Prenatal Nutrition Guidelines to keep you and your baby healthy.

We know that the "do's & don'ts" that go along with having a baby can be overwhelming. That's why we've compiled the most important prenatal nutrition information into 10 concise tips. We've also included some healthy "power snacks" to help increase your energy.

• Choose from each of the five food groups every day.
  According to the American Dietetic Association, moms-to-be need the following foods every day. Choose at least:
• 3 servings from the milk, yogurt, and cheese group.
• 3 servings from the meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and nuts group.
• 3 servings from the fruit group.
• 4 servings from the vegetable group.
• 9 servings from the bread, cereal, rice, and pasta group.
  
  
• Use fats, oils and sweets sparingly.
  A little bit is okay, but don’t go overboard.
  
  
• Focus on fiber.
  Aim for a total of 25 to 35 grams of fiber every day to help prevent constipation and hemorrhoids, both of which are common during pregnancy.
  
  
• Drink at least 64 ounces of fluid every day.
  Fluid helps regulate body temperature, aids in digestion, cushions joints and organs and works with fiber that you eat to help fight constipation. Be sure to drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses a day.
• Drink more than 8 glasses every day if you are active or during hot weather.
  
  
• Take your vitamins.
  Ask your doctor to prescribe a daily prenatal multivitamin that contains the recommended amounts of vitamins and minerals you need for a healthy pregnancy. Folic acid is especially important because it helps prevent neural-tube defects such as spina bifida. You may also need to take a calcium supplement to ensure that you are getting at least 1,000 milligrams a day. Do not take herbal supplements or other botanicals, as their safety during pregnancy and lactation is unknown.
  
  
• Aim for a 25 to 35 pound weight gain.
  If you began pregnancy at a normal weight, it is expected that you will gain between ¾ and 1 pound per week after the first trimester, or between 25 and 35 pounds. (A multiple pregnancy requires that you gain even more.) Underweight women may be advised to gain more than 35 pounds; overweight women may be advised to gain less. Never diet during pregnancy, and always follow your doctor’s advice.
  
  
• Add 300 calories a day to your diet, beginning in the second trimester.
  Women who are physically active or carrying more than one baby need even more than 300 additional calories.
  
  
• Abstain from alcohol.
  Drinking even small amounts can cause physical malformations and developmental difficulties in baby that last a lifetime, according to the March of Dimes.
  
  
• Never eat raw or undercooked animal foods.
  Expectant women are often more susceptible to the effects of food-borne illnesses. To prevent such illness, avoid raw or undercooked meat, sushi, seafood, and eggs, which can harbor the listeria bacterium. Also avoid deli meats and hot dogs unless they’re heated to the point that they are steaming.
  
  
• Avoid soft cheeses.
  Listeria also can be carried in soft cheeses such as feta, brie, Camembert, and blue-veined or Mexican-style cheeses. (Hard cheeses, processed cheeses, cream cheese, and yogurt are okay to eat.) For more information on listeria, visit the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Food Safety site at www.cfsan.fda.gov and click on “Food-borne Illness".

Power Snacks

You need an additional 300 calories per day in your second and third trimesters. Before you grab a candy bar, try one of these nutritious snacks.

• Quesadilla with fresh tomato salsa
• Hummus in a whole-wheat pita topped with green, orange, red, or yellow bell peppers and shredded carrots
• Dried soups, couscous, or chili cups (look for low-sodium varieties)
• Peanut butter, honey and banana sandwich
• Oatmeal
• Cottage cheese or yogurt with fresh fruit
• Cereal with fruit
• 1 ounce almonds, peanuts, or walnuts
• 1 ½ cups steamed soybeans and 1 cup tomato juice

Top Five Nutrients

• Calcium: 1,000 mg. Where to get it: Dairy foods, dark leafy greens, calcium-fortified soy milk, calcium-fortified juices and cereals.
• Folate (folic acid is the synthetic form, available in supplements): 600 mcg. Where to get it: Dried beans, peas, lentils, orange juice, oranges, dark leafy greens, soy nuts, avocados, broccoli, asparagus.
• Iron: 27 mg. Where to get it: Liver, meat, seafood, prune juice, dry beans, wheat germ, oatmeal, tofu, soy nuts, grains.
• Protein: 60 g. Where to get it: Meat, poultry, seafood, dairy foods, beans and legumes, nuts.
• Vitamin C: 85 mg. Where to get it: Citrus fruits and juices, strawberries, bell peppers, tomatoes, dark leafy greens, broccoli, brussels sprouts.

For additional information on where to get Folic Acid, Vitamin A, and Vitamin C click on the links below.