Growing a Healthy Baby
Healthy eating while you are pregnant will help you feel good and will give your baby the nutrition needed to grow and be healthy. It will also help you gain a healthy amount of weight and reduce your chances of developing health problems like high blood pressure or low iron.

How Do I Eat Healthy?
Choosing a variety of foods from the four food groups in Canada's Food Guide is the best way to make sure you get the nutrients needed to grow a healthy baby. The key nutrients needed to grow a healthy baby are carbohydrates (energy), folate and other vitamins, calcium and iron. All of these nutrients are found in different foods from each of the four food groups. Carbohydrates are found in the Grain Products food group, folate and other vitamins are found in the Vegetable and Fruits food group, calcium is found in the Milk Products food group and iron is found in the Meats and Alternatives food group. So, as you can see it is very important to include foods from all four food groups to make sure you are getting the nutrients needed to grow a healthy baby.
Refer to Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide

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The tips below can help you get the nutrients needed for you and your baby:

• Eat 6 servings of grain products each day - Choose whole grain breads, cereals, crackers, pasta and rice such as barley, brown rice, oats, quinoa and wild rice. Make at least half of your grain products whole grain each day. Grain products are a great source of carbohydrate (energy), iron and fibre.
• Eat 7 servings of fruits and vegetable each day - Eat at least one dark green and one orange vegetable each day such as broccoli, romaine lettuce, spinach, carrots, sweet potatoes and winter squash. Have vegetables and fruit more often than juice.
• Eat 3-4 servings of milk products each day - Milk, chocolate milk, yogurt, cheese and foods made with milk are all great sources of calcium and protein. Make sure to have at least 2 cups of milk every day for adequate Vitamin D. Drink fortified soy beverages if you do not drink milk.
• Eat 2 servings of meats and alternatives each day - For a great source of iron and protein choose lean meat, fish and poultry or meat alternatives such as eggs, lentils, beans, tofu and peanut butter. Eat at least two Food Guide Servings of fish each week such as char, herring, mackerel, salmon, sardines and trout. Refer to www.healthcanada.gc.ca for the latest information on limiting exposure to mercury from certain types of fish.
• In addition to the above recommended servings, a pregnant woman needs an additional 2-3 servings per day from any of the food groups. For example these extra servings may be:
  -glass of milk+ apple + piece of whole wheat toast
  -crackers+cheese+orange
• Eat regular meals - Remember that if you don't eat, neither does your baby.
• Eat breakfast every day - Breakfast is an important meal to start off the day and if you skip breakfast you will probably not be able to make up those nutrients lost.
• Eat healthy snacks between meals - Follow your appetite. If you are hungry between meals choose healthy foods such as yogurt, fruit, vegetables, homemade bran or oatmeal muffins, whole grain crackers with cheese, nuts, etc. Healthy snacks are a great way to meet your extra nutrient needs.
• Take a prenatal vitamin every day - Remember a prenatal vitamin does not reduce or replace healthy eating. It will help you get the extra vitamins and minerals you need while you are pregnant.

More information on the role that folate, calcium and iron have in the growth of your baby.

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How Much Weight Should I Gain?
Some girls may feel afraid to gain weight during pregnancy. It is important to know that you need to gain a healthy amount of weight during your pregnancy to grow a healthy baby. Both you and your baby need nutrients such as iron, calcium and folate/folic acid to be healthy. Your baby needs these nutrients to develop and grow properly. You need nutrients to support your baby's growth but also to make sure your nutrient stores don't run out.
There is no exact amount of weight teens should gain during pregnancy. All girls are different shapes and sizes, therefore weight gain will be different for everyone. The weight you gain during your pregnancy depends on your weight before pregnancy. The average weight gain for most adult women who are pregnant is 25-35 pounds. It is important to know that teens who are pregnant need to gain more weight than most adult women who are pregnant. The reason for this is because teens need to eat enough for their own growth plus the growth of their baby. The amount of weight you should gain during your pregnancy depends on whether you were underweight or overweight before you were pregnant. Talk to your health care worker to make sure you are gaining a healthy amount of weight. Remember, pregnancy is not a time for dieting. Dieting and weight loss during pregnancy can harm you and your baby.

During pregnancy you gain weight in many areas. Below is a list of the average weight gain in each area during a typical pregnancy. You may be surprised that only 5-8 pounds of this weight gain is fat. The fat is stored for extra energy that you will need while you are pregnant and breastfeeding.
Average weight gain in each area during pregnancy:

• Blood - 4 lbs
• Extra fluids/fluid retention - 2 to 3 lbs
• Energy stored as fat for pregnancy and breastfeeding - 5 to 8 lbs
• Placenta and amniotic fluid - 4 to 6 lbs
• Baby - 6 to 8 lbs
• Breasts - 2 to 3 lbs
• Uterus - 2 to 3 lbs

Learn more about the changes to you body and the growth of your baby. 

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Move That Body
Staying active while you are pregnant has many benefits. Physical activity can help make labour and delivery easier and help you recover more quickly after your baby is born. It can also prevent constipation, help you gain a healthy amount of weight and give you more energy. It is recommended to choose safe, low impact activities such as swimming, walking, water aerobics or yoga during your pregnancy. More information on physical activity during pregnancy.

Caffeine, Cigarettes, Drugs and Alcohol
Caffeine, cigarettes, drugs and alcohol all are made up of different chemicals that get absorbed in your stomach, carried into your blood and cross over to your baby. They all affect the growth and development of your baby in one way or another. Click here for more information drugs and alcohol.

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More info ...
Nausea, Heartburn and Constipation

More info ...
Fish, Herbal teas, Unpasteurized Milk Product

(Adapted from Healthy Eating for a Healthy Baby produced by Best Start and the Nutrition Resource Centre, November 2002.)

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