During pregnancy a baby is relying upon mom to provide them with the nutrients that they need to grow and develop. It is especially important during pregnancy to follow a general healthy diet for this reason that includes a variety of foods from each food group.However, pregnant women do have increased needs of calcium, iron and folate and for this reason of daily prenatal vitamin is recommended. Women should take a prenatal vitamin prior to conception during pregnancy and while breast feeding it is also recommended to take a DHA supplement containing at least 200 milligrams per day. DHA is an essential omega-3 fat which has been linked to brain growth. There are a few foods that are not recommended to consume during pregnancy, pregnant women should not consume unpasteurized juices,milks and soft cheeses.Lunch meat hot dogs and other cold cuts should only be consumed if they are heated until they are steaming hot red meat and eggs should also be cooked until well-done. Some fish have a high mercury content usually larger game fish such as white albacoretuna and should be limited to 6 ouncesper week fish should never be consumed raw during pregnancy adequate. Hydration is key during pregnancy, it is recommended a pregnant woman consume atleast 12 cups of water per day. It's also recommended to limit caffeine to 200 milligrams per day which is equivalent to about 12 ounces of coffee per day. Artificial sweeteners which are typically found in diet beverages should not be consumed in excess. Although momis providing baby with all the nutrition they need during pregnancy. Baby is small and therefore, has small calorie needs during the first trimester. Baby does not require any additional calories and therefore, mom doesn't. Either during the second trimester mom's calorie needs increased by 340 calories per day. During the third trimester, this increases to 450 calories per day based on your pre-pregnancy BMI. If you are a normal healthy weight you should aim to gain about 15 to 25 pounds during your pregnancy. It is also recommended to participate in physical activity once it's discussed with your doctor.
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