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Nutrition in Pregnancy
How your diet affects your baby
What you eat while you're pregnant affects your health, as well as the way your unborn baby grows and develops. The belief that a baby's nutritional needs are accommodated regardless of what the mother eats used to be well accepted. But, now many doctors are realizing that if the mother is lacking certain vitamins and minerals, it's not just her that suffers. The mother's nutritional deficiencies may lead to deficiencies in her baby. What you eat when you're pregnant plays a vital role in the development of your growing baby and the consequences of malnourishment and a poor diet may include health problems for your baby. Low birth weight, nutritional deficiencies, birth defects and even mental retardation (caused from the production of ketones because of low-calorie intake) can result from not eating properly during pregnancy. A healthy diet also has been found to decrease the risk of miscarriage, along with the possibility of preterm labor.
Calories
When you're pregnant, you need to consume an extra 300 calories per day, especially during the second and third trimester. If you are pregnant with multiples, your caloric intake will need to be more, depending on your doctor or midwife's recommendations. However, since your calories don't increase a whole lot, those extra few calories are very important. Because of this, you will need to pay extra attention to the quality and variety of foods you consume, along with adding an appropriate prenatal vitamin supplement to your daily routine (it's even better to add a multivitamin supplement to your diet before becoming pregnant). Eating a variety of nutritious foods will help ensure that you consume enough calories for you and your baby. Avoid "empty" calories, such as junk food, which will fill you up, but lacks nutritional value.
Added benefits of healthy eating
Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet will affect how you feel. During pregnancy, your energy needs increase by at least 15%. The additional calories and nutrients will give you increased energy, which is always welcome during pregnancy. Good eating habits will also result in a more pleasurable nine months, leading to less complications and discomforts, including heartburn, constipation, fatigue and many other common pregnancy complaints. Another added benefit of eating healthy during pregnancy is a quicker recovery after giving birth, due to your body being in better overall condition. This makes it easier for your body to heal and recuperate from childbirth. If you have questions about how to improve your diet and need help choosing healthy foods, be sure to speak with your doctor or midwife.
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