Nutrition in Pregnancy

During pregnancy, every bite counts. You've got only nine months of meals and snacks in which to give your baby the best possible start in life. So what you have to take into consideration is before each bite, think "Is this the best nutrition I can give my baby?" Nutrition is the most important part in pregnancy, so use this to check and see how you are doing.

Every day you should be consuming at least four of the following, or a combination, equivalent to four servings of protein.

  • Three 8 oz. glasses of skim or low fat milk

  • 3/4 cup low fat cottage cheese
  • 1 3/4 cup low fat yogurt
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
  • 2 1/2 oz. edam cheese
  • 3 oz. swiss or cheddar cheese
  • 5 large egg whites
  • 2 large whole eggs
  • 3 1/2 oz. tuna
  • 2 1/2 oz. white meat chicken or turkey (without skins)
  • 3 1/2 oz. fish or shrimp
  • 5 oz. clams, crab, or lobster meat
  • 3 oz. lean beef, lamb, pork, or dark meat chicken
  • 3 oz. veal
  • 4 oz. fatty beef or lamb
  • 3 oz. liver (use infrequently)
  • 5 or 6 oz. tofu (bean curd

High Protein Snacks

  • Nuts and seeds
  • Whole grain baked goods
  • Soy baked goods
  • Yogurt
  • Hard cheese
  • Hard boiled eggs
  • Wheat germ

Have at least two Vitamin C foods or a combination equal to two every day. Your body can't store this vitamin, so don't skip a day.

  • 1/2 grapefruit
  • 1/2 cup grapefruit juice
  • 2 small oranges
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 2 tbsp. orange juice concentrate
  • 1/2 med. mango
  • 1/2 cup cubed papaya
  • 1/4 small cantaloupe
  • 1/2 cup strawberries
  • 1 1/3 cup blackberries or raspberries
  • 1 1/2 large tomatoes
  • 1 cup tomato juice
  • 3/4 cup V8
  • 1 1/2 cup shredded raw cabbage or cole slaw
  • 1/2 small red or green pepper
  • 2/3 cup cooked broccoli
  • 3/4 cup cooked cauliflower
  • 3/4 cup cooked fresh kale
  • 1 cup collard greens, frozen chopped
  • 3/4 cup cooked kohlrabi
  • 3 cups raw spinach

Calcium Rich Foods

Take four servings of these foods daily or any combination that is equivalent to four servings. You need 1,280 to 1,300 milligrams of calcium daily.

  • 8 oz. skim or 1% milk
  • 1/2 cup evaporated skim or low fat milk
  • 1 3/4 cup low fat cottage cheese
  • 1 1/2 oz. cheddar or American cheese
  • 1 1/4 oz. swiss cheese
  • 1 cup low fat or non-fat yogurt
  • 1/3 cup non-fat dry milk
  • 6 oz. calcium added mill
  • 6 oz. calcium added orange juice
  • 4 oz. canned salmon with bones
  • 3 oz. canned sardines with bones
  • 3 1/2 oz. canned Pacific mackerel with bones
  • 2-3 tbsp. ground sesame seeds
  • 1 cup collard greens
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked kale
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked mustard or turnip greens
  • 1 1/3 cups broccoli
  • 2 1/2 tbsp. blackstrap molasses
  • 2 corn tortillas
  • 10 dried figs
  • 3 cups cooked dried beans

Calcium Rich Snacks

  • Almonds, filberts, peanuts
  • Baked goods made with sesame seeds, soy flour, or carob

Green Leafy and Yellow Vegetables, and Yellow Fruits

You need three or more servings a day, one of which should be raw. Try to choose some yellow and some green daily. (Try to stay away from dried fruits, as they contain harmful preservatives such as sulfur dioxide).

