What have you heard about eating for pregnancy?
What have you heard about gaining weight?
Do other people tell you to eat certain foods?
Do others tell you to avoid certain foods?
Taking care of your family, starts with you. Your baby, your pregnancy and your delivery will all be better if you feed yourself well. You don’t have to eat in special ways when you are pregnant, but you do have to eat! You don’t have to gain a lot of weight when you are pregnant, but you do have to gain weight! Have regular meals, eat food you enjoy, eat as much as you are hungry for, and trust your body to gain the amount of weight that is right for you. Growing a healthy baby and keeping yourself healthy are both very important jobs.
Here is what to do—and not to do—to take good care of yourself with your eating:
Have meals with food you enjoy. Learn to cook easy and tasty meals.
- Don’t forget to eat. Only cook foods that are fancy or take a lot of time if it’s fun for you.
Plan ahead. Know you will get the next meal—and the next!
- Don’t wait to get hungry then grab food. Don’t scare yourself by not having food around.
Eat both good and good-for-you food. Sneak up on new food and learn to like it!
- Don’t eat just anything to get filled up. Don’t be so worried about nutrition that you eat food you don’t like.
Eat until you feel satisfied. Stop. Do it again the next meal—and the next!
- Don’t eat less than you want. Don’t eat more than you want.
Let your body gain as much weight as it needs to.
- Don’t diet. Don’t try to limit your weight gain. Don’t try to force your weight gain.
Drink milk. Learn to like milk if you can.
- Don’t drink sodas, tea or juice instead of milk. Don’t drink alcoholic beverages at all during pregnancy.
