Week 26: How much should I eat?

Eating for two means what exactly? How many calories? And should I eat more in later pregnancy?

Your healthy pregnancy diet should include these items:

• A variety of foods from each food group, but a limited amount of fats

• Regular meals, plus snacks, to meet your calorie requirements

• 30 grams of fiber each day

• 8 or more cups of water each day

• NO alcoholic beverages

 Read the guidelines, and see how your needs change as your pregnancy advances.

Fish during pregnancy - good nutrition or not?

You may have heard about both the risks and benefits of eating seafood during pregnancy. Fish can be an important part of a balanced diet for pregnant women. It’s a good source of high quality protein and other nutrients, and is low in fat.

However, some fish contain high levels of a form of mercury, called methylmercury, which can harm a fetus’s developing nervous system. Take a quick quiz to see how much you know about mercury in fish.

You can protect your unborn baby by not eating shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish. Limit yourself to 12 ounces—the size of two meals—of albacore or white tuna per week.

Steer clear of these things while pregnant...

Alcohol, smoking and caffeine... what are the problems for you and your baby?