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Pregnant women are often concerned about gaining too much weight. If you’re eating sensibly, most of the weight you are gaining is the baby - for most women it is about 40 percent of the weight they gain. An average weight gain is between 20 and 35 pounds.
For most women, a balanced diet during pregnancy will consist of three meals a day. Meals should contain nutrient-rich foods from each of the following food groups: proteins, fruits, vegetables, grain products, and milk and milk products.
Protein-rich foods have the added advantage of containing iron and B vitamins. Two or three servings of protein foods a day will meet the requirement. Good choices are lean meats, fish, eggs, beans and tofu. Poorer choices, because they contain a high percentage of fat, are hot dogs, sausage, spare ribs, and especially bacon.
Three to five daily servings of vegetables and two to four servings of fruits are necessary to supply vitamins, particularly A and C. Recommended fruits include citrus (oranges, grapefruits) as well as apples, bananas, guavas, mangos and dried fruit. Vegetables may be dark green -- such as broccoli, spinach or kale -- or a variety of others including carrots, cabbage, squash or baked white or sweet potato. Pure fruit juice should be chosen over fruit drinks which contain added sugar and provide little nutritional value. While fresh fruits and vegetables are best, frozen or canned may be substituted.
Among the grain products, whole-grain and whole-wheat are best. Six to 11 daily servings are recommended. Any of the following counts as a serving: 1 slice of whole-grain bread, 3/4 cup ready- to-eat enriched cereal, 1/2 cup oatmeal, 1/2 cup enriched or brown rice, 2 tortillas, or 1/2 cup spaghetti or other noodles.
Four servings a day of milk and milk products are suggested. These may include: 1 cup of milk, yogurt or cottage cheese, two 1-inch cubes of cheese, 1 cup pudding or custard, 1-1/2 cups soup made with milk, or 1 cup ice milk or ice cream.
For women who can't digest the sugar in milk or are lactose-intolerant, modified milk products are available in the dairy section of the supermarket. These include yogurt -- milk in cultured form -- and low-lactose substitutes. A woman who feels she is not getting enough milk products should talk with her health care provider about other sources of calcium.
Adjustments in diet may be necessary to deal with some of the common discomforts of pregnancy. If nausea is a problem (usually during the first trimester), smaller more frequent meals may help, along with crackers as snacks and liquids between -- rather than with -- meals. Heartburn also can be eased by frequent small meals and avoiding greasy or heavily spiced foods and caffeine. For constipation, which may occur at any time during pregnancy but is more common during the latter part, helpful remedies include increased fluid intake, high-fiber foods such as whole grains, and naturally laxative foods such as dried fruits (especially prunes and figs), and other fruits and juices, particularly prune juice.
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