Nutrition for a Healthy Mom and Baby

Being pregnant should be a joyous time, but for many it’s a scary time with preeclampsia, pregnancy induced hypertension, toxemia, and other conditions. While you may not be able to avoid having a problem during your pregnancy, there are some nutritional things you can do to reduce your risk. Let’s have a look at some of those eating strategies. 

* You should never be shy about dairy products because as a mother to be you need at least 4 servings or 1000-1300 mg of calcium daily. You also need at least 4000 IU’s of Vitamin D3 per day. 

* Iron is very important during pregnancy. You need to get at least 27 mg a day. You can increase your iron by taking an iron supplement. In fact, your doctor may instruct you to do so. The top 10 foods for iron are:
o Artichokes
o Beans, chick peas, lentils and soybeans
o Dark, leafy greens (ie spinach, collards)
o Dried fruit (ie prunes, raisins)
o Egg yolks
o Iron-enriched cereals and grains 
o Liver
o Mollusks (ie clams, oysters, scallops)
o Red meat
o Turkey or chicken giblets

* Pregnant women need at least 70 mg of Vitamin C daily. Vitamin C helps to fight off infection and keep you healthy. Some good sources of Vitamin C include:
o Oranges
o Strawberries
o Tomatoes
o Broccoli
o Dark Leafy Greens

* You likely will have huge cravings but at the same time, you should decrease your fat intake so that it is no more than 30 percent of your total daily calorie intake. Make sure to read labels. 

* Omega 3s are important for the development of your baby’s vision and brain.

* Easy on the mayo or cheese limiting your cholesterol to 300 mg a day.

* Protein develops every cell of your baby. You need to eat 80 to 100 grams of protein a day. If you find that the smell of meat makes you sick, keep in mind that you can get your protein from drinking a whey protein shake.

Being pregnant isn’t easy and eating healthy can be a real challenge. Some days you’ll feel fantastic, while other days the idea of eating is the farthest thing from your mind. A healthy weight gain is generally 25 to 35 pounds. However, if you are underweight, you should gain 28 to 40 pounds and if you are overweight, you should gain15 to 25 pounds. 

When your nutrient intake isn’t the best it could be, you increase your risk of developing pregnancy related conditions such as preeclampsia, pregnancy hypertension, toxemia, and HELLP syndrome.

