While pregnant, women have a critical need to adjust their diets for the sake of their babies and in response to the changing needs of their bodies. For most women, these changes will include a special emphasis on increasing their daily intake of protein, folic acid, and iron, along with some other vitamins and minerals. Caloric needs will also increase as a gestating mother progresses in her pregnancy. Even if a woman maintained a healthy diet before she became pregnant, it will be important for her to monitor it and make the necessary changes that will ensure that the fetus is getting all of the nutrition that it will need to grow strong.
At YoNaturals, we know that one of the most difficult aspects of maintaining a healthy diet throughout your pregnancy is controlling your cravings for junk food. Since junk food offers little nutrition and many empty calories, it provides almost no benefit to the growing fetus and the mother to be. Further, while there is a need to increase caloric intake, expectant mothers do not usually need to consume more than about 300 extra calories per day.
Of course, expectant mothers have heard it over and over again, ad nauseum, that they should avoid all raw seafood (e.g. oysters and sushi) as well as unpasteurized milk, soft cheeses, and undercooked meats. Or in other words, any kind of food that could transmit bacteria to the mother (and thus the unborn child) should be avoided. As for cooked fish, a woman who is expecting should eat no more than two servings (about 12 oz.) of fish per week due to the possibility of mercury poisoning. Beyond these basic foods, for some women, alcohol and caffeine are two of the most difficult things to give up for the duration of their pregnancy.
As for what you can and should be eating, you should prepare a list of your questions and sit down with your health care provider to discuss how to meet all of your baby’s nutritional needs while staying within the bounds of your personal preferences. This is especially important for women who are vegan, vegetarian, or have otherwise restricted diets.
Begin eating small meals every four hours or so. Eating mini-meals is usually easier on your body and makes sure that your growing child does not go hungry. Even if you are suffering from nausea, heartburn, or another ailment that makes food unpalatable, you should not be skipping meals. Your baby needs the nutrients.
It’s important to be mindful of your health and nutritional needs at all times, but it’s almost never as important as when you are carrying a child in your womb. And you should strive to maintain your diet even when you leave your home. One way to accomplish this is by choosing healthy snacks from YoNaturals vending machines. They will provide you with both the nutrition that you and your baby need as well as the peace of mind that goes along with it.
