds a month for the remaining time.
Excess weight gain is hard to lose after pregnancy because your body's fat increases up to one third during Pregnancy.
Breast feeding burns 500 or more calories per day making it easier to lose weight.
Consult your health care provider for your specific healthy weight gain.

Vitamins and Minerals

Check the RDA chart for your needs during Pregnancy.

Folic Acid is a special concern because a deficiency can lead to neural tube birth defects. Your multivitamin should contain 400 mcg of folic acid. Birth defects happen before you even know you're pregnant so always take a multivitamin with folic acid during child bearing age.

Vitamin C taken in doses over 500 mg/d can lead to your baby being born dependent on large quantities of vitamin C.

Iron is also of special concern because the average American diet does not provide enough iron during Pregnancy. If your prenatal multivitamin does not contain enough iron your doctor will prescribe an additional supplement. Iron is needed for you and the baby to have healthy teeth, bones, and blood.

Water is often overlooked during Pregnancy but it is vital for you and your baby. It carries the nutrients from your body to the baby and it helps prevent constipation, hemorrhoids, swelling and urinary tract infection. A minimum of 6 eight ounce glasses a day is required. Juice can count