Living Vegan For Dummies - Alexandra Jamieson [128]
As long as you’re properly hydrated and fed, regular healthy exercise poses no risk to your baby’s health. Be sure to drink more water during exercise and eat plenty of carbohydrate- and protein-rich snacks. Fueling your body with extra, nutritious food should be part of your exercise routine. Any kid with a mother who values healthy food and regular exercise will grow up better for it!
Eating for Two
Just because you’re eating for two doesn’t mean you can completely throw caution to the wind — although being a little bit generous won’t hurt. And don’t forget that eating for two doesn’t mean eating for two adults — that little bump in your tummy is a very small person!
Your growing baby requires that you consume between 100 and 450 extra calories a day. In the first trimester, you only need up to 100 extra calories a day, if your morning sickness will allow you to eat that much. In the second trimester, the National Academy of Sciences recommends that you increase your daily intake by 300 to 340 calories. By the time you’re breastfeeding, the increase goes up to a total of 450 to 500 extra calories a day.
Your total calories should be increased even more if you’re pregnant and breastfeeding at the same time or if you’re pregnant with more than one baby at a time. Every woman is unique and has her own special circumstances, so adjust your caloric intake accordingly. Perhaps you work on your feet all day, or maybe you’re starting off your pregnancy under- or overweight. Talk with your obstetrician, midwife, or doula about your weight gain to get her help to ensure a healthy pregnancy.
The most important thing to remember is that your extra calories need to be nutritionally dense and not empty. Sure, some good-quality dark chocolate or potato chips are okay occasionally, but they shouldn’t become their own separate food group during pregnancy. Instead, use those extra calories wisely and focus instead on truly supportive foods. Choose the following, for example:
Dark, leafy greens and beans for iron, calcium, vitamin K, and folic acid
Avocados, nuts, and seeds for healthy fat and protein
Seasonal fruits for natural sweetness, antioxidants, and healing vitamins
Nutritional know-how: Getting enough of what you need
Now that you’re pregnant (or seriously thinking about getting pregnant), you can expect even more questions from nonvegans about your nutrition. Become familiar with the important recommendations in the following sections for folate, protein, calcium and vitamin D, iron, B12, and omega-3 fatty acids. Commit these vegan nutrition basics to memory and share them freely with others. Be assured that a vegan lady with baby can get everything she needs for a healthy, vibrant pregnancy.
Use the helpful list in Table 20-1 to plan your daily meals during your amazing 40 weeks as a pregnant vegan.
Table 20-1 Recommended Servings of Various Food Groups
Food Group
Number of Servings
Examples of Servings
Whole grains, breads, and cereals
9 or more servings
1 slice of bread; half a bun or bagel; 1/2 cup cooked cereal, rice, or pasta; 3/4 cup to 1 cup ready-to-eat cereal
Legumes, soy products, and nondairy milks
5 to 6 servings
1/2 cup cooked beans, tofu, or tempeh; 8 oz. fortified soymilk or other nondairy milk; 3 oz. meat substitute
Vegetables
4 or more servings
1/2 cup cooked or 1 cup raw vegetables (choose at least one dark green vegetable daily)
Fruits
4 or more servings
1/2 cup cooked or 1 cup raw fruit; 1 piece of fruit; 3/4 cup fruit juice; 1/4 cup dried fruit
Nuts, seeds, and wheat germ
1 to 2 servings
2 Tbsp. nuts or seeds; 2 Tbsp. nut butter; 2 Tbsp. wheat germ
Source: Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, Vegan Pregnancy
Folate and folic acid
One of the first — and most mysterious — nutrients that comes up in pregnancy discussions is folate, which is also known as folic acid. It’s mysterious because no one seems to know what it is or worry about it until they get pregnant. Folate is a B vitamin that’s found naturally in many vegan