Thinking about pregnancy? Whether you’re aiming to get pregnant next year or in the next few months, you should be getting ready now. This is the time to take inventory of your nutrition habits and make necessary changes that will promote good health for you and a healthy environment for your baby.
Do you drink a lot of coffee? Skip meals? Do you avoid food groups like fruits? Are you on the low carb craze? Using the following guide will help in evaluating your food choices. Are you getting the recommended number of servings from each group? This guide shows a range of daily servings for each food group. The number of servings that is right for you depends on how many calories you need. Calories are a way to measure energy. The energy your body needs depends on your age, sex, body structure, and activity level.
If you have lower calorie needs, select the lower number of servings. If you have higher calorie needs, select the higher number of servings. The amount of food that is considered to be one serving is also listed. If you eat a larger portion, it is more than one serving. For example, a hamburger bun is 2 servings. If you have a combination food like pizza, estimate the food groups that it represents – bread group (crust), milk group (cheese), vegetable group (tomato sauce).
Bread, Grains and Pasta (6-11 servings)
* 1 slice bread
* 1 pancake
* 1 tortilla
* 1/2 bun
* 1 bagel or English muffin
* 1 small muffin
* 1/2 cup cooked rice, pasta or cereal
* 1 roll Read more…
Think About Your Diet and Fitness Routine Now
Caring for your health before you become pregnant may help you identify areas that put you and/or your baby at risk during pregnancy. First, schedule a pre-conception counseling appointment with your doctor. This discussion can educate you on things to come and help you prepare, both physically and emotionally, for pregnancy.
Here are a few things to consider prior to becoming pregnant.
Your weight - Your doctor will recommend that you achieve a healthy weight before becoming pregnant. If you are overweight, you are at risk for high blood pressure complications during pregnancy. If you are underweight, you are at risk of delivering a low birth-weight baby. What is a healthy weight? Check out the chart below. Important - once you are pregnant, dieting is out of the question. You want to try to achieve your healthy weight prior to becoming pregnant.
Exercise - Generally, if you are currently active, your doctor will advise you to continue your normal exercise routine throughout your pregnancy, as long as there are no complications. However, starting a big exercise program while you are pregnant is typically not recommended. Ask your doctor about exercises appropriate for you and your particular circumstances.
Diet - To ensure a healthy pregnancy, you should follow a healthy, well-balanced diet, including a variety of foods to get all the nutrients you need. Your physician will likely ask you about your caffeine intake as well as your daily consumption of calcium-rich foods, folic acid and vitamins C and A. Supplements are usually recommended, such as a prenatal vitamin containing folic acid. Read more…