Nutrition During Pregnancy
Nix the Notion of "Eating for Two"

Nutrition during pregnancy is a much-misunderstood topic, full of old wives's tales and potentially harmful advice. In truth, pregnant women only need to add about 300 calories per day to their diet to support their pregnancy - the equivalent of an apple and a glass of milk.  However, the real issue lies in what women are doing with the other 2,000 calories a day.

As obesity rates continue to rise worldwide, bringing with them higher incidences of pregnancy complications including gestational diabetes, c-sections and maternal hemorrhage, effective nutrition during pregnancy has become more important than ever before.

Not only does pregnancy diet impact mothers, but it is also a key factor in fetal development, setting the standard for your child's future development. But since, prenatal nutrition is so poorly presented by the majority of doctors and mainstream care providers, other than a perfunctory "take your prenatal vitamin, even if it makes you vomit", it can be a difficult chore to separate facts from fiction and plan a healthy pregnancy diet.

However, several quality resources exist to bridge the knowledge gap in this area.  Two such resources include the Brewer Diet and the Fit and Healthy Pregnancy Guide.

The Brewer Diet

The Brewer Diet was developed by OB, Tom Brewer in the 50-60s  to help women with pre-eclampsia. His study of prior research by Drs. Hamlin, Strauss, Burke, and Ferguson helped him discover that the cause of pre-eclampsia and other similar pregnancy complications was abnormal blood volume, due to dietary deficiencies. The Brewer Diet consists of 4 basic components: 2600 calories, 80-120 grams of protein, salt to taste, and unrestricted weight gain.

The Fit and Healthy Pregnancy Guide

The Fit and Healthy Pregnancy Guide (FHP) , is a modern manual and online resource for a healthy pregnancy diet and exercise program.

Written by a registered dietitian and an exercise physiologist, the FHP is a comprehensive results-focused manual with expert advice on nutrition during pregnancy and prenatal exercise, idiot-proof meal menu plans week-by-week that any husband can follow, customized grocery lists for quicker shopping, and a complete recipe rolodex for easy reference.

The FHP also offers a functional at-home exercise program personalized to pregnancy needs that will ensure the only "bump" you develop is right in the front where it belongs.  It is also endorsed by medical doctors and health professionals worldwide so you never have to worry whether your exercise regime is too strenuous for your ever-changing pregnant body.

For more information, visit the Fit and Healthy Pregnancy Guide.

REFERENCES

Kramer MS, Kakuma R. Energy and protein intake in pregnancy. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2003, Issue 4. Art. No.: CD000032. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD000032.

Haider BA, Bhutta ZA. Multiple-micronutrient supplementation for women during pregnancy. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2006, Issue 4. Art. No.: CD004905. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD004905.pub2.

Hodnett ED, Fredericks S. Support during pregnancy for women at increased risk of low birthweight babies. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2003, Issue 3. Art. No.: CD000198. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD000198.

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Page Last Modified by Catherine Beier, MS, CBE