Tell Me What To Eat

Sure, what you eat during pregnancy is vital, but that doesn't mean you have to be afraid of everything you put in your mouth or force yourself to eat foods you don't like. Simply stick to these 10 basic do's and don'ts.

When I ordered shrimp rolls at a tapas bar 12 weeks into my pregnancy, one of my friends reacted as if I’d ordered a double martini. “You can’t have shrimp when you’re pregnant!” she insisted. When I asked her why not, all she could offer was, “Well, I’m not sure, but I know you can’t.” Turns out, she was mistaken (phew! I ordered the shrimp anyway), a common phenomenon when it comes to prenatal nutrition.

Yes, certain foods and eating patterns can compromise a baby’s development in utero, and every mom-to-be should know about them. But it’s equally important to focus on the nutrient-rich foods and healthy habits that will keep you and your baby thriving for the whole nine months. Here, in a nutshell, is the lowdown on prenatal nutrition.

(the 5 do’s)

1. DO LOAD UP ON THE “BIG 5” NUTRIENTS: FOLATE, CALCIUM, IRON, ZINC AND FIBER Before conception and in the first six weeks of pregnancy, no nutrient is more vital than folate (the synthetic form is folic acid). This B vitamin can reduce the risk of neural-tube defects, such as spina bifida, by a whopping 70 percent.

You can get your daily minimum of 400 micrograms (600 micrograms is recommended in the first trimester) from beans and legumes, citrus fruits and juices, whole grains, dark green leafy vegetables, poultry, pork, fish and shellfish, but folate from foods is not as well absorbed as folic acid, so pop a prenatal vitamin or folic acid supplement for insurance.

Your daily dose of calcium—1,200 milligrams from low-fat dairy products, dark green vegetables and fortified orange juice and soy products—plays a key role during the second and third trimesters, when your baby’s bone and tooth development reaches its peak. Because the fetus leaches calcium from your body, getting enough of this mineral can protect your own bones, too. Iron, important for supporting your 50 percent increase in blood volume, is crucial in the third trimester. Aim for 30 milligrams per day.

“Iron is difficult to get from the diet, so take an iron supplement or prenatal vitamin with iron,” advises Hope Ricciotti, M.D., an associate professor of OB-GYN at Harvard Medical School and co-author of I’m Pregnant! Now What Do I Eat? (DK Publishing). To boost iron absorption, combine iron-rich foods with vitamin C sources.

Your zinc requirement increases by 50 percent to 15 milligrams per day when you’re pregnant. Zinc deficiencies have been linked with birth defects, restricted fetal growth and premature delivery, Ricciotti says. Although nuts, whole grains and legumes are good sources, the mineral is best absorbed from meat and seafood.

Fiber (found in fruits, vegetables and whole grains) is particularly essential for your own health. It helps prevent reduce constipation, a common pregnancy complaint that can lead to hemorrhoids, and it makes you feel fuller longer; aim for 25 milligrams to 35 milligrams a day.

2. DO EAT A RAINBOW OF FOODS Not only does a varied diet provide you and your baby with all the important nutrients, but an eclectic mix also introduces your little munchkin to new tastes via the amniotic fluid. Of course, if bananas and saltines are the only foods you can stomach in the first trimester, don’t stress about it. “But as soon as you start feeling better, aim for more variety,” says Orlando, Fla., nutritionist Tara Gidus, M.S., R.D. Deep-hued fruits and vegetables, such as blueberries, carrots and spinach, tend to be richest in antioxidants.

3. DO LIMIT YOUR EXPOSURE TO PESTICIDES BY CHOOSING ORGANIC AND LOCALLY GROWN FOODS WHEN POSSIBLE “The developing immune system is so much more sensitive than the adult’s,” says Rodney Dietert, Ph.D., professor of immunotoxicology at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, whose research has linked prenatal pesticide exposure to later- in-life immune dysfunctions.

Other research has connected pesticides in the water supply to premature births and possibly birth defects. “We have a lot of evidence now that nitrates [chemicals used in fertilizer] and pesticides have the ability in very small doses to interact with the hor- monal milieu of the pregnancy,” says Paul Winchester, M.D., a clinical professor of pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine. Washing your produce helps, Winchester says, but may not be enough. The types of produce harboring the highest pesticide concentrations tend to be fruits and vegetables with thin skins, such as peaches, apples, bell peppers and strawberries. (For a list of the worst offenders, go to fitpregnancy.com/thedirtydozen.) Also know that foods imported from other countries, such as Mexico or Chile, may contain pesticides that are prohibited in the U.S.

4. DO GET YOUR OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS A diet rich in omega-3s can boost your baby’s brain and neurological development before birth, likely leading to better vision, memory and language comprehension in early childhood. It also may reduce your risk of post- partum depression. Flaxseed oil, walnuts and omega-3-fortified eggs are good sources of ALA, one of the three omega-3 fats, but fatty fish are the only reliable sources of the two more important omega-3s, EPA and DHA, according to Ricciotti. The National Institutes of Health recommend that pregnant and nursing women get at least 300 milligrams of DHA in their daily diet.

The trick is to choose fish that are high in omega-3s but low in mercury, which can harm a fetus’s nervous system. Varieties to avoid include swordfish, shark, king mackerel, tilefish and, some experts now say, tuna, though canned light tuna is safer than albacore. Top picks include wild Alaskan salmon (fresh, frozen or canned), Atlantic mackerel, herring, sardines and anchovies. Fish oil supplements are also safe. (For the best seafood choices during pregnancy, go to fitpregnancy.com/safeseafood.)

5. DO CHOOSE “DOUBLE DUTY” FOODS “Nutrient-dense foods, such as yogurt, peanut butter, chicken, beef, eggs and dairy products, are those that are higher in protein, calcium and iron, all nutrients your baby needs to grow and develop properly,” says Rose Ann Hudson, R.D., L.D., co-author of Eating for Pregnancy: An Essential Guide to Nutrition With Recipes for the Whole Family (Marlowe & Company). Some other nutrient-dense foods: Lean pork, like beef, contains protein, along with B vitamins, iron and zinc; orange juice offers folate plus vitamin C, which helps you absorb iron from foods such as fiber-rich black beans and spinach; whole grains are filled with fiber, B vitamins, magnesium and zinc.