Nutrition in Pregnancy
Nutrition in pregnancy is similar to nutrition in general, it varies from person to person. Every female is going to have a different experience walking through their pregnancy, and with that comes a unique and adaptable nutrition journey that ultimately best supports baby and mama.
There is no one size fits all approach to nutrition during pregnancy, but there are some basic tenants to focus on to promote optimal health for both growing bodies during the process.
Macronutrients:
Protein, carbohydrates, and fat are essential to a healthy, sustainable, and functioning body. Throughout pregnancy, it’s important to get the appropriate amount of macronutrients to support a continuously changing and growing body, which may require a change in macronutrients from time to time to ensure your intake is keeping up with growth and development of baby. This is not a time to be in a cut or caloric deficit, it is a time to listen closely to your bodies hunger cues, adjusting to flexible eating, and fueling the body properly.
Protein:
Protein helps build and repair muscle, promote cellular function, support immune function, and contribute to DNA replication and repair. And while you are growing and creating a baby, your body is doing a lot of these things for your little one. Protein is incredibly important during pregnancy not only for mom’s muscle and body tissue maintenance, but also for the proper growth and development of baby.
*Protein may range from 0.7-1 gram of protein per pound of body weight
Carbohydrates:
Carbohydrates are essential to sustain energy and provide nutrients to baby and mama. There are two types of carbs, and both can impact and feed the body in different ways. Complex carbs stay in their natural state once you eat them, which in turn will keep you more full for a longer period of time because they are broken down by the body at a slow state. Some examples of complex carbs include:
Fruits and vegetables
Potatoes
Oatmeal and whole grains
Rice and beans
Simple carbs break down a lot quicker than complex carbs which, in turn, gives the body a quick blast of sugar. Because these break down quickly, they are much less satiating and sustaining for our bodies, and don’t provide and adequate amount of micronutrients. Just like anything in life, it’s all about balance. Simple carbs shouldn’t be labeled as ‘bad’, they should just be balanced out properly with nutrient-dense, whole, fresh, complex carbohydrates. Some examples of simple carbs are:
Pasta and white bread
Cookies and candy
Syrups
Soft drinks and soda
Fat:
Fat is essential in regulating hormones, absorbing important vitamins and minerals in the body, and can act as an energy source. Fats are important, pregnant or not, but during pregnancy fat is crucial during the development of the babies brain and eyes. Pregnancy isn’t a time to be eating a low fat diet, so you want to make sure fats make up at least 30% of your total caloric intake.
While macronutrients are incredibly important, it’s important not to forget about micronutrients during pregnancy. There are a few specific micronutrients to focus on during the growth of your baby. Micronutrients primarily come from the fruits and vegetables we consume, and are made up of vitamins and minerals.
Calcium:
Calcium promotes healthy bones and teeth and can help prevent blood clotting.
Examples of calcium rich foods:
dairy products such as cheese, yogurt, milk, as well as juices and canned fish (with the bones included).
Vitamin D:
Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium, and supports the bodies nerves, muscles, and immune system function. By supporting your immune system, you are able to better fight off infection which is important during pregnancy.
Examples of Vitamin D rich foods:
fatty fish (salmon)
Folate/Folic Acid:
Helps with skull, brain, and spinal cord development.
Examples of foods containing folate/folic acid:
Broccoli, beans and nuts, oranges, leafy greens
Iodine:
Iodine is crucial for creating thyroid hormones, which helps the body use and store energy from the food you consume. Iodine supports babies nervous system development, which allows baby to feel, think, and move properly.
Examples of iodine rich foods:
fish, dairy products, iodized salt)
Iron:
Iron can help prevent premature delivery and anemia throughout pregnant, and can help prevent a low birth weight at delivery.
Examples of iron rich foods:
meats, dried fruit, oatmeal, grains
*The prenatal vitamin you are taking is likely to have a lot of these micronutrients already provided in the capsule, but if it doesn’t simply add in foods that are high in the specific micronutrient that is lacking in your prenatal.
This is the beginning of such a beautiful journey in your life. Enjoy the little moments of every pregnancy no matter the situation, and remember to stop and recognize the incredible things going on in your body as you grow new life. Focus on being aware of your intake and making the most nourishing choices for you and baby.
