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A Vegetarian Pregnancy Diet
If you are a lacto-ovo vegetarian your vegetarian pregnancy diet will be similar to the basic prenatal nutrition plan.
If you eat no dairy or eggs you'll want to look over the vegan pregnancy guidelines. Visit those pages after you've finished here :)
As a vegetarian your nutritional needs are the same as your omnivore sister's needs. You simply meet them in a different way. You may need to be more diligent in making sure that you get all you need in your vegetarian pregnancy diet.
Protein is especially important to excellent pregnatal nutrition. There are plenty of ways for you to get protein in a vegetarian pregnancy diet. Milk (or soymilk) and eggs are an abundant source. Beans and soy products such as tofu and tempeh are also wonderful sources.
The dietary recommendations listed here are based on the research and case studies of the late Dr. Tom Brewer. Brewer achieved excellent success for twelve years using these recommendations with some of the most at-risk mothers in Contra Costa County (CA, USA), and many midwives recommend pregnancy diet components in line with his.
You should always consult a nutritionist if you have any health problems that may require a specialized vegetarian pregnancy diet. For most women, these recommendations are sound and help build healthy baby. If you are expecting twins your nutritional needs during pregnancy increase even more! Good prenatal nutrition is the cornerstone for any pregnancy.
It may seem like this is a lot of food to eat, but if you graze throughout the day, you'll find that it's easy to get everything in.
Dairy
Enjoy around four serving of dairy foods each day. These can include milk, cheese, yogurt, kefir, or other dairy products. You might prefer goat milk products. Dairy products give a lot of "nutritional bang for their buck." You get a lot of vitamins and minerals as well as a good amount of protein. Protein is vital to a great vegetarian pregnancy diet. A serving of most dairy foods is around 8oz of protein, but if you enjoy cottage cheese you'll get a lot more protein in each serving!
You can also choose soy milk. If you decide to go with soy milk have some high-calcium foods along with it. Many nuts give plenty of calcium and add in extra protein too. They also give you iron.
Eggs
Eggs are also little nutritional powerhouses. Add two a day in with four servings of dairy every day, they give you about half of the protein you need each day =D Eggs also have a lot of iron. Enjoy eggs with one of your vitamin C rich foods for even better iron absorption.
Protein Foods
You'll need six servings from this group. If you eat fish or poultry these satisfy this requirement. About 1oz is equal to one serving. You can also enjoy beans, nuts, and soy products (tofu, tempeh) to fill this requirement in your vegetarian pregnancy diet. Whole grains are another source of protein as are some fresh veggies (such as spinach), but you'll need to eat more of them to equal one protein serving (you want about 8oz of protein per serving.)
Plant based proteins are not complete (with the exception of the grain quinoa), and they need to be combined with another plant protein or a small amount of animal protein. Some people will advise that you plan out your protein combinations. You probably don't need to do this - it will occur naturally in a varied vegetarian pregnancy diet.
Your body is smart and will put together what it needs to. Additionally, many of our traditional meals already make combinations - Mexican beans and tortillas or tofu stir-fry and rice, for instance.
Whole Grains/Carbohydrates
You'll want to have around five servings of whole grains each day. These grains will give you carbohydrates that your body needs. Carbohydrates are burned for energy. It's important to get enough carbohydrates! Otherwise your body will burn protein that you and your baby need. Your vegetarian pregnancy diet gives you an advantage because you'll probably get more grains and carbohydrates naturally.
Whole grains are the best carbohydrate to get because they provide you with vitamins, minerals, and small amounts of protein. You get B vitamins from whole grains, which are essential for your body. You'll also get folic acid, an essential nutrient for your baby.
Wheat, oats, rice, corn, and other whole grains are all a good choice. You can enjoy them as breads, pastas, breakfast porridges, cooked rice, or other tasty of whole grain dishes.
Many fruits and vegetables in your vegetarian pregnancy diet have generous servings of carbohydrates as well and you can have them. Potatoes, berries, squashes, and other fruits often fill requirements. Raisins can also count as a serving (and gives you some iron).
Vitamin C foods
These foods are often a favorite! Have a couple of servings each day of a vitamin C rich food. Again a vegetarian pregnancy diet gives you an advantage; you're probably incorporating a lot of vitamin C rich foods into your meals already. Oranges and tomatoes are favorite vitamin C rich foods. You may also love cantaloupe and strawberries! Many fruits are rich in vitamin C. Try and enjoy one with your eggs every day to aid good iron absorption.
Fats and Oils
You need good fats and oils in moderation. They add flavor to foods and they help your body absorb essential nutrients from your other foods. Butter and olive oil are both very good fats to choose to lightly flavor your foods. Having some fats in your diet also helps your skin and gives you calories. You need calories for energy; otherwise your body will burn protein it needs for you and baby.
Have around 5 fat servings each day. 1 serving is equal to about 1 pat of butter or 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Mayonnaise, salad dressings, a handful of nuts, sour cream, and chocolate all have enough fat in them to count as a serving as well. Coconut oil is a good choice for cooking as you prepare your vegetarian pregnancy diet. Most of time your fat servings will be incorporated with other foods in your pregnancy diet.
Vitamin A foods
Vitamin A helps protect your body from infection. Have one serving each day. Your body will assimilate and produce the amount of vitamin A it needs from your food choice each day. Cantaloupe, pumpkin, and sweet potatoes all have plenty of beta carotene. Deep yellow fruits and vegetables are often a good source. Sometimes your body may have trouble turning beta carotene into Vitamin A. Consider taking cod liver oil daily.
Salt
Salt to taste during pregnancy. Your blood volume will expand dramatically during pregnancy, especially in the third trimester. Salt helps your body retain this expanded blood volume. Drink plenty of water, salt to taste, and use the bathroom frequently. Getting plenty of protein and a complete balanced diet will help ensure your excellent health during pregnancy. Salt does not cause abnormal swelling during pregnancy - if you have abnormal amounts of swelling, contact a care provider.
Water
Drink 8-10 glasses of water every day. This helps your body clear all the wastes that need to be cleared, it helps keep you regular, and it helps with your expanding blood volume.
Snacks
If you've eaten everything recommended for a vegetarian pregnancy diet and are still hungry choose nutritious snacks to satisfy your hunger. If you are carrying multiples, you will need to do more snacking because you'll need additional protein and nutrients. Snack with healthy foods and you'll find you grow a healthy baby!
Supplements
Most care providers feel that if you're eating an excellent diet then you don't need supplements. But you may still like the extra assurance of a good prental vitamin. It helps to assure that you get everything you need, and is especially good in the first trimester when your baby has so many critical periods of development. You'll want to choose a vitamin that includes B12. Also take supplement of essential fatty acids such as flax seed or cod liver oil. EFA's are being shown to be good for brain development as well overall development - they are a good addition to your vegetarian pregnancy diet.
As a vegetarian, you can consider a few other supplements to help keep your iron levels high (you can also consider these if you eat meat but are anemic.) One tablespoon of blackstrap molasses a day and one tablespoon of Brewer's yeast (not baking yeast) are good for helping your iron stores. Prune juice is very high in iron. Drink a cup a day if your iron levels need boosting. If you must take an iron supplement try an herbal iron liquid ideal for a vegetarian pregnancy diet - which may be more absorbable.