Pregnancy – a miracle and often times an experience that merges blissful with torturous, at least that has been my experience. My husband and I are currently expecting our second child and have a five year old that can’t wait to meet her sibling. As a dietitian and mother, I often times think of all the other pregnant women out there and the maze of complicated food labels, crazy ingredient names, contradictory information, the latest media blitz of study findings, and how it can feel like every food product you research seems to have something that could harm you or your baby in some way. It is important to be well informed about eating smart during pregnancy, but I urge you to not go overboard with all the information that is out there because it’s a lot! What do I do? Well, as a professional nutritionist I strive to keep up with the latest recommendations while keeping my eye on the latest research coming out. In a nutshell, I strive for a balanced diet with a variety of foods and prenatal vitamins (interspersed with my craving of the day or that week).

Food safety however is generally a more straight forward topic while pregnant and will be exploring in detail that topic. There are a ton of other questions I hear from concerned moms-to-be as well: “What about taking DHA supplements? How much water do I need to drink? What about pregnancy tea? Should I buy organic? How do I avoid or deal with iron deficiency anemia? Am I overeating or under eating because of nausea/vomiting/insatiable appetite? How can I avoid high blood pressure? What can I do about a diagnosis of gestational diabetes?” And on and on. I will address all of these topics (and more) here in this blog.

In the meantime, here is my overarching food and nutrition approach to pregnancy. I fall somewhere between “give the belly what it wants” and “be mindful of what you ingest”. Of course, every woman is different and will have different needs and challenges regarding her diet during pregnancy, therefore I tailor my nutrition counseling during pregnancy to the woman. However, overall the following key points can be applied to the vast majority:

1.  Strive for three meals a day and two to three snacks to keep your energy up and fuel healthy growth and development.

2.  Plan balanced, tasty meals – is there a vegetable or fruit, protein source, fat source and whole grain source on your plate? A variety of colors on your plate helps your body get what it needs.

3.  Plan nutritious and appealing snacks – what tastes are you craving?

4.  Drink plenty of water! 2L-4L (8-16 8oz. cups) per day depending on your trimester and what helps you feel your best.

5.  Avoid alcohol and minimize caffeine.

I hope that is helpful. If you have any questions, feel free to send me an email.