Eating well can help you have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.
- Don't forget breakfast.
- Eat foods with fiber.
- Choose healthy snacks.
- Take a prenatal vitamin with iron and folic acid every day.
- Eat up to 12 ounces a week (2 average meals) of fish or shellfish.
- Stay away from soft cheeses and lunch meat.
- 1. Don't forget breakfast.
- Try fortified ready-to-eat or cooked breakfast cereals with fruit. Fortified cereals have added nutrients, like calcium.
- If you are feeling sick, start with whole wheat toast. Eat more food later in the morning.
- Try fortified ready-to-eat or cooked breakfast cereals with fruit. Fortified cereals have added nutrients, like calcium.
- If you are feeling sick, start with whole wheat toast. Eat more food later in the morning.
2. Eat foods with fiber.
- Choose a variety of vegetables and fruits, like carrots, cooked greens, bananas, and melon.
- Eat plenty of beans and whole grains. Try brown rice or oatmeal
- 3. Choose healthy snacks.
- Low-fat or fat-free yogurt with fruit
- Whole grain crackers with fat-free or low-fat cheese
4. Take a prenatal vitamin with iron and folic acid every day.Iron keeps your blood healthy. Folic acid helps prevent birth defects.5. Eat up to 12 ounces a week (2 average meals) of fish or shellfish.- A 3-ounce serving is about the size of a deck of cards.
- Avoid fish and shellfish with high levels of mercury. Don't eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish.
- If you eat tuna, choose canned light tuna. Albacore (white) tuna has more mercury.
- Common fish that are low in mercury include shrimp, salmon, and catfish.
- Soft cheeses like feta, Brie, and goat cheese
- Uncooked or undercooked meats or fish (like sushi)
- Lunch meats and hot dogs unless they are heated until steaming hot
- Drink decaffeinated coffee or tea.
- Drink water or seltzer instead of soda.
- Don't drink alcohol.
6. Stay away from soft cheeses and lunch meat.
Some foods may have bacteria that can hurt your baby. Don't eat:
7. Limit caffeine and avoid alcohol.
