Nutrition and your Developing Baby

Even before pregnancy begins, nutrition is a primary factor in the health of mother and baby. If you are eating a well-balanced diet before you become pregnant, you will only need to make a few changes to meet the nutritional needs of pregnancy.

According to the USDA Department of Health and Human Services Food Guide Pyramid, pregnant women should increase their usual daily servings of a variety of foods to include at least the following:

3 to 5 servings of vegetables
	2 to 4 servings of fruit
6 or more servings of bread, cereal rice or pasta
	2 to 3 servings of milk, yogurt or cheese
2 to 3 servings of meat, poultry, fish, dried beans, eggs or nuts

Eating a well-balanced diet while you are pregnant will help to keep you and your baby healthy. Most physicians agree that the Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs), except those for iron and folate, can be obtained through a proper diet.

What should I make sure to include in my diet?
As a pregnant woman, you need more nutrients to help your baby grow and be healthy. There are other dietary additions you will need:

• Calcium: The daily recommended amount of calcium in pregnancy increases by 400 milligrams for women over 24 years of age and 600 milligrams for teenage women. The minimum number of servings from the milk group needed per day is two to three. One serving of milk is 1 cup. One serving of cheese is 1 1/2 ounces.
• Folate: To help prevent birth defects, it is important to get enough daily folate before as well as during pregnancy. Be sure to include foods high in folate, such as orange juice, strawberries, spinach, broccoli, beans and fortified breads and breakfast cereals.
  Prenatal supplements contain folic acid (another form of folate). Look for a supplement that has at least 400 micrograms (0.4 milligrams) of folic acid and always talk to your health care provider before taking any supplements.
• Fluids: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water, during pregnancy. A woman's blood volume increases dramatically during pregnancy. Drinking at least eight glasses of water a day can help prevent common problems such as dehydration and constipation.

To find out what other nutrients are important during pregnancy and how much you need, ask your doctor or nurse.

Visit Baby Your Baby for more information on nutrition during pregnancy.

Source: "Fit For Two" NIH Publication No. 02-5130 NIDDK Dec., 2002