Eat Well
It’s best to eat a balanced diet that includes lots of whole grain breads, pasta, and cereal; plenty of fruits and vegetables; and smaller amounts of low-fat dairy products and protein-packed foods such as poultry, fish, meat, dry beans, and nuts. The “Food Guide Pyramid,” designed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is a good basis for such a diet. As the guide suggests, it’s better to avoid empty calories—foods like candy, chips, and soda that are high in calories but low in nutrients.
It’s best to eat a balanced diet that includes lots of whole grain breads, pasta, and cereal; plenty of fruits and vegetables; and smaller amounts of low-fat dairy products and protein-packed foods such as poultry, fish, meat, dry beans, and nuts. The “Food Guide Pyramid,” designed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is a good basis for such a diet. As the guide suggests, it’s better to avoid empty calories—foods like candy, chips, and soda that are high in calories but low in nutrients.
During pregnancy, keep in mind a few more food tips.
- Eat a little more. A woman of moderate weight will need to add an averageof 300 extra calories a day to her diet. A low-fat eight-ounce yogurt and an apple will do it, or half a turkeysandwich and a glass of 1 percent milk. Nutritious foods like these are a goodway to get the extra calories (although the occasional late-night pint of icecream is one of the time-honored perks of pregnancy).
- Gain weight. The National Academy of Science has recommended thatwomen of normal weight gain 25 to 35 pounds during pregnancy. If your doctor thinks your fetus is growingwell, don’t worry about exactly how much weight you’re gaining; mostwomen who fall outside this range still have healthy babies. But don’t try aweight-loss diet while you’re pregnant. Wait until after your baby is born.
- Drink a lot of water. During pregnancy, a woman needs extra fluid. Theamount of blood in her body increases by an average of almost 50 percent.The fetus, placenta, and amniotic fluid all require water. Dehydration can deepen fatigue early in pregnancy and lead to premature contractions later on. Aim to get eight eight-ounce glasses of fluids a day; make as much of it from water as possible.
- Don’t eat raw or undercooked meat, raw eggs, raw (unpasteurized) milk, orcheese made from raw milk. Such foods can carry microorganisms, such asListeria monocytogenes or the parasite that causes toxoplasmosis, that can harm a fetus. If you handle raw meat, wash your hands and utensils immediately afterward. Wash raw fruits and vegetables before eating. The Food and Drug Administration suggests that pregnant women avoid eating swordfish, shark, king mackerel, and tilefish because of possible high mercury levels.
- Be sure you get enough iron and calcium. The recommended dose of iron is 30 mgs a day to prevent anemia in the mother (increased to 60 to 100 mgs if the woman is large or carrying twins). This is especially important later in pregnancy when the fetus, the placenta, and the mother’s expanding blood supply can easily use up her stored iron.
The recommended dose of calcium is 1,200 mgs a day for pregnantwomen. Prenatal vitamins, which are commonly recommended by doctors,typically contain only 200 to 300 mgs of calcium because taking more caninterfere with the absorption of iron in the supplement. If you wait a fewhours, however, this is no longer a problem. So, unless you get a lot of calciumin your diet, you may want to take your prenatal vitamin in the morningand a calcium tablet at night.
Sleep and Rest a Lot
You may be surprised at how tired you are in the first few months of pregnancy—when you don’t even look pregnant yet. Most women feel less tired midway through the pregnancy, and then weary again at the end. If you feel tired, don’t fight it. Take a nap, or put your feet up, close your eyes, and listen to music. If you’re working outside the home, try to find a place where you can lie down for a few minutes during the day. Go to bed early, even if it means cutting back on activities or getting your partner to do more around the house (or leaving it undone). Take a personal day.
You may be surprised at how tired you are in the first few months of pregnancy—when you don’t even look pregnant yet. Most women feel less tired midway through the pregnancy, and then weary again at the end. If you feel tired, don’t fight it. Take a nap, or put your feet up, close your eyes, and listen to music. If you’re working outside the home, try to find a place where you can lie down for a few minutes during the day. Go to bed early, even if it means cutting back on activities or getting your partner to do more around the house (or leaving it undone). Take a personal day.
Get Some Exercise
If your doctor approves, get moderate, regular, low-impact exercise, such as walking, swimming, or pedaling a stationary bike. Twenty to 30 minutes of exercise at least three times a week is recommended for most pregnant women. If you’re already a well-conditioned runner or workout star, you’ll probably be able to continue, perhaps at a lower intensity. If you’re out of shape, you shouldn’t try anything too strenuous during pregnancy. Some women should not exercise at all during pregnancy. So whether you’re a triathlete or a couch potato, you should discuss exercise with your doctor first.
If your doctor approves, get moderate, regular, low-impact exercise, such as walking, swimming, or pedaling a stationary bike. Twenty to 30 minutes of exercise at least three times a week is recommended for most pregnant women. If you’re already a well-conditioned runner or workout star, you’ll probably be able to continue, perhaps at a lower intensity. If you’re out of shape, you shouldn’t try anything too strenuous during pregnancy. Some women should not exercise at all during pregnancy. So whether you’re a triathlete or a couch potato, you should discuss exercise with your doctor first.
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