Food:

you need about 300 extra calories a day, especially later in your pregnancy when your baby grows quickly. If you're very thin, very active, or carrying multiples, you'll need even more. But if you're overweight, your health care provider may advise that you consume fewer extra calories.

A good daily pregnancy diet should consist of a variety of food containing plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, dairy products, pro-tein foods (such as meat, fish, nuts, eggs, and legumes), some fat and about two quarts of fluid a day. Fruits and vegetables also contain vitamin C which will help you and your baby to have healthy gums and other tissues. Strawberries, melons, lemons, oranges, papaya, tomatoes, peppers, greens, cabbage, and broccoli are containing Vitamin C.

Proteins:

Pregnant women and their growing babies need 10 grams of protein more than non-pregnant women. Pregnant women should eat 60 grams of protein every day. Eggs, nuts, dried beans, and peas also are good sources of protein.

Folic acid:

Pregnant women need 400 micrograms (400 mcg) of folic acid every day to help prevent birth defects. Folic acid is a B vitamin that helps prevent serious birth defects of a baby’s brain or spine called neural tube defects. Getting enough folic acid can also help prevent birth defects like cleft lip and congenital heart disease.

An easy way to get enough folic acid is to take a multivitamin every day. Orange juice, spinach and legumes are also good sources of folic acid.

Iron:

Pregnant women need about 30 mg of iron every day. Iron is needed to make hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying component of red blood cells. Red blood cells circulate throughout the body to deliver oxygen to all its cells. Some good sources of iron include lean red meat, fish, poultry, dried fruits, whole-grain breads, and iron-fortified cereals.

Calcium:

Pregnant women aged 19 to 50 years should get 1,000 mg/day of calcium. Younger pregnant women need even more - 1300 mg/day. you should increase your calcium consumption to prevent a loss of calcium from your own bones.

Good sources of calcium include:

• low-fat dairy products including milk, pasteurized cheese, and yogurt
• calcium-fortified products, including orange juice, soy milk, and cereals
• dark green vegetables including spinach, kale, and broccoli
• tofu
• dried beans
• almonds

Water:

Pregnant women should drink at least six eight-ounce glasses of water per day. Water plays a key role in your diet during pregnancy. It carries the nutrients from the food you eat to your baby. It also helps prevent constipation, hemorrhoids, dehydration and excessive swelling, and urinary tract or bladder infections. Drinking enough water, especially in your last trimester, prevents you from becoming dehydrated. Not getting enough water can lead to premature or early labor.

Exercise

Health and Human Services recommends at least 150 minutes (that's 2 hours and 30 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week. you may be able to keep up your workouts, as long as your doctor says it's safe. Before beginning — or continuing — any exercise regimen talks to your doctor first.

Exercising during pregnancy has been shown to be extremely beneficial. Regular exercise can help:

• Prevent excess weight gain
• Reduce pregnancy related problems, like back pain, swelling, and constipation
• Improve sleep
• Increase energy
• Improve outlook
• Prepare for labor
• Lessen recovery time

It's also important to be aware of how your body changes. During pregnancy, your body produces a hormone known as relaxin. The relaxin loosens the ligaments in your body, making you less stable and more prone to injury.

Whatever type of exercise you choose, make sure to take frequent breaks and remember to drink plenty of fluids. And use common sense — slow down or stop if you get short of breath or feel uncomfortable. If you have any questions about doing a certain sport or activity during your pregnancy, talk to your health care provider for specific guidelines.

Sleep

It's important to get enough sleep during your pregnancy. Your body is working hard to accommodate a new life, so you'll probably feel more tired than usual.

Some doctors specifically recommend that pregnant women sleep on the left side. Because one of those big blood vessels is on the right side of your abdomen, lying on your left side helps keep the uterus off of it. Lying on your left side optimizes blood flow to the placenta and, therefore, your baby.

Ask what your health care provider recommends. In most cases, lying on either side should do the trick and help take some pressure off your back. To create a more comfortable resting position either way, prop pillows between your legs, behind your back, and underneath your belly.

