What kind of diet should I eat if I am pregnant?

Pregnant women need around 300 additional calories per day more than women who are not pregnant. If you have been eating a healthy diet, it is likely that you will need to change very little about your diet while you are pregnant. You may not need to increase your caloric intake by much while you are pregnant, but you should make sure that you are eating healthy foods from the four basic food groups everyday. This will ensure that you are receiving enough vitamins, minerals and nutrients to help your baby grow.

If you are wondering what you should eat from each food group, pregnant women should eat seven or more servings of fruit and vegetables each day. They should eat 6 to 9 servings of whole grains or enriched bread and cereal products, 4 or more servings of dairy products, and 60 grams of protein each day.

In addition, pregnant women should take a multivitamin that contains 400 micrograms of folic acid (400 mcg). Iron is very important during pregnancy; pregnant women need twice as much as other women and should take 30 mg per day. The recommended amount of calcium is 1300 mg each day. Lastly, expecting Moms should drink 6 eight ounce glasses of water each day more if they are active.

Posted in Pregnancy