When you are expecting, your unborn baby relies on you to get the calcium, folic acid, iron, protein and omega-3 he needs to grow healthy and strong in the womb.
A good diet for pregnancy will contain all of these nutrients and more.
Foods That Contain Calcium, Iron and Protein Calcium is important for the growth of healthy bones in your fetus.
This mineral is also vital for the nerves and muscles to function properly.
If you don't get enough calcium in your diet, your baby will take what he needs from your bones and deplete your reserves.
When this happens, your bones will weaken and your risk of osteoporosis will increase.
Dairy is not the healthiest or most efficient way to get calcium in your diet during pregnancy.
Pasteurization makes 50-percent of the calcium in dairy unusable by the body.
Vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and fish are better options for this mineral.
Foods that contain calcium include: •sardines with bones •salmon •cauliflower •broccoli •cabbage •kale •okra •oranges •bok choy •turnip greens •hazelnuts •blueberries •sesame seeds •collard greens •mulberries •grapefruits •almonds Iron is vital for the formation of hemoglobin to help carry oxygen through the body.
When you don't get enough of this nutrient during pregnancy, your baby will take what he needs from your iron reserves and put you at risk for iron-deficient anemia.
Iron deficiency can cause weakness, fatigue, dizziness, poor concentration, headaches and cold hands and feet.
Foods that contain iron include organic lean meats, green leafy vegetables, free-range poultry and fresh fish.
Getting enough protein during your second trimester of pregnancy is important for the healthy formation of your unborn baby's internal organs, toes, muscles, fingers, hair and nails.
To make sure you get enough of this nutrient in your diet, include a source of protein with each meal.
Protein-rich foods include beans, organic meats, organic poultry, eggs and fish.
Foods That Contain Folic Acid and Omega-3 Folic acid can reduce the risk of spina bifida in your baby.
Spina bifida is a defect that causes the spinal column not to close properly before birth.
The exact cause of spina bifida is not known, but the absence of folic acid in the body during the early stages of pregnancy can increase the risk of this condition.
Spina bifida usually develops within the first few weeks of pregnancy, so experts recommend all women of childbearing age get at least 400 micrograms of folic acid in their diets before they get pregnant.
During pregnancy, the recommended amount of folic acid increases to 600 micrograms.
Even though prenatal vitamins usually contain 800 micrograms of folic acid, you should still include plenty of foods that contain this nutrient in your pregnancy diet.
Folic-acid rich foods include: •green leafy vegetables such as spinach •citrus fruits such as oranges and grapefruits •beans •raw nuts Omega-3 fatty acids are found in high concentrations in the brain.
This nutrient is essential for the healthy development of your unborn baby's brain, retinas and nervous system.
Babyies who are exposed to adequate amounts of omega-3 in the womb have been shown to have longer attention spans and greater visual acuity than kids who were not exposed to enough of this nutrient in utero.
When you are pregnant, your baby relies on the foods you eat to provide him with the nutrients he needs for optimum health.
A good diet for pregnancy should consist of enough calcium, iron, protein, folic acid and omega-3 to meet your growing baby's needs.