I decided to wait to post this until after Thanksgiving as to not make anyone feeling guilty for indulging in the holiday. I am a patient of Wisdom Midwifery and I think they are absolutely great! Here’s a link to their blog as well. When it comes to normal, low risk pregnancies, birth outcomes are often better when they are attended by Midwives as opposed to Obs, but more on that later.
Right now I am here to talk about nutrition in pregnancy, which is something I get asked about quite often. Since Wisdom Midwifery has complied a list that I think it pretty on the money, I have included their guidelines below. I will add the caveat however that I believe it’s ok to stray from these guidelines in moderation from time to time. Nine months is a LONG time to go without having ANY refined sugar, white food or junk food. If you’re one of those people who are able to do it then more power to you, but I found that I just didn’t have the will power to follow the guidelines to the letter and in fact attempting to do so stressed me out and gave me a lot of anxiety because I was constantly worrying about what I was eating. In any case, I digress.
The most important thing is that you are consuming the right amount of nutrients for you and your baby and the food listed bellow will definitely get you there. For many women their appetites change during pregnancy and as the pregnancy progresses they aren’t able to eat as much in one sitting as they were before (due to their stomach being squished). Due to this, it is important that the foods you choose to put in your stomach (for the most part) have as many good healthy nutrients as possible.
Wisdom Midwifery Nutritional Guidelines
Every day, consume the following:
10-12 glasses of fresh water
Fruits and veggies: 6-8 servings per day including two leafy greens, one yellow one and one orange one
Whole grains: 3-4 servings
Calcium rich foods – dairy or soy products : 2-4 servings per day
Protein foods: eggs, meat, fish, chicken, beans: 2-4 servings per day
Flax seeds 1-2 Tbs ground
Eliminate from your diet, to the best of your ability:
All refined sugar
All white foods: white bread, rice, flour, sugar, potatoes
No more than one glass of fruit juice, preferably orange, per day
Hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil
Alcohol
Caffeine: No more than 1 cup per day
Nicotine
These dietary guidelines are designed to do three very important things:
(1) Keep your blood sugar at an even level throughout the day.
(2) Expand your blood volume properly so that you can circulate for both yourself and the baby. Not accomplishing these things can make you feel poorly during pregnancy and can lead to serious complications.
(3) Grow a baby that is appropriately sized for your body and pelvis: consuming the processed and fast foods so readily available to us may promote the growth of a baby that is larger than your body can deliver.
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In addition to these guidelines, I also add that it’s a good idea to avoid: raw or under cooked meat, raw or under cooked eggs, unpasteurized cheeses or dairy, processed meat (unless they have been heated to steaming, these include: deli meat, bacon, etc.) and fish that is high in mercury.
As always you should talk to your care provider about what you should and shouldn’t be eating while pregnant.
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