Healthy pregnancy diet
Pregnancy is hard on the body, and often leads to illness in addition to the aches and pains of pregnancy because women take less care of their bodies. A balanced diet is key to having a healthy pregnancy. There are a number of items to avoid eating when pregnant, and you will hear all sorts of things about what you can and can't do and eat when pregnant, but let's not focus on what you can't eat, rather on what you can, and most importantly, what you should be eating.
When you are pregnant the fetus is going to need many of the vitamins you intake in order to be healthy. They will need iron to help their blood, and they will need calcium for strong healthy bones. So, in order to help your baby get these things you either need to be taking prenatal vitamins, which you can get through your health care provider. They will usually provide you with a sample, and you can try several different varieties and find the one that works best for you, then ask for a prescription for it.
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Some women have a hard time keeping prenatal vitamins down during the first few weeks of pregnancy. Morning sickness may make it hard to get the vitamins you need, but keep trying, and do not stop. Even if you have to wait until you are past the nauseous stage to start taking them, start.
In addition to prenatal vitamins you should be eating foods that are naturally high in vitamins, or that are fortified. For example, buy the calcium fortified juices, and keep a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables on hand in order to get as many nutrients as you can. Eating fortified foods, and foods rich in vitamins naturally as the main sustenance is an easy way to get extra vitamins into your diet.
If you are trying to get pregnant, it is a good idea to try and increase the amount of folic acid in your diet. This is a practice you will want to keep up during the first few weeks as well as it can help to prevent birth defects of the brain and spine. You can take a folic acid supplement, or you can get it naturally through foods that have high amounts of folic acid such as oranges, leafy greens, beans, peanuts, broccoli, asparagus, peas, lentils, and enriched grain products. These can be very tasty and do wonderful things for your fetus.
Because sometimes cravings and illness get in the way during pregnancy it is important to keep in mind the types of foods you should be eating, and in what quantities. Most doctors recommend the following servings of food on a daily basis in order to stay healthy and you're your unborn baby healthy:
6 to 11 servings of grain products
3 to 5 servings of vegetables
2 to 4 servings of fruits
4 to 6 servings of milk and milk products
3 to 4 servings of meat and protein foods
6 to 8 glasses of water, fruit juice, or milk
Limited servings of fatty foods and sweets
Besides the health issues for your baby, making sure to eat the right foods and drink plenty of liquids is going to help you to not over gain weight during pregnancy, keep a clear complexion, and avoid stretch marks. The better you eat, the better you will feel during these months where your body changes so rapidly.
