le questionnaire alimentaire

Pregnancy and post-pregnancy
 
  Nutritional needs of pregnant women
Answer

During your pregnancy, Your Diet must meet both your own and your baby's nutritional needs.

You must have a varied, balanced Diet. There are also a number of specific things that Your Diet must include when you are pregnant, which are described below.

A calorie intake that is sufficient, but not doubled

Contrary to popular belief, expectant mothers do not need to double their calorie intake.
General recommendations are: an additional 100 kcal a day (for example, a 1oz serving of cheese) at the beginning of pregnancy, and an additional 350 kcal per day during the last few weeks of the third trimester.

In reality, calorie intake should be adjusted based on your weight gain during pregnancy and your starting weight.

Proteins to strengthen the baby's muscles

Proteins are essential nutrients for building and maintaining your own muscles and strengthening your baby's muscles.
The recommended allowance per day can easily be met by eating:
- 1 serving of meat or fish (4 to 6oz) or a protein equivalent at each meal.
- 3 to 4 dairy products per day.
- bread and starchy foods at each meal (which provide vegetable proteins).

Calcium which helps to form the baby's bones

During your entire pregnancy, your baby is constantly drawing on your calcium reserves (bones and teeth) to form his or her own bones.

To prevent against decalcification, you must have one dairy product (milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese, etc.) at each meal.

Some mineral waters are rich in calcium and can help you meet your daily calcium requirements.

Vitamin D, which is essential for strong bones

Vitamin D is needed to help your bones absorb calcium.

Our skin produces this vitamin by using the sun's ultra-violet rays.

It is recommended that expectant mothers get some sunlight (while protecting themselves against sunburn).

However, vitamin D also can be found in certain foods, in particular, certain fish oils (cod liver oil), fatty fishes (sardines, herring, mackerel, salmon), eggs, milk, butter and meat.

Please note: even though liver is rich in vitamin D, it must be eaten in moderation during pregnancy in order to avoid an excess of vitamin A.

An adequate amount of iron

Your baby has iron reserves that will be used during the first few weeks after birth.
Eating iron-rich foods and/or taking an iron supplement is necessary during pregnancy because iron deficiency can lead to anemia or exhaustion of the mother.

You can find iron in meat, fish, eggs, and legumes.

Iron from meat or fish is better absorbed by the body than iron found in vegetables.

Please note: even though liver is rich in iron, it must be eaten in moderation during pregnancy in order to avoid an excess of vitamin A.

Please note: iron is absorbed better when it is taken with vitamin C.

Folates for the formation of the baby's nervous system

Folates help to develop the baby's nerve cells.
Therefore, it is essential that your baby gets a sufficient amount of this vitamin.

Green vegetables (especially leafy vegetables) are rich in Folates, but it also can be found in eggs and oranges.

Please note: even though liver is rich in Folates, it must be eaten in moderation during pregnancy in order to avoid an excess of vitamin A.

A supplement also can be used to meet your requirements.

A small allowance of vitamin A

Too much vitamin A is toxic for the baby.

This vitamin can be found in high doses in liver.

During pregnancy, do not eat organ meat (especially liver) more than one or two times a month.

Also look at the FAQ on 'Food suggestions to help fight nausea and other complications in pregnancy'