Good Nutrition

Your Recipe For A Healthy Baby Are You At A Healthy Weight? Three Day Food Challenge General Tips For A Healthy Diet The Four Most Important Nutrients For A Healthy Pregnancy          ●Folic Acid          ●Iron          ●Calcium and Vitamin D What If I’m A Vegetarian A Word On Caffeine Prenatal Courses and Resources Section References   Listeriosis

Your Recipe For A Healthy Baby!

The time to start eating healthy foods is before you become pregnant.  Most people know how important good nutrition is during pregnancy, but the months leading up to pregnancy are equally important.

“My doctor said that I should gain some weight before

trying to get pregnant.  I don’t understand why.  I’ve

always been skinny, and I’m afraid of looking fat when

I’m pregnant, let alone before I get pregnant.”

Did you know that healthy eating might actually increase your chances of getting pregnant? 

● It is wise to have a healthy weight before you become pregnant.

● Very underweight and overweight women may have irregularities with their periods and ovulation

   which can reduce their chances of getting pregnant.

● Underweight women run a greater risk of having a baby with low birth weight.

● Being overweight can increase your odds of having diabetes and high blood pressure during 

   pregnancy.

● Using the Body Mass Index (see below) you and your health care professional can assess whether 

   you need to gain or lose weight before trying to get pregnant and how much weight you should gain

   during pregnancy.  

● Weight loss should be attempted BEFORE pregnancy and NEVER during your pregnancy.

Are You At A Healthy Weight? 

One of the ways you can tell if you are at a healthy weight is to use the Body Mass Index (BMI). People come in all shapes and sizes. There is no ideal body weight for a specific height.  The BMI accepts a wide range of shapes and sizes as healthy.  Find your height and weight on the BMI chart. Draw lines out from these points.  Do they meet in the healthy weight zone?

If you are not in the healthy weight zone, it is time to think about making some sensible changes.  Visit the following sites for more information on the BMI guidelines, healthy eating and getting active.

Canadian Guidelines for Body Weight Classification in Adults 

Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating will help you get the nutrients you need each day.  You can achieve and maintain a healthy body weight with exercise and healthy eating.

Get Active before Pregnancy

Physical Activity

Take The 3- Day Food Challenge!

If you are planning a pregnancy, it is time to eat a healthy diet – let’s “kick it up a notch."  Eating a healthy diet at the time pregnancy happens, helps to give your baby the best possible start in life.  Many of us need to take a closer look at what we eat and drink and see where we can improve our eating habits.

Follow your diet for 3 days, one of which should be a weekend day.  Mark all of the foods that you have eaten by first checking the squares in the chart, this represents the minimum number of servings you should be eating.  If you need to satisfy your hunger, continue by marking the circles.

Step 1              Fill it in –  Check the proper boxes and circles according to what you have had to eat.

Step 2              Count it up – Count up the number of servings you had of each of the four food groups.

Step 3              Compare – Compare your intake to Canada’s Food Guide recommendations.

Step 4              How did you stack up? – Could you be eating better? 
                        Can you make any positive changes in your eating habits BEFORE you get pregnant?

day 1 day 2 day 3 MILK PRODUCTS 2-4 Servings                     GRAIN PRODUCTS 5-12 Servings                                                   FRUITS AND VEGETABLES 5-10 Servings                                                   MEAT AND ALTERNATIVES 2-3 Servings

 

Do you need a diet tune-up?

How well did your diet stack up as compared to Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating?

Were you able to eat 2-4 milk products, 5-12 grain products, 5-10 fruits and vegetables, and 2-3 meat and/or alternatives on a daily basis? 

Are you choosing a variety of foods from each of the four food groups? If you are not, it may be time to explore new ways of getting the nutrients that you and your future baby need.

General Tips For A Healthy Diet 

● Enjoy a variety of foods.

● Emphasize cereals, breads and other grain products, vegetables and fruit.

● Choose lower-fat dairy products, leaner meats, and foods prepared with little or no fat.

● Achieve and maintain a healthy body weight by enjoying regular exercise and healthy eating.

