Nutrition before and during pregnancy: Eating habits

Your baby's health is directly influenced by your diet. Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating can help you plan a better diet. If possible, establish good eating habits when planning your pregnancy, and eat a wide variety of foods daily. By improving your diet now it will be much easier to keep your new eating habits when pregnant. Your child's general development will benefit from any improvement you make to your current eating habits.

Women are interested in nutrition during pregnancy and want to eat properly for their babies. Also, many women are concerned about gaining too much weight. Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating will help you make the right choices. It recommends that you eat a wide variety of foods from the four food groups: Vegetables and Fruit, Grain Products, Milk and Alternatives, and Meat and Alternatives.

Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating recommends that you:

• Eat 7 or 8 servings of Vegetables and Fruit daily. One serving is an average size fruit or vegetable (apple, orange, carrot), 125 ml (½ cup) of juice, fresh or canned vegetables or fruits. Choose dark green or orange vegetables. This food group will provide vitamins and minerals.
• Eat 6 or 7 servings of Grain Products every day. One serving is equivalent to a slice of bread, 125 ml (½ cup) of pasta or rice, 30 g of cereals or 175 ml (¾ cup) of oatmeal. Choose whole grain products. This food group provides vitamins and minerals.
• Eat 2 servings of Milk and Alternatives every day. One serving represents 250 ml (1 cup) of milk, 175 g (¾ cup) of yogurt or 50 g (2 oz.) of cheese. Choose low fat dairy products. This food group provides calcium and proteins.
• Eat 2 servings of Meat and Alternatives daily. One serving represents 50 to 100 g (2 oz.) of meat, poultry or fish, 1 or 2 eggs. Choose the leanest cut of meat. This food group provides proteins and iron.

Pregnant and breastfeeding women need more calories. Include an extra 2 or 3 Food Guide Servings each day.

Eat a wide variety of foods and remember that pregnant women need to increase their nutritional and caloric intake in preparation of the physiological changes associated with pregnancy. Although the above needs have increased, pay attention to the quality and variety of foods you choose rather than the quantity.