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Eating Right While Pregnant

Edited by Tracy C. Shuman, MD
What to eat when expecting
Healthy eating in pregnancy, and enough of it, is very important for your baby to grow and develop. You should consume about 300 more calories per day than you did before you became pregnant. Although nausea and vomiting during the first few months of pregnancy can make this difficult, try to eat a well balanced diet and take prenatal vitamins. Here are some recommendations to keep you and your baby healthy.

Goals for healthy eating
  • Eat a variety of foods to get all the nutrients you need. Recommended daily servings: six to 11 servings of breads and grains; two to four servings of fruit; four or more servings of vegetables; four servings of dairy products; three servings of protein sources—meat, poultry, fish, eggs or nuts. Use fats and sweets sparingly.
  • Choose foods high in fiber that are enriched such as whole-grain breads, cereals, pasta, rice, fruits and vegetables.
  • Make sure you are getting enough vitamins and minerals in your daily diet. You should take a prenatal vitamin supplement to make sure you are consistently getting enough vitamins and minerals every day. Your doctor can recommend an over-the-counter brand or prescribe a prenatal vitamin for you.
  • Eat and drink at least four servings of dairy products and calcium-rich foods a day to help ensure that you are getting 1,000 to 1,300mg of calcium in your daily diet.
  • Eat at least three servings of iron-rich foods per day to ensure you are getting 27mg of iron in your daily diet.
  • Choose at least one good source of vitamin C every day, which include: oranges, grapefruits, strawberries, honeydew, papaya, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, green peppers, tomatoes and mustard greens. Pregnant women need 70mg of vitamin C a day.
  • Choose at least one good source of folic acid every day, which include: dark green leafy vegetables, veal and legumes (lima beans, black beans, black-eyed peas and chickpeas). Every pregnant woman needs at least 0.4mg of folic acid per day to help prevent neural tube defects such as spina bifida.
  • Choose at least one source of vitamin A every other day. Sources of vitamin A include: carrots, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, spinach, water squash, turnip greens, beet greens, apricots and cantaloupe. Know that excessive vitamin A intake (>10,000 IU/day) may be associated with fetal malformations.


WebMD Medical Reference provided in collaboration with the Cleveland Clinic on November 1, 2005

SOURCE: The National Women's Health Information Center. Reviewed by the Cleveland Clinic Birthing Services and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Portions © The Cleveland Clinic 2000-2002.

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