subject: Eating For Two [print this page] Good nutrition is always the bedrock of good health, but never is it more important to eat right than during pregnancy. In fact, for baby's sake, a healthy, well-balanced diet should begin before conception. But knowing what to eat during your "childbearing year" requires a general knowledge of the basic nutrients necessary for the optimum health of both mother and child.
Folic acid is a key element of good nutrition for pregnant women, and it is recommended for all women of childbearing age to consume a minimum of 400mcg of folic acid every day in order to prevent the possible occurrence of spina bifida or other neural tube defects in infants. Examples of folic acid are found in green leafy vegetables, beans, or liver.
Getting enough protein is also very important because the amino acids in proteins make up the building blocks of both your body's cells, as well as those of your growing baby. It is currently recommended that pregnant women consume at least 60 to 70 grams of protein every day. Some excellent sources of protein would be lamb, eggs, milk, and fish.
During pregnancy, a woman experiences a sharp increase in blood volume which makes it essential to consume enough iron to support this increase. Also noteworthy is the fact that the fetus will begin to store enough iron to last for his first three to six months outside the womb. So, starting in the second trimester it is necessary to receive 30 mg of iron daily from sources such as red meat, poultry, dried fruit, or beans. However, merely taking in enough iron will do you no good if your body is unable to absorb it.
Vitamin C enhances your body's ability to absorb iron, and therefore at least 85mg are recommended. This can easily be accomplished with at least one serving of a citrus fruit or juice.
Vitamin A should be consumed at a rate of 800 retinal equivalents daily because it is required for cell formation, and can be found especially in yellow or orange vegetables and fruits.
Adequate calcium consumption is important throughout your pregnancy, but your fetus requires 66% more calcium in the third trimester than he did before. If you do not consume enough, the baby will take it from your body, and leave you calcium depleted which will open you up to possible problems later on. Daily intake of calcium during pregnancy and lactation should be 1000mg, and the best sources are milk, cheese, and yogurt.
At the top of the list of foods to avoid are high fatty foods, and sweets. These types of foods have little to no nutritional value, and tend to satisfy a craving, but leave no room for other, more nutritious foods that are so desperately needed. So skip the lamingtons or the pavlova in favor of something more substantial. This will have the added benefit of keeping the weight gain to a minimum. Caffeine is also a no-no because it acts as a diuretic and stops the absorption of vitamin C, which will, in turn, affect your absorption of iron. And of course, alcohol should not be consumed during gestation because it is highly toxic to the fetus, and could lead to fetal alcohol syndrome.
Good maternal nutrition before and during "the childbearing year" is a significant factor affecting the outcome of your pregnancy, and doesn't your baby deserve the very best?
