There are various effective and valid approaches to weight gain during pregnancy. When it comes to food, the three things that help your body gain the right amount of weight for you and your baby are:. Throughout pregnancy, your body is building more blood, vessels, and various tissues to help support you and your growing baby.
Protein-rich foods supply the building blocks to help your body meet these increased demands, and decrease some of the risk factors for developing preeclampsia, like hypertension and high blood sugar. One amino acid, called glycine, can be especially helpful for supporting healthy blood pressure, and needs increase during pregnancy.
Glycine produces elastin, a structural protein that helps your blood vessels expand and contract. The best sources of glycine are the connective tissues, skin, and bones of slow cooked animal foods, like bone broth, pot roast or stew, chicken with the skin, and collagen or gelatin powder. According to a high-quality, recent study, optimal protein intake for a woman of an average weight in her 3rd trimester is at least grams, or above, depending on your activity and weight.
This study found that optimal protein intake was 1. Does this mean pregnant moms need to start tracking their protein intake? And if current guidelines are too low, how come most moms and babies are healthy? In the U. Calcium also helps your circulatory, muscular and nervous systems run normally. How much you need: 1, milligrams a day; pregnant teenagers need 1, milligrams a day. Good sources: Dairy products are the best absorbed sources of calcium.
Nondairy sources include broccoli and kale. Many fruit juices and breakfast cereals are fortified with calcium, too. Good sources: Fatty fish, such as salmon, is a great source of vitamin D. Other options include fortified milk and orange juice. Good sources: Lean meat, poultry, fish and eggs are great sources of protein. Other options include beans and peas, nuts, seeds and soy products. Your body uses iron to make hemoglobin, a protein in the red blood cells that carries oxygen to your tissues.
During pregnancy, you need double the amount of iron that nonpregnant women need. Your body needs this iron to make more blood to supply oxygen to your baby. If you don't have enough iron stores or get enough iron during pregnancy, you could develop iron deficiency anemia. You might become fatigued. Severe iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy also increases your risk of premature birth, having a low birth weight baby and postpartum depression. Good sources: Lean red meat, poultry and fish are good sources of iron.
Other options include iron-fortified breakfast cereals, beans and vegetables. Prenatal vitamins typically contain iron. In some cases, your health care provider might recommend a separate iron supplement. The iron from animal products, such as meat, is most easily absorbed. To enhance the absorption of iron from plant sources and supplements, pair them with a food or drink high in vitamin C — such as orange juice, tomato juice or strawberries. If you take iron supplements with orange juice, avoid the calcium-fortified variety.
Although calcium is an essential nutrient during pregnancy, calcium can decrease iron absorption. Even if you eat a healthy diet, you can miss out on key nutrients. It's better to get your protein fix through real foods, and as with all vitamins and supplements in pregnancy, you should never take anything without first discussing it with your practitioner. What's more, protein-rich foods also tend to be stellar sources of key pregnancy nutrients like vitamins A and D, as well as iron.
Protein is important during pregnancy and hitting a happy medium brings the best health outcomes for both you and your baby. And the good news is that hitting your protein goals is simple as long as you regularly include nourishing foods like meat, poultry, eggs, yogurt, beans, nuts and seeds. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations.
Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy. The educational health content on What To Expect is reviewed by our medical review board and team of experts to be up-to-date and in line with the latest evidence-based medical information and accepted health guidelines, including the medically reviewed What to Expect books by Heidi Murkoff.
This educational content is not medical or diagnostic advice. Use of this site is subject to our terms of use and privacy policy. Registry Builder New. Protein During Pregnancy. Medically Reviewed by Jennifer Wu, M. Rather than avoiding fish completely, experts recommend that you limit the amount of seafood you eat and choose low-mercury options. It depends. While some protein powders and shakes may be safe during pregnancy, some of them contain herbs or large amounts of protein, caffeine, and sugar that may be harmful to you and your baby.
Plus, they can be packed with added vitamins and minerals that may already be in your prenatal vitamin — meaning that you could end up getting more than you need. Protein shakes and powders are considered supplements, so they aren't regulated like food or medicine and their safety for pregnant women hasn't been tested. The best way to meet your protein needs is by eating a variety of protein-rich foods. And if you think you may be falling short, it's always best to talk to your healthcare provider before consuming any protein shakes or powders.
BabyCenter's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world. When creating and updating content, we rely on credible sources: respected health organizations, professional groups of doctors and other experts, and published studies in peer-reviewed journals. We believe you should always know the source of the information you're seeing. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies. Eating right during pregnancy.
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Advice about eating fish: For women who are or might become pregnant, breastfeeding mothers, and young children.
Food and Drug Administration. Harvard Health Publishing.
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