Why A Good Pregnancy Diet Is Essential To The Well-Being Of Your Unborn Child

By: Roger Noonan Click author's name for more of his/her articles

Perhaps one of the absolute best things you could possibly do while anxiously preparing for the birth of your precious baby is following a good healthy pregnancy diet, and making sure that proper nutrition is a top priority. A baby relies totally upon its mother for everything he or she needs to develop properly not only within the womb, but also throughout the crucial formative years to follow.

Pregnancy nutrition is an essential aspect of your babys growth and development and the foods eaten during those nine months can have a great impact on a baby's entire life. If you or someone you know is pregnant, it's imperative to learn as much as possible about diet, pregnancy nutrition, vitamins, minerals, and all of the foods you should, or shouldn't, be eating during this incredibly exciting time.

Although the basic foundation for a healthy pregnancy diet stays the same when pregnant, there are other special considerations to think about when it comes to pregnancy nutrition. While you are certainly eating for two now, that doesn't mean you should be eating twice as much food.

Gaining weight is one of the facts of pregnancy, and its evidence that the baby is growing strong and healthy. However too much weight gain can pose problems for both you and your baby. Alternately, pregnant women who don't gain enough weight while pregnant are putting their baby at risk for a host of serious complications ranging from heart and lung problems to premature birth.

With plenty of water, exercise and a pregnancy diet that's free of excess sugars, processed foods, and unhealthy fats, the usual physical symptoms like constipation, heartburn, and nausea associated with being pregnant can be significantly reduced, or even avoided altogether.

You will, however, need plenty of protein while pregnant to promote your baby's growth and to help develop a healthy brain, and the benefits of protein also extend to you as they promote healthier uterine and breast tissue. 75 to 100 grams of protein per day is the usual recommendation for a healthy pregnancy diet.

Getting enough calcium while expecting is also important and experts recommend an average of 1000 milligrams per day to help make baby's teeth and bones strong and to help your body to regulate the extra fluids it will be generating. Also, at least 85 milligrams of vitamin C is recommended per day for healthy teeth and bones as well as wound healing and promoting metabolic processes.

A well balanced pregnancy diet will also include a combination of iron along with sodium and potassium to prevent the mother from becoming anaemic and to regulate blood volumes. 27 milligrams of iron per day is the ideal intake while pregnant.

Also, folic acid is an essential part of pregnancy nutrition as it plays a major role in reducing risks of birth defects including spina bifida. Good sources of folate include dark, green leafy vegetables and fruits like oranges, strawberries, and tomatoes, or whole grains and legumes.

There are some other nutritional concerns regarding diet while pregnant such as avoiding undercooked meats as well as raw and seared fish and any fish that may contain methyl mercury which could cause serious problems for the developing foetus.

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