Maintaining a balanced diet is always
important, but when you are carrying a baby, not only are you
responsible for the nutrition for your body, you are responsible for
the nutrition of your child as he or she develops. Eating a balanced
diet is more important now than ever. “Eating for two” does not
mean eating twice as much, but you will need to increase your
protein, iron, calcium, folic acid and calories. A woman who is not
pregnant needs about 2,100 calories a day, a pregnant woman needs
about 2,500 and a breastfeeding woman needs up to 3,000 calories per
day. These should not be empty calories, but good nutrition packed
calories; empty calories include soda, candy, and most other deserts.
Remember that the protein you eat now is being used to develop your
baby’s brain and muscles; Calcium is developing his or her teeth
and bones. A diet deficient in certain vitamins or minerals can have
a life-time of negative effects for you little one, such as spina
bifida or other neural tube defects. Pica, or a desire to eat
non-food items such as clay, dirt or chalk can be a sign of a
nutritional deficit.
Exercise is also important, keeping a
fitness routine throughout pregnancy can help improve sleep and
prevent or alleviate aches and pains of pregnancy including
constipation, varicose veins, and backaches. If you are new to
keeping a fitness routine, keep your exercise at a moderate level and
enjoyable. You should be able to talk during any point of your work
out, if not, you may be overdoing it. If you maintain an active
lifestyle outside of pregnancy, you may continue your normal workout
routine, but avoid activities that can involve your stomach being hit
such as kickboxing, soccer, or basketball and try to stay away from
activities that involve the risk of falling such as horseback riding
and gymnastics. Yoga and belly dancing are excellent forms of
exercise during the child bearing year and have many therapeutic
effects on the maternal body.
Remember, your baby depends on you to
maintain a healthy attitude when it comes to nutrition and exercise,
and that begins right now!
Written by Olivia Jones
