Your diet during pregnancy will involve more than just an increase of the amount you eat per day. The emphasis now falls on WHAT you eat. 300 extra calories are required to compensate for the nutritional needs of pregnancy, and this should get you a weight gain of 25 to 35 extra pounds on the average. Weight varies from woman to woman, and the physiognomy, the overall body peculiarities and genetic predisposition are relevant factors. Moreover, let’s not leave out the impact of hormones on the body weight.

Your diet during pregnancy is the source of nutrients for the baby, and everything that you consume will affect the baby’s health for ever. This is why so many doctors emphasize the fact that no alcohol consumption is acceptable or safe during the nine months of pregnancy. As for the guidelines concerning your diet during pregnancy, it is not enough to provide calories to your baby, but nutrients, enough calcium, vitamins and minerals to allow for the growth of the little being in the womb.

Do not ignore the importance of fats, carbohyrates, proteins and water besides vitamins and minerals. The diet during pregnancy can be established by servings, quality, food category and recommended daily allowance or RDA. The US government has published dietary guidelines to help women eat better and in the right proportions during pregnancy. Therefore read product labels very carefully before you consume anything. This shows responsibility for the baby’s health and your personal well being.

PROTEIN should be taken from lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products. It plays a crucial part in cellular growth and blood production.

CARBOHYDRATES represent the daily energy dose and they are taken from fruits and vegetables, potatoes, pasta, bread and cereals.

Healthy valuable FAT is responsible for energy stores and some of the organ functions. It should be taken from whole dairy products, peanuts, nuts, almonds, seeds and cold-pressed oils.

VITAMINS and MINERALS (iron and calcium in particular) are taken from leafy greens, meat, fruit and vegetables.

An increasing emphasis is put on diet during pregnancy because of the effort to control fetal development and thus prevent the health problems that may appear later on. Make sure to ask your doctor about folic acid because it is essential for the development of pregnancy. Many women choose to take folic acid supplements throughout pregnancy.

Talk to your doctor and find out more about the dos and don’ts of diet during these special nine months in your life.