Yes, you will be eating for two when you’re pregnant. This does not allow you, however, to eat anything you want and as much as you want. Sorry to have to tell you that. When you are pregnant, your diet is even more important that it is any other time. You are feeding your baby and giving him the nutrients to develop properly.

What happens if you don’t pay attention and eat right? Your baby could develop deformities. You could miscarry. You could end up in the hospital.

It’s smart to eat good foods for pregnant women. Here are a few suggestions to help you eat an overall healthy diet during pregnancy. Talk with your doctor about what is the best diet for pregnancy and follow his or her advice.

A Good Pregnancy Diet

• Eat your raw vegetables – They are very high in vitamins that you and your baby need. If you do cook them, steam them. You don’t want to cook out the nutrients you need. You really can’t eat too many of them. Keep a package with you at work and for after workouts. Vegetables are a very important part of a healthy diet. Fresh veggies are always the best, but frozen is good. Choose canned last as they might contain additional material that you don’t want.
• Eat your fruit – Fresh fruit is great for a pregnancy diet. They are full of what you need and you can’t get enough of them. Eat fresh, frozen, or canned. That order is the preferred.
• Eat your starches – You don’t want too many starches especially if you have gestational diabetes, but you can’t totally eliminate them from your diet. You need the energy that comes with them. The foods in this category include your pastas, breads, potatoes, oats, rice, and corn.
• Eat your dairy – When you eat your dairy, you are taking in much needed calcium. This gives you strong bones and healthy hair. Calcium is also very important in the development of your baby’s neurological system. Milk, cheese, and yogurt should be big parts of your diet. They make for great snacks.
• Eat your protein – Proteins are building blocks in your child’s development. Eat meat, fish, eggs, nuts, and beans. Avoid organ meats during pregnancy. Make sure all meats are cooked thoroughly. Limit the amount of fish you eat to no more than 2 meals a week.
• Limit your fats – Having a totally fat free diet is not good. Fats are good for healthy hair and much needed energy. Too much can be harmful to you and your baby. You just need a little bit. Have a little salad dressing on your salad. Just don’t eat two pieces of chocolate cake. A small serving of ice cream once a week is fine. Don’t have two bowls full each night. Don’t eliminate all the fat. Don’t eat too much either.

Suggestions for Good for You Snacks

Most people get hungry between meals. Pregnant women seem to do it more often. But you don’t want to eat donuts or candy when the cravings hit. You want to eat something that will benefit you and your baby. Here are a few ideas.

• Cheese and crackers
• Baby carrots
• Celery
• Nuts
• Cucumber
• Radishes
• Yogurt
• Dried fruit
• Fresh fruit
• Boiled egg
• Peanut butter and crackers
• Popcorn
• Tuna fish and crackers

A Healthy and Safe Kitchen

A healthy diet is also affected by how safe your kitchen is. Food poisoning occurs easily even in your own home. Little things you don’t think about help contribute to the risks. Here are a few things you can do with your kitchen and how you prepare your food to lessen those risks.

• Don’t use wooden surfaces. That includes cutting boards. These can trap bacteria and spread it to other foods. Stainless steel is the best.
• Wash foods thoroughly. This includes fresh fruits and veggies.
• Don’t reuse unwashed containers. If you put your raw chicken in a bowl, don’t reuse that bowl immediately for anything else. Wash it good before you use it again.
• After handling raw meat, scrub your hands. Use bleach. You don’t realize how you can spread bacteria from the meat to the fridge to the countertops.
• Clean all surfaces with an anti-bacterial cleanser and/or bleach.

You might be interested in reading:

Pregnancy Trimesters: The Three Stages Of Pregnancy

Pregnancy’s Emotional Challenges

Necessities for your pregancy:

Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy	Pregnancy Body Pillow	Hospital Maternity Gowns