FIRST STEP IS TO REMEMBER YOU ARE NOT “EATING FOR
TWO!” JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE PREGNANT, DOES NOT MEAN
YOU WANT TO DOUBLE YOUR CALORIE INTAKE OR EAT
LARGER PORTIONS. BEING PREGNANT DOES NOT MEAN YOU
CAN EAT ANYTHING YOU WANT. EACH TRIMESTER YOU CAN
ADD A FEW CALORIES AND DIFFERENT FOODS. REMEMBER,
WHAT YOU EAT IS WHAT FUELS YOUR BABY’S DEVELOPMENT
FROM HEAD TO TOE.
FIRST TRIMESTER:
CALORIES: IN THE FIRST TRIMESTER YOU REALLY DO NOT
NEED TO INCREASE CALORIES. 2,000 CALORIES A DAY IS
THE AVERAGE.
IF YOU ARE HAVING A LITTLE NAUSEA, TRY EATING
SMALL PORTIONS THROUGH OUT THE DAY, INSTEAD OF 3
BIG MEALS. DRINKING GINGER TEA CAN HELP WITH
DIGESTION AND FEELING NAUSEOUS.
FOLATE AND FOLIC ACID: FOLATE IS VITAMIN B9, IT
COMES NATURALLY IN FOOD. FOLIC ACID IS THE
SYNTHETIC VERSION OF FOLATE. YOU GET IT IN
SUPPLEMENTS AND FORTIFIED FOODS. FOLATES ARE
IMPORTANT EARLY IN THE PREGNANCY TO HELP WITH
BRAIN AND SPINE DEVELOPMENT. FOODS WITH FOLATE
ARE – BLACK BEANS, SUNFLOWER SEEDS, ASPARAGUS,
BROCCOLI, GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLES, BERRIES, LENTILS,
ORANGES, AND NUTS.
PROTEIN: EATING PROTEIN HELPS MOM AND THE BABY.
IT HELPS WITH MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT FOR THE BABY
AND UTERINE TISSUE GROWTH FOR MOM. 75 GRAMS A
DAY IS A GOOD START. FOODS WITH PROTEIN ARE:
EGGS, BEANS, CHICKEN, EDAMAME, YOGURT, SALMON,
NUTS AND LEAN RED MEAT.
CALCIUM: CALCIUM IS IMPORTANT FOR TEETH AND
BONES. TRY YOGURT AND HARD CHEESES.
IRON: DURING PREGNANCY YOU NEED TO DOUBLE YOUR
AMOUNT OF IRON. MOST PRE-NATAL VITAMINS
CONTAIN IRON. IRON MAKES MORE BLOOD IN ORDER
TO SUPPLY THE BABY WITH OXYGEN.
SECOND TRIMESTER:
CALORIES: INCREASE YOUR CALORIES BY 300. EATING
SMALL MEALS WILL HELP WITH DIGESTION AND FEELING
FULL AS THE BABY GROWS.
FIBER: EATING FIBER RICH FOODS WILL HELP WITH
CONSTIPATION. TRY SWEET POTATOES, BROCCOLI,
APPLES, AVOCADOS, POPCORN AND BEANS.
VITAMIN C: START EATING RED PEPPERS, BROCCOLI,
STRAWBERRIES AND BLUEBERRIES.
THIRD TRIMESTER:
CALORIES: ADDING ANOTHER 400 CALORIES TO YOUR
DIET KEEPS THE WEIGHT AT THE RIGHT AMOUNT. THE
BABY, AT THIS STAGE, IS GROWING RAPIDLY.
OMEGA-3: KEEPING UP WITH PROTEINS, AND NUTRIENTS
IS IMPORTANT, ADDING OMEGA -3, OR HEALTHY FATS
HELP WITH THE BABIES BRAIN DEVELOPMENT AND
POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION. OLIVE OIL, SALMON, EGGS,
AND NUTS.
WATER, WATER, WATER AND WATER IS IMPORTANT FOR ALL
TRIMESTERS!
FOODS TO AVOID:
NO SOFT CHEESES!
EAT NOTHING THAT IS “UNPASTEURIZED”!
WASH ALL FRUITS AND VEGETABLES!
NO SUSHI OR RAW FISH!
NO UNDER COOKED MEATS!
ALWAYS SPEAK WITH YOUR DOCTOR AND ENJOY ALL 9
MONTHS!