● Limit salt, alcohol and caffeine.

The Four Most Important Nutrients For A Healthy Pregnancy

When planning a pregnancy, it is important that you get enough folic acid, iron, calcium and vitamin D in your diet. Too much or too little of any vitamin or mineral can be harmful to a developing baby.²  Talk to your doctor about any supplements that you may need to take.

Folic Acid

● Neural Tube Defects (NTDs) are serious birth defects involving the brain and spinal cord. 

● One of every 1,000 babies born in Canada has a neural tube defect such as spina bifida.

Since half of the pregnancies in Canada are unplanned, and because the defect occurs before most women know that they are pregnant, the following advice applies to all women who could become pregnant:

● All women who could become pregnant should eat a healthy, folate-rich diet. 

● Folate comes from dark green vegetables, corn, parsnips, beets, cauliflower, peas, cantaloupe, beans and lentils, wheat germ, nuts and seeds.²

● Folate, also called folic acid or folacin, is a B vitamin. 

● Getting 0.6 mg of folic acid every day, for at least one month before pregnancy and throughout the

   first 10-12 weeks of pregnancy, may reduce your risk of having a baby with a NTD.^2,4,6,10 

If you eat according to Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating, you will get about 0.2 mg of folate per day.  While it is important to choose these foods daily, it is not easy to get 0.6 mg of folic acid by diet alone.  You can receive an extra 0.1 mg by eating foods that have been fortified with folic acid. ² 

In addition to a healthy diet, women capable of becoming pregnant are advised to take a supplement containing 0.4 mg folic acid. ^2,4,6,8,9,10

Iron

“I’m a vegetarian and I don’t eat meat.

Can I get enough iron in my diet?”

● An iron rich diet ensures a healthy blood supply for both you and your baby-to-be. 

● It is needed for healthy red blood cells, which carry oxygen to all parts of the body. ^1,2,7,11

● Give your baby the best start by building up your own iron stores, which you then pass on to your

   future baby.  The iron that passes from mom to baby will last for the first few months of the baby’s 
   life. 

Sources of Iron                                                      

Calcium And Vitamin D

       “Do I have to drink milk?   The taste of it makes me feel sick!”

● Calcium and vitamin D go hand-in-hand. 

● Calcium is a mineral that is essential for bone strength, but you also need vitamin D to help the body

   use calcium.  The combination of the two will help to maintain strong bones to support your

   pregnancy, as well as helping to build your future baby’s bones and teeth.^2,7,11

● Good sources of calcium include, milk, cheese, tofu, yogurt, sardines, almonds, canned salmon, 

   cooked or canned beans, broccoli and dried sunflower seeds. ^2,5,7

● Vitamin D comes mainly from exposure to the sun. Very few foods contain it, although milk,

   fortified soy beverages, margarine and fatty fish are excellent sources.^2,5

● Do you hate milk?  If so, there are plenty of ways to still get calcium without the cow!  There are lots 

   of non-dairy foods that have calcium, such as the ones listed above.  If you are still having difficulty,

   talk to your dietician about your diet or to your doctor or pharmacist about a calcium supplement.

What If I’m A Vegetarian?

A vegetarian diet can provide you with the protein and other nutrients you need before, during and after pregnancy, but it often takes planning.

● Replace meats with alternatives, such as cooked dried peas, beans or lentils, nuts or seeds, peanut 

   butter, eggs and tofu.^2,5 

● If you are a true vegan and don’t consume eggs, dairy products, or fortified soy drinks, you may

   need to take a calcium and vitamin D supplement.  Vegans are also at high risk of inadequate intake 

   of vitamin B12, which is only available from animal sources.^1,2,4,7,10 

● Vegans should consume a supplement of at least 1ug (1 mcg) vitamin B12 per day. ^2,10 Discuss your 

   diet with your health care provider to make sure that you are getting all of the nutrients you need.

A Word On Caffeine

“I love my morning coffee and I don’t know if I can do without it.  Do I have to cut back even if I’m not yet pregnant?”

Sometimes that morning coffee helps you kick-start your day.  In fact, it may be very difficult to give up your coffee habit, since caffeine is addictive. 