  • 1/8 cantaloupe
  • 2 large fresh apricots
  • Half of a medium mango
  • 1 large nectarine, or yellow peach
  • 1 cup cubed papaya
  • 1/2 med. persimmon
  • 1 tsp. canned unsweetened pumpkin
  • 1/3 cup cooked beet greens
  • 3/4 cup cooked broccoli or turnip greens
  • 1/2 cup raw carrots or 1/3 cup cooked
  • 1/2 cup cooked collard greens
  • 1 1/2 cup endive or escarole
  • 1/3 cup cup cooked kale or mustard greens
  • 8-10 large leaves dark green leafy lettuce
  • 1/2 cup raw spinach, or 1/4 cup cooked
  • 1/4 cup cooked winter squash
  • 1/4 small sweet potato or yam
  • 1/3 cup cooked Swiss chard

    Other Fruits and Vegetables

Have at least two servings of the following daily

  • 1 apple or 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
  • 6-7 asparagus spears
  • 1 small banana
  • 1 cup bean sprouts
  • 3/4 cup green beans
  • 2/3 cup blueberries or lingonberries
  • 2/3 cup brussels sprouts
  • 2/3 cup pitted fresh cherries
  • 2/3 cup grapes
  • 1 cup fresh mushrooms
  • 1 med. white peach
  • 9 pods okra
  • 1/2 cup parsley
  • 1 med. pear
  • 1 med. slice fresh or unsweetened can pineapple
  • 1 med. potato
  • 2/3 cup zucchini

Whole Grains and Legumes

Have 6-11 servings a day depending on weight gain. (Closer to 6 if gaining rappidly)(Closer to 11 if gaining slowly)

  • 1 Slice Whole Wheat, Whole rye, or other Whole grain or soy bread
  • 1/2 cup cooked brown rice
  • 1/2 cup cooked wild rice
  • 1/2 cup cooked whole grain cereal(oatmeal,Wheatena,Ralston etc.)
  • 1 oz Whole grain ready-to-eat cereal with no added sugar(eg: Shredded Wheat)
  • 2 tbs. Wheat Germ
  • 1/2 cup cooked millet,bulgur,triticale,or kasha(buckwheat groats)
  • 1/2 cup cooked Whole grain,soy,or high-protein-type pasta
  • 1/2 cup cooked beans or peas
  • 1 corn or whole wheat tortilla

Iron-Rich Foods

Small amounts of iron are found in most of the fruits, vegetables, grains, and meats that you eat every day. You can also try some of the following high-iron-content foods daily along with your regular diet to ensure enough iron is taken in!

  • Duck, Beef, Liver(and other organ meat, but use infrequently)
  • Oysters and clams(cooked;NOT RAW)
  • Sardines
  • Collards, Kale, and Turnip greens
  • Artichokes
  • Pumpkin
  • Potatoes (in their skins)
  • Spinich
  • Spirulina (seaweed)
  • Legumes(eg:green peas, Chick peas, Lentils,& Kidney beans)
  • Soybeans and soy products
  • Carob flour and Carob powder
  • Black strap molasses

High Fat Foods

You should be consuming four full or eight half servings, daily, depending on how quickly or slowly you are gaining weight. If, and only if you are gaining too quickly, you should limit the amount of the following you take in each day; But if you are gaining too slowly, and only with that exception, should you exceed this amount. Try to take in healthy fats instead of unhealthy fats. On most days, no more than two servings should come from pure fats such as butter, margarine, and oils.

Half Servings

  • 1oz cheese (Swiss, Cheddar, Provolone, Mozzarella, Blue, or Camambert)
  • 1 1/2oz Skim milk Mozzarella
  • 2tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 1/2tbsp light cream
  • 1tbsp Heavy or Whipping cream
  • 2tbsp Whipped cream
  • 2 rounded tbsp sour cream
  • 1tbsp Cream cheese
  • 1 Cup whole milk
  • 1 1/2 Cups 2% milk
  • 2/3 Cup whole evaporated milk
  • 1/2 Cup Regular ice cream
  • 1 Cup whole milk yogurt
  • 1tbsp "Light" margarine
  • 1tbsp Peanut butter
  • 1/2 Cup white sauce
  • 1/3 Cup Hollandaise sauce
  • 1 Egg or one egg yolk
  • 1/4 Small avocado
  • 6oz Tofu
  • 7oz Light-meat chicken or turkey w/o skins
  • 3 1/2 oz Dark-meat chicken or turkey w/o skins
  • 4oz Fresh or canned salmon
  • 3oz canned tuna in oil

Full servings

  • 1tbsp Vegetable oil
  • 1tbsp Regular margarine or butter
  • 1tbsp Regular mayonnaise
  • 2tbsp Regular salad dressing
  • 3-6oz Lean meat(varies with cut
  • 3/4 Cup Tuna salad

I would personally like to give thanks to the writers of the book WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOUR EXPECTING for the wonderful diet plan and for making it possible for me to create this page!

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