| Starting off your with a healthy well balanced diet is | | | | is something that's missing from many diets. Along with |
| the best thing you do for yourself and your baby. This | | | | milk, other great sources for calcium include dairy |
| way, you'll only need to make a few adjustments | | | | products, calcium fortified juices, and even calcium |
| during your pregnancy. | | | | tablets. |
| Your first trimester | | | | Fiber |
| If you find it tough to maintain a balanced diet during | | | | Fiber can help to prevent constipation, which is a |
| your first trimester, you can rest assured that your not | | | | common pregnancy problem. You can find fiber in |
| alone. Due to queasiness, some women will eat all of | | | | whole grains, fruits, and even vegetables. Fiber |
| the time and gain a lot of weight in the process. Other | | | | supplements such as Metamucil and Citrucel are safe |
| women have trouble getting food down and | | | | to take during pregnancy. |
| subsequently lose weight. | | | | Protein |
| Preventing malnutrition and dehydration are your most | | | | Unless you happen to be a strict vegetarian, your |
| important factors during first trimester. | | | | protein intake is not normally a problem for women |
| Calories | | | | who eat a healthy diet. |
| When you are pregnant, you need to consume around | | | | Iron |
| 300 calories more than usual every day. The best | | | | A lot of women will start their pregnancy off with a bit |
| way to go about doing this is listening to your body | | | | of iron deficiency. Good sources of iron include dark |
| when you are hungry. You should try to eat as many | | | | leafy green vegetables and meats. Iron supplements |
| foods as possible from the bottom of the food | | | | should be avoided, as they can cause internal |
| pyramid. | | | | symptoms such as cramping, constipation, or diarrhea. |
| If you gain weight too slow, try eating small meals and | | | | Vitamins |
| slightly increase the fat in your diet. You should always | | | | Seeing as how you get a majority of the vitamins you |
| eat when you are hungry, as you are now eating for 2 | | | | need in your diet, you may want to discuss prenatal |
| instead of one. | | | | vitamins with your doctor. Folate is one of the most |
| Calcium | | | | important, and if you are getting enough of it, you may |
| By the second trimester, you'll need around 1,500 | | | | be able to avoid vitamins all together - just ask your |
| milligrams of calcium each day for your bones and | | | | doctor to make sure. |
| your baby', which is more than a quart of milk. Calcium | | | | |