Some Things to Avoid

Alcohol:

One of the most common known causes of mental and physical birth defects, alcohol can cause severe abnormalities in a developing fetus. Alcohol is easily passed along to the baby, who is less equipped to eliminate alcohol than the mother. That means an unborn baby tends to develop a high concentration of alcohol, which stays in the baby's system for longer periods than it would in the mother's. And moderate alcohol intake, as well as periodic binge drinking, can damage a baby's developing nervous system. your best bet is to not drink any alcohol at all for the rest of your pregnancy.

Recreational Drugs:

Pregnant women who use drugs may be placing their unborn babies at risk for premature birth, poor growth, birth defects, and behavior and learning problems. And their babies could also be born addicted to those drugs themselves.

If you're pregnant and using drugs, a health clinic such as Planned Parenthood can recommend health care providers, at little or no cost, who can help you, quit your habit and have a healthier pregnancy.

If you've used any drugs at any time during your pregnancy, it's important to inform your health care provider. Even if you've quit, your unborn child could still be at risk for health problems.

Nicotine:

Pregnant women who continue to smoke are allowing their fetus to smoke, too. The smoking mother passes nicotine and carbon monoxide to her growing baby.

The risks of smoking to the fetus include:

• stillbirth
• prematurely
• low birth weight
• sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
• asthma and other respiratory problems

If you smoke, having a baby may be the motivation you need to quit. Talk to your health care provider about options for stopping your smoking habit.

Caffeine:

High caffeine consumption has been linked to an increased risk of miscarriage, so it's probably wise to limit or even avoid caffeine altogether if you can. If you are a coffee drinker, but "pru-dent and protective" expectant mothers should limit caffeine use. It would be wise if you reduce, if not eliminate altogether, caffeine intake during pregnancy.

Food:

Fish and shellfish can be an extremely healthy part of your pregnancy diet. you should avoid eating:

• shark
• swordfish
• king mackerel
• tilefish
• tuna steak

These types of fish may contain high levels of mercury, which can cause damage to the developing brain of a fetus.

Radiation:

You should avoid radiations during your pregnancy. X-rays for medical and dental diagnosis should be a strict no for you. You should avoid working in areas with high radiation levels especially during your first trimester since radiation interferes with cell division and organ development. Fortunately, most X-rays in early pregnancy can be avoided or postponed until after the birth.

Home Remedies during pregnancy:

Opt for home remedies before resorting to medications. In this portion we suggest some alternatives to the medical treatment of common ailments. You should consult your physician if any of these discomforts persist or seem harmful to your well-being.

Headache:

Headache is relieved by a warm relaxing bath, a massage, tension -reducing exercises (such as shoulder circling) and relaxation routines. Hot packs on the back of the neck or shoulders and cold packs on the forehead also help relieve headache for many people. Try not to use aspirin or acetaminophen or a combination drug.

Cold, hay fever, runny nose and cough:

You can get relief from these symptoms by trying a cool mist vaporizer, handkerchief, rest, liquids and honey and lemon. These are safe and effective treatments than decongestants, aspirin, and cough syrups. Remember that these drugs treat the symptoms and does not cure them.

Backache :

Backache is a common problem for pregnant women. You can get respite from backaches with massage, hot or cold packs, and exercises to strengthen the abdominal muscles and to decrease the curve in the low back. You should avoid aspirin and muscle relax-ants unless the condition is severe.

Sleeplessness :

This condition is especially common in late pregnancy. Take a brisk walk each day; this will help release tension that might keep you from sleeping. Before going to bed, try a warm bath, a glass of warm milk, a massage, or listening to soothing music. Do not use sleeping pills or alcohol even if you find yourself wide awake in the middle of the night. Try reading (a dull book is more likely to help you get to sleep) or take the help of yoga.

Allergies :

If you have significant food allergies, you need to be guided by a nutritionist, who will plan a proper diet for you, so that you do not lack in any nutrients. Eliminating problem foods may lead to an inadequate diet.