Models Direct: How To Stay Healthy During Pregnancy

Firstly it’s important to make sure you’re getting enough calories. The average normal woman should have an intake of approximately 2,100 calories a day, but while pregnant this increases to a daily recommended amount of 2,500 calories a day, increasing to a further 3000 for breastfeeding women.

A well balanced diet is essential for any pregnant woman. Below is a break down of the percentage of food groups you should aim to be having each day.

Protein
• Approximately 10 per cent of calories should come from protein. Protein can be found in red meat, fish and eggs.

Protein is essential because it helps to develop your baby’s brain. Your baby’s brain will start to develop from the time the embryo starts to form inside the egg so make sure you get all the recommended amount of protein as soon as you find out you are pregnant.

Protein is also great for you as a mother as it aids muscle growth and repair which can help to make the delivery process that little bit easier.

Good Fats
• Approximately 35 per cent of calories should come from fat. Good fats can be found in nuts and meaty fish such as salmon or tuna

Try to avoid lots of saturated fats, instead increase your intake of good fats found in foods such as nuts and fish. Fish contains Omega 3 fats which are great for the development of your baby and may help to prevent miscarriage. Omega 3 is also good for your state of mind so should keep you and your body functioning well.

Carbohydrates
• Approximately 55 per cent of calories should come from carbohydrates, which are found in bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, corn and other grain products.

Carbohydrates are the main energy source for our body. Starch based carbohydrates such as brown bread, rice and pasta are great as they release energy slowly, helping to ease you through those nine tiring months of pregnancy.

Also a lack of carbohydrates can cause a build up of Ketones which can be harmful to the growth of your baby.

Other great essentials to be including in your diet are:

• Folic Acid. Great sources of Folic acids are orange juice and barley beans.
It’s important for women to keep their folic acid intake up during the first three months of pregnancy as it helps in the making of the baby’s nervous system. Folic acid can help to prevent neural tube defects such as spina bifida and other congenital malformations such as cleft palate or cleft lip.

• Iron. Great sources of iron can be found in green vegetables.

Iron is important in producing all the blood needed to supply the nutritions to the placenta. Green vegetables such as broccoli and spinach are a great source of this mineral. Try also to reduce your intake of caffeine as this can interfere with your body’s absorption of iron.

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