Dietary Nutrition

Eating for you and your baby

Proper nutrition is very important for your health and your baby's development. This is the one time in your life — or at least one of the few times — when you'll actually be eating for two. It's a reason to think very carefully about the food you eat and make sure you're getting enough of the right calories, vitamins, and minerals to stay healthy and support your baby's growth.

Calories and healthy weight gain

Many women gain between 25 and 35 pounds during their pregnancy, but you should talk with your doctor about your diet and what's right for you.

Your baby will require approximately 300 calories a day for his or her own growth and development. However, later in pregnancy, your metabolism is likely to speed up and you may need more than 300 extra calories daily.

Essential nutrients

In addition to needing more calories, your body requires certain substances — called nutrients — that help you produce energy, build and repair tissue, and aid in normal bodily functions. These include a variety of key vitamins, as well as:

• Protein — Protein helps build your baby's tissues, the placenta, and your red blood cells. The average daily requirement for pregnant women is 60 to 75 grams, which can be broken down into 3 to 4 servings. A serving could be 24 ounces of skim or low-fat milk, 3 ounces of white meat chicken or turkey without skin, 3 ounces of Swiss or Cheddar cheese, or 1¾ cups low-fat plain yogurt or cottage cheese.
• Carbohydrates — The average daily requirement for pregnant women is at least 325 grams, which is about 6 to 11 single servings of carbohydrates. A single serving could be a slice of whole-grain bread, ½ cup of brown rice, white rice, or wild rice, ½ cup cooked whole-grain cereal, or ½ cup of cooked pasta.
• Fats — Fats should make up about 30 percent of your total calories. The average daily requirement for pregnant women is no more than 73 grams for a 2,200-calorie diet and 83 grams for a 2,500-calorie diet. You should have a total of 4 servings or 8 half-servings. Full servings might include 1 tablespoon of butter, margarine, mayonnaise, or vegetable oil. Half-servings could be an ounce of cheese, a tablespoon of cream cheese, peanut butter, or heavy whipping cream, a cup of whole milk, ½ cup of ice cream, or 2 eggs.
• Water — Water is also vital for tissue growth. You should consume an average of 6 to 8 glasses of water and/or juice each day.

Unhealthy cravings

As your diet changes during your pregnancy, it's not unusual to crave certain foods. For example, if you wouldn't normally like sweets or salty foods, you might find yourself craving ice cream and potato chips while you're pregnant. And, while it's important to watch your intake of extra calories and fats, these foods are not a problem in moderation.

However, you should notify your doctor if you experience cravings for non-food substances such as ice, chalk, or other materials. These may be signs of a condition called pica, which has been associated with iron deficiency anemia.³⁵ While eating ice is not necessarily harmful, the other substances could be toxic and harmful to you and your baby. If you find yourself craving these items, talk to your doctor to identify and resolve the problem.

Next, learn about supplemental nutrition.