What to eat during pregnancy: Prenatal health and nutrition

When it comes to nutrition, we tell our prenatal patients to be yourself, but better! During your pregnancy, you are eating for two, but try to avoid empty calories like junk food, soda and caffeine. Here are some foods we recommend incorporating into your diet during this prenatal period. 

Load up on leafy greens.

Try to include at least 1-3 servings per day of dark leafy greens. Some great ones are spinach and kale. If you don’t enjoy salad maybe try a green smoothie in the morning.

Eat the rainbow.

When approaching your diet during and after pregnancy try to eat a colorful variety of fruits, vegetables and protein for you and your growing baby.

Snack on nuts and seeds.

Nuts not only are filling, but they can provide a lot of healthy vitamins and minerals like Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty acids. 

Here’s the short answer:

Our team recommends a low-fat, low sugar diet, and while it is okay to splurge on a cookie once in a while, but remember portion control!

The most important part of health and nutrition during pregnancy is to listen to your body. You should gain five to ten pounds during your first 20 weeks and then a pound per week during the next twenty weeks.

Talk to your prenatal provider if you have questions or concerns about nutrition and pregnancy.

Do you have a medical home for your prenatal health care? 

Contact the Primary Health Care Clinic nearest you, in Des Moines, Marshalltown or Ames, to establish a medical home for your annual wellness exams, prenatal care and more!