The onset of pregnancy signifies someone new coming into your life. The thought is rather exhilarating, as you start to contemplate how he or she will be like – personality, quirks, likes and dislikes. You feel excited over the bond the two of you will share, and the strong connection that the two of you will have. You start counting down the days until you can finally get to meet the being that is growing inside of you. Although you may not have complete control over how his or her personality and preferences would be like, you do have control over the baby’s health conditions at birth, and general state of wellness even after that – and this is through having the proper pregnancy nutrition and diet.

In the same way that a 5-year old child’s nutritional requirements are different from a 60-year old woman’s nutritional requirements, a baby’s nutritional needs also vary throughout the different stages of pregnancy. It is essential to have regular check-ups and consultations with your doctor so you can work out the proper pregnancy nutrition and diet plan for you. There are, however, general guidelines for pregnancy nutrition and diet, which, when followed, would result to having a healthy baby:
o Taking multivitamins daily to supplement the vitamins and minerals obtained from the healthy food items you eat
o Obtaining 30 mg of iron daily
o Consuming 400 mg of folic acid daily
o Having a proper and well-balanced diet that consists of a variety of nutritious foods

But pregnant or not, it would always be beneficial to follow a healthy nutrition and diet plan. By doing so, a woman would get used to having a healthy lifestyle while reaping the maximum benefits of proper nutrition as well. Moreover, she would not have to go through such drastic changes when undergoing a pregnancy nutrition and diet plan, and which will allow the following for the baby:
o Ensured brain development
o Ensured nervous system formation and development
o The likelihood of any defects or complications during birth is lessened
o The immune system is strengthened in order to combat any possible illnesses

Providing the best possible care and nutrition for your baby while it is still in your womb through the observance of a pregnancy nutrition and diet plan would provide positive long-term effects for your baby’s health and wellness, and as for yours as well.

The moment when your baby would finally be born into the world, when you would be able to hear his or her first cry, and would be able to see his or her features, would be nothing but magical. It would be devastatingly heartbreaking, then, if you would suddenly learn that your baby is doing poorly in terms of health just because he or she was not supplied with the proper nutrition during the pregnancy. As such, it is essential to eat right for both you and your baby during your pregnancy. At this point, food quality should be given more focus than food quantity. You must make sure not to eat too much, and to eat the types of food that would best provide the nutritional needs for your baby. A good pregnancy nutrition and diet plan suggests the following:
o Eat up to 7 daily servings of fruits and vegetables
o Limit consumption of fatty foods
o Consume whole grain food products such as whole wheat bread
o Eat lean beef and other protein sources, but do so moderately

The outcome of following a sensible and healthy pregnancy nutrition and diet plan is a healthy and strong child not just at birth, but for years to come.