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 | What to Eat When You’re Expecting The truth is that if you’re like most women, you don’t need any additional calories during your first trimester. And you’ll only need an extra 300 calories — the amount in a medium apple or a cup of non-fat yogurt — daily during the last six months of pregnancy. You may have different caloric needs if you were overweight or underweight when you became pregnant or you’re having more than one baby. “When women eat the right amount of calories, there’s a better chance that they and their babies will gain the appropriate amount of weight,” says Ellen Landsberger, MD, MS, a high-risk pregnancy specialist, director of the Diabetes in Pregnancy Program at Montefiore Medical Center and an assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Women’s Health at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. “Women who gain too much weight during pregnancy are more likely to have larger babies, develop complications during pregnancy and need a Cesarean section. Those who gain too little weight may have smaller babies.” Although you don’t need to double your food intake during pregnancy, you should choose foods that are healthy for both you and your unborn baby. You won’t have to completely change your eating habits during pregnancy if you already have a healthy diet. Most of the dietary recommendations for pregnant women are based on nutritional guidelines that are healthy for everyone. During pregnancy, you should eat a variety of high-fiber, low-fat foods, including fruits, vegetables, complex carbohydrates and lean protein. You’ll want to avoid high-fat foods, especially those that are high in saturated fat or trans fats. Drink lots of water during your pregnancy to avoid dehydration. And here’s some good news: You don’t have to give up your morning cup of coffee or tea. You can drink caffeine in moderation during pregnancy. There’s also growing evidence that an omega-3 fatty acid,
called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), promotes healthy
development in babies. To get the recommended There are some foods or beverages you may want to cut down on or eliminate during pregnancy. Experts say that women should avoid large fish, such as swordfish, shark, tilefish and king mackerel, since these foods may have high-levels of mercury. Also avoid raw fish and raw or undercooked poultry and meats that may contain harmful bacteria. And don’t drink alcohol while you’re pregnant. It can cause your baby life-long medical and developmental problems. Eating right helps you stay healthy during pregnancy and gives your baby a good start in life. But there are other benefits to eating well when you’re expecting. You’ll feel more comfortable during your pregnancy, and it will be easier for you to return to your normal weight after you welcome the newest member of your family into the world.
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Now that you’re pregnant, you need to eat for
two, right? Not so fast. What you eat does
affect your baby. But the idea that you need
to eat twice as much food as you did before you were
pregnant is a myth.
