Pregnancy Nutrition
How you eat is super important now that you've got a bun in the oven! If you already ate a balanced diet pre-pregnancy, you probably won't need to make any dramatic changes to maintain good pregnancy nutrition. But if you've got unhealthy eating habits, you should probably cut them out even before you get pregnant.
Here are just a few things NOT to eat (or to limit) when trying to conceive or when pregnant:
report abuseHere are just a few things NOT to eat (or to limit) when trying to conceive or when pregnant:
- Alcohol: An occasional glass of wine probably won't hurt your baby, but you might as well be on the safe side and eliminate alcohol entirely.
- Caffeine: No need to cut out caffeine entirely, but you should try to stay under 300 milligrams a day.
- Fish: Fish is actually very healthy in general, but if you are considering getting pregnant or are already pregnant, you should limit consumption of types of fish that contain high levels of mercury, a toxin that can harm your baby. Fish to avoid are shark, swordfish, tilefish, and king mackerel. So go ahead and have salmon or canned light tuna once or twice a week!
- Processed meats: Women should limit the amount of processed meats they eat. And stay away from smoked and raw meats, they are not safe during pregnancy. If you eat meats like hotdogs or meat from the deli, make sure that you heat them until they are steaming hot.
Overall, experts agree that a balanced diet including a variety of fruits and vegetables is the best way to get all the vitamins and minerals that you need. But if you have a hectic lifestyle you might benefit from supplements such as prenatal vitamins to ensure that you're getting enough vitamins and minerals like folic acid, calcium, and iron to maintain good pregnancy nutrition.
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