When women are pregnant so many things are running through their minds: happiness, excitement, where the baby will sleep, different schedules, how to rearrange everything, what to buy and what to plan for and what to expect not to mention all the doctor visits and the list goes on and on. During this time, it is especially important for women to eat healthy and to exercise. It is important that women know exactly what kind of foods they should be eating, so they can not only be and stay healthy, but so that the baby will get the proper nutrition as well.
Folate and Folic Acid are B Vitamins and are essential nutrients when you’re eating for two, folate and folic acid help prevent neural tube defects, abnormalities and brain and spinal cord problems. If women do not get enough of this during pregnancy it may increase the risk of preterm birth, low birth weight as well as poor fetal growth. This can be found in the form of folic acid and in supplements. Women may need one milligram of folic acid during their pregnancy. Folic acid can be found in foods such as: cereals, leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits and dried beans and peas.
Also, pregnant women need calcium for strong bones and teeth for themselves as well as the baby. Calcium can also help keep the circulatory, muscular and nervous systems running normally. Women who are pregnant need a recommended amount of 1,000 milligrams a day of calcium. Calcium can be found in dairy products such as milk, yogurt, cheese, and more as well as in some fortified cereals, and fruit juices.
Protein is needed to help your baby grow especially during the second and third trimester of pregnancy and it also helps keep the woman’s system in shape but helping to repair the cells as the body changes. Women who are pregnant need about seventy-one grams of protein a day.
Foods rich in protein include: lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dried beans and peas, tofu, dairy products, and peanut butter. Iron is also extremely important during pregnancy. It helps to carry oxygen throughout your body and to the baby and it also helps a woman’s body from getting too tired and unable to fight off infections. If women do not get enough iron, they may increase their chances of low birth weight and preterm delivery. Pregnant women need 27 milligrams of iron a day. Foods rich in iron include things such as: lean red meat, poultry, fish, fortified cereals, nuts and dried fruit.
It is also important for women to take prenatal vitamins and to ask their doctor about supplements and continue to exercise and to stay healthy.
Pregnancy is a very exciting and happy time for most women and it is important to remember the proper nutrition and exercise plans during this very important and exciting time. It is not only important for the baby but for the mother-to-be as well. If the mother stays healthy and active then the baby has a great chance of being healthy as well and living a long and healthy life.