Importance Of Good Nutrition During Pregnancy

Your Baby Is What You Eat

By Jarrett Kruse

The old expression “you’re eating for two” used to summarize our knowledge about the importance of nutrition during pregnancy. Thanks goodness our knowledge about diet and nutrition has progressed, and eating for two now means eater smarter and only a little more—certainly not twice as much. Too much weight gain contributes to back pain. Good nutrition during pregnancy not only gives your baby the best chance of a healthy start in life, but it gives you the best chance of a healthy pregnancy and easier delivery. Recognizing the importance of nutrition and the role of diet during pregnancy can help reduce lower and upper back pain, decrease the incidence of insomnia during pregnancy, and combat symptoms such as heartburn.

Eating healthy is never more important than it is during pregnancy. Choosing s diet rich in lean proteins, vegetables and whole grains as well as high in protein gives the best nourishment to the baby, and also allows for the most stable health for the mother. An excess of processed foods and refined sugar can introduce unhealthy chemical additives to the baby and cause more dramatic reactions in pregnant women than they normally would experience. Her are a few nutritional guidelines to follow:

  • Don’t overeat. You’ll add to your feeling of discomfort, including heartburn, especially as your pregnancy progresses. Take smaller, more frequent meals if necessary. Add only about 300-400 calories a day over your normal diet during the last two trimesters of your pregnancy.
  • Avoid an excess of refined sugar. Pregnancy increases the rate of absorption of sugar, making your pancreas work harder and destabilizing your blood sugar. It also causes excess weight gain without nutritional benefit for your baby.
  • Eat a diet of fresh vegetables, grains, and other vitamin and mineral-rich foods. Eat lean proteins and avoid chemicals, including fish with high levels of mercury. Have about a gram of calcium a day
  • Drink plenty of water—staying hydrated makes you less vulnerable to infection and keeps your system working better.