During pregnancy and breastfeeding your body works hard and needs more vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. In addition to fueling your own body and providing for the needs of your growing baby, the increased tissue of the uterus, placenta and blood requires more calories, vitamins, minerals and protein. Most doctors emphasize on getting enough calories through your pregnancy diet - which is why even if you are overweight, you've got to have pregnancy weight gain; if not, your own body fat will be used to support the pregnancy. Your body produces ketones and if this happens, it is harmful for your baby.

Unlike your carefree days when you wolf down a grease-filled burger and fries from the local diner, or when you could drink your friends under the table, you now have to think about yourself in a responsible manner.

To that end your diet during pregnancy needs to be a healthy one. You need to think about what is best for not only you, but also for your baby. Drinking is out, and so is smoking. You might also want to think about lessening the amount of coffee you consume and maybe even switch to something like an herbal tea that is suitable for pregnant women.

Healthy foods for pregnant women

It is important to choose a wide variety of foods to ensure the nutritional needs of both mother and baby are met. Try to eat:

* Lots of fruit and vegetables, wholegrain breads and cereals

* One quart (4 glasses) or more of milk. Any kind will do: whole milk, low fat, skim, buttermilk, or cheese, yogurt, ice cream, etc....

* Moderate amounts of low fat dairy foods and lean meats

* A piece of citrus fruit or glass of juice of lemon, lime, orange, tomato, or grapefruit.

* Small amounts of foods high in fat, sugar and salt

* Lean meat, chicken and fish

* Whole baked potato three times a week.

Protein is needed during pregnancy to support the rapid growth of the fetus and placenta. Protein is also used in the growth of maternal tissue. Current recommendations suggest an increase in protein of 10 grams more than the non-pregnant state for adult women. Ten grams of protein is the amount found in 2 cups of soy milk, 3-1/2 ounces of extra-firm tofu, 3 ounces of tempeh or one large bagel. This amounts to a total of only 60 grams of protein per day; in one study vegan and vegetarian women were consuming that amount even before they were pregnant .

Folic acid aids cell division in early pregnancy and damage to the fetus from low folic acid can occur even before pregnancy is confirmed. Folic acid is well sourced from yeast, wholegrains, pulses, nuts, dairy products, Jaggery - again no need for supplements- just a whole foods balanced diet.

Water plays a key role in your diet during pregnancy. It carries the nutrients from the foods you eat to your baby, and also helps prevent constipation, hemorrhoids, excessive swelling, and urinary tract or bladder infections. Most importantly, drinking enough water, especially in your last trimester, prevents you from becoming dehydrated which can then lead you to have contractions and premature, or early labor. Pregnant women should drink at least six to eight glasses of water per day. You can drink juices for fluid, but they also have a lot of calories and can cause you to gain extra weight. Coffee, soft drinks, and teas cannot count towards the total amount of fluid you need as they have caffeine which actually reduce the amount of fluid in your body.

Eat small meals every few hours

Even if you're not hungry, chances are your baby is, so try to eat every four hours. And if morning (or all-day) sickness, food aversions, heartburn, or indigestion make eating a chore, you may find that eating five or six small meals, rather than the usual three larger ones, is easier on your body. Remember, your developing baby needs regular sustenance, so try not to miss meals.