Pregnancy, when you are pregnant

When you are pregnant it is important to eat properly and healthy. During the pregnancy a slightly increased need for energy and nutrients occurs. This does not mean that as a pregnant woman you should eat more, but that you should especially pay attention to the quality of your food. We will briefly discuss some points of interest and recommendations.

When you are pregnant, your digestion functions more efficiently. Your body extracts more from your food than previously. During the first three months your body builds up a stock of nutrients and fat. A weight increase of around three kilos during this period is very normal. Dieting during your pregnancy is not a good idea. It would then be difficult to swallow enough of all nutrients. Because of that, you and your child run the chance of shortages.

Where do those kilos end up?

Baby	3,15 kilos
Womb	1,0 kilos
Placenta	0,5 kilos
Extra blood	1,5 kilos
Breasts	0,5 kilos
Extra stock of fat	3,0 kilos
Extra fluid	2,0 kilos
Total	12 kilos

When you are pregnant the following average amounts are recommended per day:

(Brown) bread	6 slices
Potatoes, rice or pasta    200 grams	200 grams
Vegetables	3-4 vegetable spoons (200 grams)
Fruit	2 pieces (200 grams)
Milk or milk products	2-3 glasses (400 ml)
Cheese	20 grams
Meat (products) or vegetarian replacement	120 grams (cooked)
Low-fat margarine/margarine, frying product or oil	40 grams
Drinking fluid	1.5 - 2 litres (incl. the 2-3 glasses of milk)

Source: Nutrition Centre Holland

The vitamins folic acid and vitamin D cannot be derived in a sufficient amount from your food. Research has shown that women who swallow extra folic acid run smaller chances of having a baby with spina bifida. You can best start with swallowing tablets as soon as you know that you want to become pregnant. Folic acid is necessary as of four weeks before the conception until and including the first eight weeks of the pregnancy. If you did not take folic acid before the pregnancy, you can start with it as soon as you know that you are pregnant. You need 0.4 milligrams of folic acid daily.

The bones of your baby already start to grow between the fourth and sixth week. Vitamin D sees to the settlement of calcium in the bones. It is recommended to daily take 5 micrograms extra vitamin D as of the 4th month of the pregnancy.

When you are pregnant you can keep eating vegetarian food. This is very well possible if you see to it that you eat varied food.

Vegetarian food for a pregnant woman

Whole-wheat bread	6 slices
Cheese	1-2 slices
Nut-paste as sandwich filling/nuts as in-between snack or in a salad
Fruit	2 pieces (200 grams)
Milk or milk products	2-3 glasses
Potatoes, pasta or rice	200 grams
Vegetables	3-4 vegetable spoons (200 grams)
Low-fat margarine/margarine, frying product or oil	40 grams
Drinking fluid	1.5 - 2 litres (incl. the 2-3 glasses of milk)
Vegetarian product	100-120 grams per day, for example: tofu, fish, Bioburger®, egg, cheese, dried legumes (75 grams boiled)

Vitamin C improves the digestion of iron. It is important to take something of a foodstuff that is rich in vitamin C (vegetables or fruit) during each meal. For example, a glass of orange juice during breakfast or lunch.