Pregnancy Diet
January 2020 | Her Health | by Kortney Rogers, CNM
A healthy diet is a vital part of your pregnancy journey. It is important to make sure baby receives adequate vitamins and minerals through your diet, even while taking a prenatal vitamin. Some key nutrients you need are calcium, iron, Vitamins A, C, B6, and B12, and Folate. To make sure baby and mom are getting proper nutrients, an easy rule of thumb is to have a plate full of colorful foods. For example, for breakfast have two hard-boiled eggs with a half-cup of blueberries. For lunch, have a colorful spinach salad filled with a variety of vegetables. A good dinner suggestion is a protein with colorful vegetables and long-grain rice. Shopping the outside perimeter of the grocery store is a good strategy to get the most nutritious ingredients needed to maintain a healthy diet in pregnancy.
Sticking to water and avoiding sugary beverages and caffeine is also very important. Everyone needs a different amount of water according to their activity level and what they’re used to drinking. On average, you need about 60-100 ounces of water per day while pregnant. Eat foods high in protein that are long-acting, such as cheese, yogurt, peanut butter, and nuts to help with nausea, dizziness, and fatigue. Eating foods with potassium in it, such as bananas and drinking coconut water, can help relieve the discomfort of leg cramps. You can also try consuming calcium-rich foods such as leafy greens, nuts, grains, and low-fat milk to help with leg cramps and muscle spasms. A cup of almonds throughout the day is an excellent way to incorporate more protein into your diet, which not only helps with day-to-day pregnancy symptoms, but it also helps with recovery after delivery. For more suggestions on specific nutrients and amounts that you need and that can help with pregnancy symptoms, please ask your Modern ObGyn provider.
