Dining Well During Pregnancy

Eating well during pregnancy is made even more challenging by morning sickness. Most women experience morning sickness between the 6th and 12th week of pregnancy. Its symptoms begin to subside as a woman approaches the 2nd trimester. Proper nutrition is important and it is necessary to eat well even if you feel nauseated. Your body won't be able to support a growing baby if it lacks the necessary nutrients to do so.


Never go on a diet when you are pregnant. Fear of gaining weight is common in pregnant women. Limiting your food intake, however, is unnecessary. Eating well-balanced meals should be enough to help you maintain a healthy weight. Sweets and other sugary treats should be avoided, as these are high in calories. Consult a doctor for more guidelines on how to eat properly without gaining weight. Never take dietary supplements without confirming their safety with your doctor.


You can eat almost anything when you are pregnant, except for a few food items that may put you and your baby's health at risk. Stay away from raw meat and eggs. Raw eggs are found in some homemade salad dressings and mayonnaise. If you must eat any of these foods, be sure to buy commercially made variants from the grocery store. Unlike their homemade counterpart, store-bought salad dressings contain pasteurized eggs.


Cook meat thoroughly before serving. Undercooked or raw seafood and beef can be contaminated with salmonella, toxoplasmosis and coliform. Pregnant women should avoid eating uncooked shellfish. Some types of water-borne infections still survive even after shellfish are cooked thoroughly. Algae-borne diseases, for instance, can be fatal when passed on to humans. Listen for health warnings on red tide.


Unpasteurized milk is more susceptible to listeria contamination. Exposure to these bacteria can be fatal for both mother and child. Once listeria bacteria enter the body, there is a possible risk of blood poisoning and fetal infection. Drinking pasteurized milk is recommended, instead of its unpasteurized variety. Soft cheeses like camembert, brie, Roquefort, feta and gorgonzola are sometimes made of unpasteurized milk. Mexican cheeses, such as Queso fresco or blanco, are also common carriers of listeria.


Choose carefully when buying freshwater fish. Those bought in grocery stores are generally safe to consume. However, some local fishing lakes may be contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls. Be on the lookout for health advisories on unsafe fishing areas, and avoid eating fish that are caught in these waters. Contact the Environmental Protection Agency for more information on unsafe fishing areas. Salmon, trout, striped bass, bluefish and pike are common carriers of chemicals from industrial pollutants.


Alcoholic consumption is greatly discouraged during pregnancy and lactation. Alcohol is passed on to your baby, increasing the risk for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome or FAS. Babies who are born with full-blown FAS usually have physical deformities and are less intelligent than normal babies. Heart murmurs, meningomyelocele and hydrocephalus are common side effects of alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
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