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Step 1
Calcium - Found in: milk, cheese, yogurt, sardines
You and your baby need calcium for strong teeth and bones. It also helps the body maintain regular circulation, muscle contraction and nerve function.
If you can't get enough calcium through food consumption, take a calcium supplement. -
Step 2
Carbohydrates - Found in: bread, cereal, rice, pasta
Carbohydrates are a basic source of energy. On average, you should eat six to eight servings a day while you are pregnant. This may seem like alot but one slice of bread or a few crackers makes up single serving. -
Step 3
Protein - Found in: chicken, meat, nuts, eggs
The amino acids that make up protein are the building blocks of your body's cells - and of your growing baby's body as well.
You should be getting about 70 grams of protein per day (the equivalent of two glasses of milk, a chicken breast, and 2 cups of yogurt, for example). -
Step 4
Iron - Found in: spinach, broccoli, beans
Iron is essential for making hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to other cells. When you're pregnant, the amount of blood in your body increases until you have almost 50% more blood than usual, so you need more iron to make more hemoglobin. -
Step 5
Vitamin A - Found in: carrots, sweet potatoes, apricots
Vitamin A is required for growth, for cellular differentiation, and for the normal development of fetuses. Vitamin A is particularly essential for pregnant women because it helps with postpartum tissue repair, as well as maintaining normal vision and helping fight off infections. -
Step 6
Vitamin C - Found in: oranges, papaya, strawberries
Both you and your baby need this vitamin daily - it's the cementing agent that holds new cells together. It helps your baby grow and builds strong bones and teeth. And it helps your body absorb iron.
