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| The role of nutrition for the pregnant woman is invaluable. When a woman's nutritional status is optimal she can grow a strong baby and placenta, have a smooth labor and birth, and produce an abundant milk supply. She also can avoid problems such as toxemia of pregnancy, premature labor, gestational diabetes and perineal lacerations (tearing) during birth, to name a few. Achieving this optimal nutrition is not by taking man-made supplements (prenatal vitamins). For the most part, these merely make for expensive urine, as most of the vitamins/minerals cannot be absorbed in their extracted form. Rather, to properly feed the body one must give it whole fruits and vegetables, as well as foods containing adequate proteins and carbohydrates. This means soda and processed foods are out. When planning your menu, shopping list or when you go to eat something think, “Will this build up my body or will my body need to work to recover from this?” Whole FRUITS and VEGETABLES that are varied, organic, just picked and uncooked are ideal. See World Health Organization's recommendations for research on the beneficial outcomes of eating whole fruits and vegetables. In addition to whole fruits and vegetables, adequate CALORIE and PROTEIN intake are needed to support a healthy pregnancy, birth and years beyond. After 20 weeks gestation a pregnant woman should be eating 2,600-2,750 calories and 80-100 grams of protein daily. See below for minimum daily requirements for omnivorous eaters by food groups (from Holistic Midwifery[21]):
How does your diet compare? Start charting your eating habits and see what needs to change. Also, start ENJOYING food in its natural state. Try adding raw foods, sprouted grains, dehydrated (instead of cooked) foods to your diet. You will be surprised at the incredible flavor and energy gained from delicious raw recipes in addition to eating adequate protein.
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