Eating for two?

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Article Summary

When you're pregnant, your eating habits become more important than ever.

When you're pregnant, obviously you will want to be careful what you eat. You'll want to eat a healthy diet for your baby.

But what is a good diet in pregnancy? First of all, don't start a weight loss diet! Pregnancy isn't the time to lose weight. Eat a good, nutritious diet, and you'll have no problem losing your pregnancy weight gain after your baby is born. If you have a weight problem - if you are either underweight or overweight - then you may need to follow a special nutritional programme during your pregnancy. Discuss this with your doctor. Nor is pregnancy the time to starve yourself.

Some people worry about how much weight women should gain during pregnancy? a range of 8 to 16 Kg is normal but it does not matter much unless you exceed this range by a long way. Few British doctors recommend any special weight gain target. Of course if you gain much more than 20Kg or so it will take some time after pregnancy to lose it. So while you should not diet during pregnancy, nor should you use pregnancy as an excuse to eat all the time, either!

Good Things to Eat

Here are the major food categories, with examples of one serving:

YOUR DAILY FOOD CHOICES

Breads, cereals, whole grains: 6-11 servings daily

? 1 slice of bread ?1 roll or muffin ? 3-4 small or 2 large crackers ? 1 cup cooked cereal, pasta, or rice ? about 30 grams ready-to-eat cereal

Fruit: 2-4 servings daily

? 1 medium apple, banana, or other fruit ? 1 cup fresh, cooked, or canned fruit

Vegetables: 3-5 servings daily

? 1 cup leafy raw vegetables ? 1/2 cup cooked or chopped raw vegetables

Meat, poultry, fish: 170-200 grams daily

? 1 egg ? 1 cup cooked beans

Milk, cheese, yoghurt: 4 servings daily

? 1 cup of milk ? 225 grams yoghurt ? 1 ounce natural cheese ? 55 grams processed cheese

Fats and sweets: Limit fats and sweets

You may have fats such as butter, ice cream and cream cheese as you usually would. Sweets are okay in moderation, but try to avoid large amounts of empty calories so your weight will not get out of control.

CALORIES

Most pregnant women need about 300 additional calories per day. This translates to two cups of low-fat milk, one cup of ice cream, a bagel with cream cheese, or a tuna fish sandwich.

FOOD CRAVINGS

No one really knows why some women crave certain foods during pregnancy, but cravings are not thought to be the result of food deficiencies. There is no reason to avoid foods you crave as long as you eat in moderation to avoid a large weight gain. Unfortunately, some pregnant women crave non-food items such as laundry starch or clay and want to eat them. This is a condition called Pica. If you crave non-food items, make sure you tell your GP.

PROTEIN

Pregnant women require about 60 grams of protein per day. A cup of milk or an ounce of red meat contains about 10 grams of protein. Good sources of protein include lean meats, poultry, fish, dried beans, lentils, nuts, eggs and cheese. Avoid unpasteurised, soft cheeses such as Brie. Also, avoid raw eggs, raw or rare meats, as these might contain bacteria that could harm your infant.

CALCIUM

Calcium is needed during pregnancy for the formation of the baby's bones and teeth. The recommended daily allowance for calcium during pregnancy is 1,200 mg per day. You can get your calcium from green leafy vegetables, orange juice, milk, yoghurt and cheese. You should eat four servings of calcium-rich foods daily.

IRON

You need 15 to 30 mg a day. Fish, poultry, wholemeal bread and cereals, green leafy vegetables, legumes, dried fruits, cooked eggs and red meat are all good sources of iron. Some women take iron supplements in the second and third trimesters, but if you eat a diet rich in iron you may not require these supplements.

PRENATAL VITAMINS AND MINERAL SUPPLEMENTS
While vitamin and mineral supplements are probably not necessary for women who eat a balanced diet, most antenatal medical staff feel that they are not harmful, and therefore can be used. Don't use them instead of eating a balanced diet, however. Consult your GP before taking any vitamins or supplements. Keep all vitamin and iron preparations in childproof, capped bottles if there are young children in the house to avoid accidental overdoses.

CAFFEINE

Moderate consumption of caffeine is best. Don't drink more than one to two caffeine-laden beverages, such as coffee and soft drinks, per day.

ASPARTAME (NUTRASWEET)

All reports suggest that Aspartame is safe in moderation.

SALT

Salt is an important nutrient and most women consume sufficient amounts in their diet. In the past, doctors restricted salt during pregnancy, but we have learned that this is not normally necessary.

ALCOHOL

Foetal alcohol syndrome, in which newborn babies exposed to alcohol in the womb show signs of mental retardation and physical abnormalities, was first recognised in the 1980s. No one really knows how much alcohol causes the problem, so it is now recommended that pregnant women eliminate all alcohol during pregnancy.

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Nutrition

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