Nutrition during pregnancy is serious business. What you eat plays a vital role in determining the health of that little one you are so anxiously awaiting. Contrary to common belief, it isn’t how much you eat that’s so important (in fact, a pregnant mom needs to increase her calorie intake only by 300 calories a day during the second and third trimester) –- but what you eat.

How much to gain: If you enter pregnancy at a weight you are realistically happy with, then the suggested amount of weight you should gain is about 25 pounds. Only two to four pounds of that goes on during the first trimester, and the remainder is added at about a rate of three-quarters of a pound to one pound per week after that. For underweight moms, it is important to put on at least 28 to 40 pounds. If it’s lots of extra weight you’ve started with, add only 15 to 25 pounds. Because little weight is gained during the first 14 weeks, you needn’t worry if you just don’t feel like eating during that trimester. By nature’s design, when the nausea has calmed down, it’s time to start tipping up the scales.

Weighty nutrients: There are a few critical nutrients that play particularly important roles in fetal development. The increased demand on your system, plus the developing fetus, requires lots of extra nutrition. However, because your calorie needs don’t increase enough to guarantee that quantity eating will take care of making sure you get those needed nutrients, you will have to pay special attention to your diet, and also take an appropriate supplement. Those important nutrients are:

1. Calories: Despite that fact you don’t need too many more, those extras that you do need are very important. Proper weight gain on your part is needed to make sure your newborn is delivered at a healthy weight. Add 200 to 300 calories per day during the second and third trimesters.
2. Protein: Protein provides materials for the growing tissues, including the placenta, the mother’s blood and the baby. Get three good servings a day from tofu, beans, chicken, fish, meat or eggs. The National Academy of Science suggests a daily intake of 74 grams of protein during pregnancy.
3. Calcium: This mineral is needed for proper bone formation in the baby and to help preserve the mother’s bone strength. The need for calcium is most crucial during the last three months, when fetal bone formation takes place. If the mom’s diet doesn’t supply enough calcium, the fetus will draw the calcium it needs first, leaving the mother in a depleted state. Drink a little more than one quart of milk a day to ensure you get enough. This amount of milk will also make a significant contribution toward your protein intake.
4. Iron: An iron supplement is recommended during pregnancy since it is so difficult to get enough in your diet. The National Academy of Science recommends pregnant women take a supplement containing 30 mg. of iron a day during the second and third trimesters. Most of this iron is needed during the last three months because that is when the baby is accumulating it for use during early life. Moms also need this extra iron to replenish their red blood supply and to accommodate the demand created by increased blood volume.
5. Folic Acid: This is a B vitamin needed for proper cell division. Folic acid taken while trying to conceive and in early pregnancy can help prevent certain birth defects of the brain and spine. Studies show a reduced risk of spina bifida (open spine) and anencephaly, by about 50 percent. Get 400 micrograms a day at least one month before becoming pregnant because these birth defects develop during the first month after conception, before most women know they are pregnant. A vitamin supplement is the best way to ensure you have met you requirements. Include foods like orange juice, spinach and legumes.
6. Fluids: You need extra fluid to feed your increased blood volume and for amniotic fluid. Drink at least six to eight glasses of liquid a day. Holding back on them won’t alleviate the swelling you may have during pregnancy, in fact, too little fluid can tax your kidneys, and cause them to retain fluid to ensure there’s enough in your body.
7. Sodium: This is important during pregnancy. Sodium helps to regulate the water in the body.  2,000 to 8,000 milligrams of sodium a day is recommended during pregnancy. There are 2,325 milligrams of sodium in one teaspoon of salt, and because salt is in most foods, the increased need for it during pregnancy is not too difficult to achieve.

Follow the food pyramid guidelines, but, make the following exceptions: Increase protein servings to at least three and dairy servings to a minimum of four.

For comfort: Pregnancy can be a time when you are more prone to digestive complaints, such as nausea, heartburn and constipation. Here are some things you can do to help ease these problems:

1. Eat several small snack-meals a day rather than three big meals to help ease nausea and heartburn.
2. Drink liquids separately from solid food. Sipping ginger tea may ease nausea.
3. Avoid greasy or heavily spiced foods.
4. Eat fiber-rich foods like All Bran and dried fruits and try the old standby — prune juice to prevent constipation. Prune juice seems to have a natural laxative that helps to stimulate the muscles of your GI tract, which have been placated by all those extra hormones of pregnancy.

WARNING: Now that you know which foods to eat more of, here are some important foods you should avoid:

1. Do not eat swordfish, shark or fresh tuna in order to avoid exposure to mercury. Go light on canned tuna.
2. Avoid all fresh-water fish, as they are more likely to be contaminated with pesticides and carcinogens like dioxin or PCBs.
3. Pass on the caffeine. Although studies don’t confirm it, caffeine may cause birth defects, particularly when consumed to excess.
4. Alcohol: This should go without saying. Don’t drink when pregnant! The results are devastating.

7 Tips for Moms-to-Be

1. Drink a quart of milk a day, especially during the second and third trimesters
2. Take an iron supplement and a folic-acid supplement (or be sure these are included in the multivitamin supplement prescribed by your midwife or doctor).
3. Avoid fresh-water fish
4. Get three good servings of protein each day
5. Drink six to eight glasses of liquid a day
6. Eat frequent small meals
7. Avoid alcohol and caffeine.

14 Mini-Meals for Growing Moms
When eating seems particularly difficult, try small amounts several times a day. This will discourage nausea and heartburn. Being creative when you don’t feel good or don’t have the energy, just doesn’t happen, so here are some nutritious suggestions for mini-meals.

1. Half a whole-wheat bagel with almond butter or tahini
2. Yogurt shake made with vanilla yogurt, banana and orange juice
3. Hard-boiled egg sliced onto a small salad
4. Cup of chicken noodle soup and a square of whole-grain cornbread
5. Tofu salad on a whole-wheat roll,
6. Small bran muffin (homemade or one you trust to be wholesome) and a tangerine
7. Almond butter on cinnamon-raisin toast
8. Half a turkey sandwich in pita bread with sliced tomato and sprouts
9. Cup of ginger tea and the other half of that whole-wheat bagel.
10. Cold leftover chicken from last night with a few dried apricots
11. Bowl of whole-grain cereal with soy milk or regular milk
12. Small bowl of low-fat granola topped with half a banana and a dollop of yogurt
13. Open-faced broiled low-fat cheese on whole-wheat
14. Instant oatmeal with raisins

14 Snacks to Curb Cravings

1. graham crackers
2. whole-grain crackers
3. whole-wheat low-salt pretzels
4. almond butter or tahini
5. dried fruits such as dates, apricots, apples, figs
6. bananas, apples
7. oranges, tangerines, clementines
8. baby carrots, snow peas
9. yogurt, high-quality low-fat frozen yogurt
10. low-fat cheese
11. tofu
12. bagels
13. cans of low-fat, low-sodium soup
14. ready-to-eat cereal, instant oatmeal, low-fat granola

Reference:
Sue Gilbert; Registered Dietitian