Women would normally want to keep a slim figure. She would want to get even slender

whenever she'd get the chance to. If she gets the size that she wants, she would do

everything to keep it that way. However, all these are temporary and would not last long when

she gets pregnant. She would need to gain some weight to nourish her and her baby inside

throughout the pregnancy. A pregnant woman is required to add 300 calories to her normal

2,200 calories a day. This additional requirements would be enough to supply for her energy

needs and for the baby's essential nutrient requirements inside.

Pregnant women, especially those who are having their first, may worry about how to eat

when pregnant. Below are some of the specific food you can take that would give you and

your baby enough nutrients that you need. The following are the components of healthy

nutrition for a pregnant woman.

Calorie Needs

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The recommended daily calorie intake for a woman in her childbearing age is 2200.

If you get pregnant you will need an additional of 200 to 300 calories to meet and

maintain nutrient levels that you and your child needs. It is important for these

calorie needs to be achieved to provide for the child's development. These nutrient

requirements are very important that even obese women should make sure that she

consumes not less 1500 calories a day. However, to achieve these requirements, she

needs to take in quality foods instead of instant and fast foods which are known to be

empty-calorie foods.

Protein Needs

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Women are recommended to take 44 to 46 grams of protein everyday. This number

is increased to 60 grams during pregnancy. You can get your protein requirements

mainly from meat, poultry, fish, yogurt, eggs, and milk. Protein is very important during

pregnancy because a lot of other nutrients are incorporated to protein. If protein needs

are met, then overall nutritional needs are likely to be met as well.

Fat Needs

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Linoleic acid is the only essential fatty acid needed during pregnancy but it is not

naturally produced by the body. You can get it by using vegetable oil from corn, sunflower,

peanut, olive and cottonseed. These are better than using animal oil.

Vitamin Needs

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Most of the vitamin intake requirements are met if you take a lot of fruits and

vegetables. Vitamins are significant in a pregnant woman's diet to aid in the proper

development of the baby and to prevent birth defects.

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Mineral Needs

Minerals are important in the formation of new cells in the body. The most common

minerals that you should take during your term include Calcium, Phosphorus, Iodine, Iron,

Fluoride, Sodium and Zinc. If you are fond of munching prepared lunches from the grocery,

you can read the label and look for those packages that are fortified with these minerals.

Fluid Needs

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Extra amounts of water are needed during pregnancy to promote kidney function for

the woman to fully excrete for herself and the baby. Most experts commonly recommend two

glasses of fluid daily over and above a daily quart of milk.

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Fiber Needs

when you are pregnant, you may experience slow movement of your bowels due to the

pressure that your growing tummy is pressing to the intestines. To help you in dealing with

constipation, you can consume natural fiber-filled foods such as broccoli and asparagus.

As all medical practitioners would advise any pregnant woman, you should avoid consuming

foods with high amounts of caffeine and/or alcohol. There may not be specific evidences to

prove this medical theory but prevention is better than cure. You should avoid taking artificial

sweeteners too. They only improve the taste but they do not necessarily optimize the caloric

content of the food.

Since you have known what and what not to consume during your term, the next thing

you should know is how to eat when pregnant. Practitioners would advise you to eat small

frequent meals. You can still eat the main meals during the day but in small portions. You can

take snacks in between meals, like crackers.