What to eat when pregnant is important not only because of possibly harmful foods you want to eliminate from your diet, but also because you want to supplement some nutrients in your body.
There are some vitamins and minerals that play crucial roles in your baby's development both during pregnancy and after you give birth. These same minerals and vitamins can help to maintain and protect your health both during and after pregnancy, lessening your chances for developing common pregnancy complaints like anemia, loss of bone density, postpartum depression, and preterm labor.
While a good prenatal supplement can help augment your stores of these vitamins and minerals, there are foods to eat when pregnant that can help boost your intake as well.
Increase Your Intake of Calcium
Making sure you have enough calcium is essential not only for your baby, but also for your own health and wellbeing. Your developing baby must have enough of this mineral as she forms her own bones; if you do not, your body will give your baby priority and your own bone density will be compromised.
You do not have to eat only dairy products to supplement your calcium, though most people think that's the only way to do so. There are many foods that can help increase your calcium intake.
Foods high in calcium include: green beans, black beans, chick peas, almonds and hazelnuts, salmon, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, okra, and oranges.
Increase Your Iron
Iron is essential because it helps both the mother's blood and the baby's blood carry oxygen. Most women are borderline iron-deficient before pregnancy and then the additional stress their bodies endure can lead to anemia. This is a common pregnancy complaint that can be eased by supplementing your iron intake.
You should be taking between 30 and 50mg of iron daily (only 15mg is necessary if you aren't pregnant). Your prenatal vitamin will probably have iron but you can also increase your iron consumption by eating foods such as natural lean beef, green vegetables, lentils, beans and chick peas, and pumpkin seeds.
Boost Your Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids supply your baby with DHA, which is essential for your baby's brain development. Adequate intake of Omega-3s have also been shown to increase the attention span of infants through their second year of life. DHA helps to form the retinas, develop the brain, and aids in the development of the nervous system.
For the expectant mother, Omega-3 deficiency has been linked to postpartum depression, low birth weight, and pre-term labor or Caesarian deliveries. You should take at least 250mg of Omega-3s throughout your pregnancy, but especially during the last trimester.
A good fish oil supplement can help, but you can also increase your intake by the foods you eat. Sardines and salmon can be enjoyed twice weekly, but you can eat unlimited amounts of foods like organic eggs, dark green vegetables, flaxseed oils, and walnuts.
Up Your Intake of Folic Acid
Folic acid helps reduce your chances of having a baby with serious defects of the brain and spinal cord. The most common of these birth defects is spina bifida, a condition in which your baby is born but her spinal cord is not closed, leaving the nerves exposed. This condition can lead to paralysis, mental retardation, and incontinence.
If you are planning to conceive, you can begin taking folic acid before you get pregnant, as most spinal cord defects occur during the first 28 days of pregnancy. You should take at least 600mcg throughout your pregnancy. Foods high in folic acid include beans, citrus fruits, nuts, and dark leafy greens.
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