Overview

Your nutrition needs increase during pregnancy. Your body needs protein, carbohydrate, and fats for energy. Good sources of these nutrients include:

• Lean protein. Examples include fish that are low in mercury, poultry without skin, low-fat milk products, and beans and peas (legumes). Fish that are low in mercury include shrimp, salmon, and catfish.
• Carbohydrate from whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes (peas, beans, and lentils), low-fat milk products, and fortified plant-based beverages.
• Unsaturated fats like olive oil and canola oil, nuts, and fish.

Important vitamins and minerals during pregnancy include:

Calcium.

Calcium is found in dairy products and non-milk sources.

Good sources include:

• Milk and yogurt.
• Soy and rice beverages that are calcium fortified.
• Cheese.
• Greens (such as mustard and turnip greens), bok choy, kale, and watercress.
• Broccoli and cauliflower.
• Tofu that is "calcium-set."
• Corn tortillas made with lime.
• Calcium-fortified orange juice.
• Canned fish with bones (such as salmon and sardines).
• Cooked beans, legumes, and lentils.

Folic acid.

Follow your health professional's advice about how to get higher amounts of folic acid. Don't just take more multivitamins. You could get too much of the other substances that are in the multivitamin.

Iron.

Iron is found in foods such as red meat, shellfish, poultry, eggs, nuts, beans, raisins, whole grain bread, and leafy green vegetables.

Even if you have good eating habits, your doctor may suggest a multivitamin to make sure you get enough iron and folic acid.

Your daily calories needs

In the first trimester, you'll probably need the same amount of calories as you did before you were pregnant. In the second trimester, you'll likely need to eat about 340 extra calories a day. In the third trimester, you'll need about 450 extra calories a day.^{footnote 1}

Talk to your doctor or midwife or a dietitian about your daily calorie needs. Your needs depend on your height, weight, and activity level.

Your calorie needs also depend on whether you are carrying one baby or more. If you're pregnant with one baby, you'll likely need 2,200 to 2,900 calories a day in the second and third trimesters. If you are pregnant with twins, triplets, or more, your calorie needs will increase.^{footnote 1}