Tips For Good Prenatal Nutrition

Pregnancy is a time to worry excessively about what you are putting into your body. You are going to get many tips from your doctor about what is good for you and what you should avoid while you are carrying your baby. There are some foods that may not always be included on the list of foods that you should be eating, but can be of great benefit if you have them a few times a week while expecting. Follow the normal guidelines for prenatal nutrition but add a few safe and beneficial extras.

Stay on course with your prenatal nutrition as told to you by your doctor. That means getting lots of fruits and vegetables and lean proteins. To be extra safe, take extra care when washing fruits and vegetables so that there are no pesticides left on anything. You should also try to steam veggies so that you do not lose a lot of nutrients by cooking them for too long. Organic foods can be great for prenatal nutrition, but remember that you will spend more to get these foods. If you can not afford the extra cost, thorough washing and proper preparation will do just fine.

Good prenatal nutrition also means drinking enough water. You should drink as much as you can comfortably. Do not drink so much that you feel uncomfortably full. You are going to feel like using the bathroom more while pregnant, so you may be tempted to drink less. That is not a wise idea. You can get fluids through other drinks but avoid things with caffeine and excessive amounts of sugar. Some believe on cup of coffee is okay per day, but talk to your doctor. Lots of sugar can be very bad if you develop gestational diabetes, so think about that as you choose your fluids.

Some sources for information on prenatal nutrition suggest that pregnant women eat a lot of nuts while they are pregnant. This is because many nuts contain essential fatty acids that aid in cell production especially in the brain. These nuts are not only good for you, they are great for the baby. Some books leave these out, but you should see about having nuts once a day as a snack. You can do some research as to what nuts are best, but walnuts and almonds are good if you are not sure. You can try to incorporate these into meals, but a handful as a snack works just as well for prenatal nutrition.

Some doctors recommend a diet very low in fats as a part of prenatal nutrition. However, like the fats in the nuts mentioned above, fat is good for you if you eat the right types. Look for healthy fats and avoid trans and saturated fats. Fat has gotten a bad rap, but if you eat the right ones, there are wonderful health benefits that come with eating them. Keep the amounts within recommended guidelines and remember to balance them with lean foods and you have a great recipe for good prenatal nutrition for both you and your baby.