● The average Canadian consumes nearly 30 gallons of coffee and another 34 gallons of soft drinks 

   each year.²

● Caffeine is found in a variety of items such as over-the-counter medications, coffee, cocoa,

   chocolate, and many teas and cola drinks.

● If you are planning a pregnancy, it’s a good time to limit or avoid caffeine.  According to Health

   Canada (2000), caffeine should be restricted to no more than 300 mg a day from all sources if 

   planning to become pregnant, pregnant, or breastfeeding.^{2, 13} This is approximately two, 8 oz. cups    

   per day. 

● Large amounts (more than 2 large cups of coffee per day) may increase the chances of miscarriage, 

   premature delivery and low birth weight. ^{2,3,7,10,12, 13}

Common sources of caffeine

Some of the ways to cut back on caffeine include:

	Cut back gradually
	Try weak or medium-strength tea
	Use half regular and half decaffeinated coffee
	Try hot water with lemon
	Drink juice, seltzers, water, and/or milk instead
	Read the label on over-the-counter medications for the caffeine content. Don’t forget if you think that you may be pregnant, check with your doctor before taking any medications.

Be cautious of herbal teas and remedies.  Just because they claim to be  “natural” doesn’t mean that they are necessarily safe for use during pregnancy. ^2,4,7,11  

Currently, Health Canada recommends only the following herbal teas, as "safe for use" during pregnancy when used in moderation (2-3 cups/day):

● Citrus Peel		● Linden Flower
● Ginger		● Orange Peel
● Lemon Balm		● Rose Hip

The healthy food choices that you make before and during your pregnancy affect how well your future baby grows and develops.  Give your baby a healthy start by following Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating. ^2,4,5,7,11

Remember…eating habits are formed early in life so it is

important that “parents-to-be” set good examples now.

Section References

Good Nutrition:

1.             Cefalo, R.C., &  Moos, M.K. (1995). Preconceptional Health Care: A Practical Guide. 2^nd ed.  St. Louis: Mosby-Year Book, Inc.

2.             Health Canada.  (1999).  Nutrition for a Healthy Pregnancy: National Guidelines for the Childbearing Years.  Ottawa: Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada.

3.             March of Dimes Birth Defects and Mosby – Great Performance. (1995). Think Ahead.  Is There a Baby In Your Future?  Oregon:  Author.

4.             Health Canada.  (2000).  Family-Centred Maternity and Newborn Care: National Guidelines.  Ottawa: Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada.

5.             Health Canada.  (1997).  Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating.  Ottawa: Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada.

6.             Motherisk Program. (1999). “Motherisk Recommendations: Taking Folic Acid Before You Get Pregnant,” Factsheet.  The Motherisk Program, The Hospital for Sick Children [online], www.motherisk.org/recomm/folic.htm [2000, July 14].

7.             Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC).  (1998).  Healthy Beginnings: Your Handbook for Pregnancy and Birth.  Ottawa:  Author.

8.             March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation. (1999). “Folic Acid,” Factsheet. March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation [online], www.modimes.org/Programs2/FolicAcid/FASheet.htm  [2000, July 14].

9.             Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC).  (1993). The Use of Folic Acid in the Prevention of Neural Tube Defects.  Ottawa:  Author.

10.           Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS).  (1995).  Preconceptional Use of Folic Acid for Reduction of the Risk of Neural Tube Defects.  Ottawa:  Author.

11.                 Barrett, J. and Pitman, T. (1999).  Pregnancy and Birth: The Best Evidence.  Toronto:  Key Porter Books Ltd.

12.                 Motherisk Program with Best Start Algoma.  (1999).  Pregnancy Wallet Card:  Motherisk Guide to the Safety of

Products and Medication When Pregnant.  Toronto:  The Hospital for Sick Children.          

13.           Health Canada.  (2000).  “Fact sheet caffeine and your health”,  Factsheet.  Health Canada.  [online].  http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/food-aliment/dg/e_caffeine.html  [2004, July 20].

For credit of this information, please refer to the preconception home page.