Your body's main source of energy comes from the essential carbohydrates in grains. You should choose at least nine servings of grains per day. Review the following list of grain servings:

•1 cup cold cereal

•½ cup cooked cereal, pasta or rice

•1 slice bread

•½ English muffin

•½ small bagel

•6 crackers

Foods enriched with whole grains provide you with fiber, iron, B vitamins, various minerals and protein.

Ways of including whole grains in your diet include:

•Trading sugary cereal and white bread for whole-grain cereals

•Brown rice instead of white rice

•Whole-wheat pasta

Read food labels to be sure whole grains are listed first in the ingredients (whole-wheat flour, not simply wheat flour).

Fruits and vegetables provide you with Vitamin C and fiber as well as many other vitamins and minerals. Vitamin C also promotes healthy gums and other tissues for both you and your baby. Other important nutrients during pregnancy are Vitamin A, iron and folic acid.

You should choose three or more servings of fruit and four or more servings of vegetables per day.

Servings include:

•1 medium-sized piece of fruit

•½ cup fresh, frozen or canned fruit

•¼ cup dried fruit

•1 cup raw, leafy vegetables

•½ cup cooked or other raw vegetables

•¾ cup fruit or vegetable juice

•1 small baked potato

If you are tired of canned and fresh fruit, try dried fruits. There are several different fruits available such as apricots, cherries, strawberries, blueberries. Blueberries and strawberries are packed with antioxidants. I just love the dry pineapples!

Protein is extra important for your baby's growth especially during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Choose at least three servings of protein-rich foods a day. These foods include choices in the meat, poultry, fish, eggs and beans category.

A serving includes:

•3 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry or fish

•½ cup cooked dried beans

•1 egg

•1/3 cup nuts

•2 tablespoons peanut butter

And don't forget the dairy products that helps build your baby's bones and teeth as well as keeps your bones and teeth healthy. Calcium-fortified soy milk is a good choice during pregnancy. Choose three or more servings a day. Servings include:

•1 cup skim milk

•1 cup yogurt

•1 ½ ounces natural cheese (about the size of six dice)

•2 ounces processed cheese

•Calcium-fortified orange juice

•Some bottled waters contain a little calcium per bottle

Indulge in fats, oils and sweets only once in a while during pregnancy. Keep an eye on portion size.

Your doctor will probably also prescribe a daily vitamin. Even women who eat a healthy diet daily may miss out on some nutrients. A daily vitamin can help fill in the gaps. There are also special supplements your doctor may recommend if you have any kind of a chronic health problem.

Source: Mayo Clinic

Written by: Connie Limon. Visit us at About Babies and Toddlers is an article directory all about babies and toddlers available for your information, education and FREE reprints to your newsletters, websites and blogs.

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