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An Excellent Pregnancy Diet

An excellent pregnancy diet gives your baby the best start in life. Many cultures the world over feed pregnant women a special diet. They even feed women planning to conceive a special diet!

Sally Fallon's book Nourishing Traditions is sprinkled with interesting information on pre-conception and pregnancy nutrition in traditional cultures. It's a fascinating read for the pregnant chef ;)

Many midwives and doctors believe good nutrition gives you and your baby a solid foundation. They also believe good prenatal nutrition is a way to prevent many pregnancy complications.

Diet may not be the whole answer to complex prenatal problems but it doesn't hurt to be proactive about your prenatal nutrition. It is an easy step you can take to have a naturally healthy baby!

If you have a pre-existing medical condition it's prudent to structure your diet with the help of your doctor or midwife. Also seek the advice of a nutritionist who specializes in pregnancy nutrition.

The Basics of Pregnancy Diet

Pregnancy diet is a cornerstone of good prenatal care - and it's almost entirely up to you. Cutting out junky foods and adding good whole foods is the way to go during pregnancy.

A good pregnancy diet helps you feel better and prepares your body - giving you an excellent chance at a wonderful natural birth. Pregnancy is not a time to loose weight or to go on restrictive diets that may compromise the health of you or your child!

Pregnancy creates nutritional stress for every woman - you are building another human being! Even if you eat well regularly you'll probably want to make some changes to create a good pregnancy diet.

A whole foods selection is the basis of a good pregnancy diet. So many special factors come into consideration with pregnancy. Protein forms the building blocks of your baby and is a solid foundation to build your pregnancy diet on. Get plenty of protein! Protein is not the only consideration, however.

Fresh Fruits, Veggies, and Good Grains

Getting an ample selection of fresh vegetables and fruits will nourish you and help your baby to grow strong. Antioxidants and nutrients in fresh produce are excellent. A wide selection of colors is a good choice in fruits.

Leafy green vegetables and deep orange produce are especially important. These help regulate your digestive system and provide rich antioxidants from a natural, food based source. In addition, fresh produce can provide folic acid - a nutrient vitally important to your growing baby.

You'll also want to be sure that you're getting good whole grains into your diet. Whole grains help regulate your digestive system and may ease pregnancy related constipation. You can choose from breads, rice, oats, barely, and many other grains.

Important Iron

A good iron level is important to pregnancy. Try to get good, iron rich foods instead of simply relying on an iron pill. Some women find iron pills are constipating.

Food based iron sources are egg yolks, meats, molasses, and raisins. Enjoying a vitamin C rich food with your iron rich food is a great idea. The vitamin C boosts the absorption of iron in your blood. Have your eggs with a glass of OJ at breakfast!

Another simple way to get iron is to cook using a cast iron pan. This will give you trace amounts of iron. If you're having trouble with your iron levels do consider a supplement - a natural prenatal or an herbal iron supplement will be absorbed better than most iron pills. You can also try animal foods rich in iron.

Vitamins

B complex vitamins have been studied in recent years and some researchers have found them to be helpful in alleviating morning sickness.

You will get plenty of B vitamins in your excellent pregnancy diet; however, if you're having problems with morning sickness you can consider a B-complex supplement. Choose a supplement that has all B vitamins, or choose a natural prenatal that includes them all.

A wide, colorful selection of fresh foods will ensure that you are getting the vitamins and minerals that you need for a healthy pregnancy diet.

I Need to Eat That Much!?

If you feel overwhelmed about eating "so much food" every day the first thing to do is to examine what you already eat. Cut out any empty calories and junk food!

A bowl of ice cream occasionally is OK, but you will want to focus on eating what you and your baby need. Think of it this way - after your baby is born you'll feed him or her the very best, and you wouldn't dream of not feeding your hungry baby! So feed yourself and your baby the very best now, and eat enough!

Eat three meals a day and a morning and afternoon snack. Then eat a small snack just before bed. You'll find that you are able to eat everything you need to have a great pregnancy diet! Some women like to have a small protein-rich or fresh fruit snack when they get up at night to use the bathroom. It helps ward off morning sickness the next morning.

An important note: you need to have a strong caloric intake every day. If you eat plenty of protein, but skimp on overall calories, you body ends up using the protein to make up for the calorie deficit. As you can imagine, this doesn't allow you and your baby to fill your high protein needs.

Your pregnancy diet should include plenty of protein and calories. You are feeding yourself and your baby! The key to remember is to get nutrition packed calories, instead of empty calories. Round out your pregnancy diet with a natural prenatal vitamin for some "extra insurance."

Your Baby is Priceless

Are you overwhelmed with the thought of how much a good pregnancy diet will cost? Pregnancy nutrition does not need to be expensive.

Milk and eggs are relatively inexpensive compared to meats, and give a great "nutritional bang for their buck." Beans are also an excellent protein source, and a very inexpensive. You can choose fresh fruits and veggies that are inexpensive. Choose to buy a head of romaine or green leaf lettuce instead of a bagged salad. You will get a lot more for your dollar.

An excellent pregnancy diet is the cornerstone to having a healthy baby. It is totally under your control and it is totally your responsibility. Read all you can about pregnancy nutrition. Take a complete prenatal vitamin (natural is best) to ensure that you're getting that extra insurance. And pay attention to what you eat - a treat every once in awhile is ok!

Enjoy the benefits that great prenatal nutrition brings to you and your baby!

Dedicated to the memory of
Dr. Tom Brewer
Passed away November 22, 2005
A man who believed that an
excellent pregnancy diet can save
women and babies
This page continues his dream
that every woman should know!
Consider his work carefully

Natural Birth and Baby Care.com : Pregnancy : Pregnancy Diet