This is a guest post from Bridget Swinney MS, RD, award-winning author and well-regarded nutrition expert in the field of prenatal nutrition, child nutrition and family eating matters. Bridget has worked as a clinical dietitian, public health nutritionist, WIC Program Director, diabetes educator and weight loss group facilitator. Her book, Eating Expectantly, won the Child Magazine’s Top Ten Parenting Books of the Year, and Baby Bites was awarded a 2008 iparenting.com Media Award. The 4th edition of Eating Expectantly will arrive in May 2012. Bridget is also a spokesperson for Similac.

Pregnant women and new moms often ask me which nutrients will give their children the healthiest start possible. The good news is that adding just a few nutrient-rich foods can provide benefits for both mom and baby.

Below are seven nutrients that are important during and after pregnancy — for both mom and baby. Some of the nutrients, such as calcium, may seem commonplace, but others, like lutein, are rather new on the “nutrient radar screen.” All of these nutrients present multiple benefits to infants and young children, from strengthening their eyes to assisting in brain development.

Read on to learn more about the nutrients and easy ways to incorporate them into your diet!

1. Folic Acid: Benefits: Folic acid helps with the production of red blood cells and assists in cell division. It’s a critical nutrient during early pregnancy when errors in cell division can lead to birth defects.

Food Sources: The CDC and March of Dimes recommend that all women of childbearing age consume a multivitamin containing folic acid. Food sources include fortified grain products such as bread and cereal, as well as blackeyed peas, dried beans and peas, spinach, asparagus, broccoli, avocado and orange juice.

Meal idea: Black bean wrap with avocado and a glass of orange juice.

2. Lutein: Benefits: Lutein protects a baby’s eyes by absorbing potentially damaging light and helps defend against oxidative damage. In addition, a recent study found lutein in the infant brain in key regions for memory and learning. Lutein is important because much of what babies learn is based on what they see, so the more we can do for their eyes — and brain — the better.

Food Sources: Moms should seek leafy greens, eggs, and certain vegetables and fruits, such as kiwi and zucchini. Infants rely on breastmilk (note that lutein levels are dependent on maternal intake) and infant formula that contains lutein (such as Similac).

Meal idea: Creamy spinach soup.

3. Fat, Specifically DHA: Benefits: DHA is found in the cell membranes of the brain and eye and is important for brain function. Babies need a high percentage of fat in their diets to assist brain growth during the first year. The right balance of essential fatty acids is critical to infant development.

Food Sources: Moms should consume cold water fish (no more than 12 ounces per week, according to the Food and Drug Administration), fortified eggs, flaxseed, walnuts and walnut oil. They should also seek a prenatal vitamin with DHA. Breastmilk (depending on maternal intake of DHA during and after pregnancy) and infant formula with added DHA are ways in which infants get this key nutrient.

Meal idea: Salad with grilled salmon and toasted walnuts.

4. Choline: Benefits: Choline is an important nutrient that helps brain cells develop properly and supports baby’s memory and learning.

Food Sources: Most pregnant and breastfeeding women do not have enough choline in their diets. Not all prenatal vitamins contain choline, so dietary intake is important. Women can get choline primarily from eggs, beef, salmon and chicken. Infants rely on breastmilk (depending on maternal diet) and infant formula with added choline.

Meal idea: Microwave Scrambled Eggs

5. Iron: Benefits: Iron is part of the protein hemoglobin, which carries oxygen to different parts of the body including the brain. It’s especially important during times of growth. Iron deficiency anemia is common during pregnancy and during the first two years and can have devastating effects on pregnancy outcome and infant development.

Food Sources: Moms should incorporate lean beef, lamb, dark poultry meat, beans and iron-fortified cereals into their diets. Until baby starts eating solids, breastmilk and iron-fortified infant formula are the best ways to ensure baby gets iron.

Meal idea: Crock pot roast with zucchini and red peppers.

6. Calcium: Benefits: Calcium is the main structural component of bones and teeth. It’s also needed to support vascular, muscular and nerve function, and hormonal secretion.

Food Sources: Moms should consume dairy foods, salmon, spinach, turnip greens, kale or fortified juices. Dark, leafy greens can also be easily incorporated into baby food.

Snack idea: Greek yogurt-pumpkin parfait.

7. Vitamin D: Benefits: Vitamin D aids in calcium absorption, which helps build baby’s bones and teeth. Emerging research also shows a possible connection between vitamin D deficiency and diabetes as well as autism.

Food Sources: The best source of vitamin D is sunshine. However, sun exposure for infants should be limited. Unlike many of the nutrients mentioned in this post, breast milk is not an adequate source of vitamin D so the AAP recommends that all breastfed infants receive a daily supplement containing 400 IU (often provided via vitamin D drops). Fortified infant formula contains adequate vitamin D. Food sources of vitamin D include salmon, tuna, mackerel, milk, some mushrooms, and fortified foods and juices.

Meal idea: Salmon chowder with a glass of milk.

These nutrients are important for more than just pregnant and breastfeeding women. If there is even a possibility that you might become pregnant, incorporate these nutrient-rich foods into your diet. And remember to keep feeding these healthy foods to your child as they grow. Explore this blog and my books for fun, creative ways to serve up delicious and nutritious family meals.

This is a featured guest post by Elizabeth Ward, MS., RD, author of Expect the Best: Your Guide to Healthy Eating Before, During, and After Pregnancy.Elizabeth regularly writes for publications such as Men’s Fitness and WebMD, and blogs about about family nutrition and weight control issues for USAToday.com. Check out her pregnancy blog, Expect the Best Pregnancy, where you will get the latest and most credible nutrition advice during pregnancy.

Is a baby in your plans for the near future? Perhaps you’d like another child, but you’re just not ready yet.  No matter. When you’re in the childbearing years, it pays for you (and your male partner!), to prime your body for pregnancy, especially when you consider the possibility that conception can occur when you least expect it.

Preparing for pregnancy doesn’t differ much from living a healthy lifestyle.  Here are three steps, culled from my book, Expect the Best: Your Guide to Healthy Eating Before, During, and After Pregnancy, to help you have the healthiest child possible.

1. Practice Girth Control.  Being underweight or overweight may thwart a woman’s chances to conceive; when a future dad is overweight, his excess body fat may make matters worse.  

In addition to affecting fertility, being overweight when you conceive increases the risk of certain birth defects, including heart defects, and neural tube defects (NTD) like spina bifida.  Overweight women are also more prone to type 2 diabetes which may prove problematic for mom and baby.  And, women who enter pregnancy overweight tend to stay that way until delivery, and well beyond.

Starting a pregnancy at a healthy weight gives your child a better chance of developing properly, and reduces health risks for mom during pregnancy, including high blood pressure.

Determine your body mass index (BMI) to know whether your weight falls into a healthy range.  For help achieving a healthy weight at any stage of life, consult a registered dietitian (RD) by using the American Dietetic Association’s free referral service.
 
2. Fill in Nutrient Gaps.  Eating a balanced diet based on MyPyramid will help you and your partner get the nutrients that contribute to your good health, and that of your child’s, but that often go missing from the typical American diet, including calcium, fiber, magnesium, vitamins C and E, potassium, and carotenoids (used by the body to make vitamin A). 

Women in their childbearing years should pay particular attention to their intake of folic acid and iron. You need 400 micrograms (ug) of folic acid every day if you are capable of conceiving a child. That’s because folic acid helps to prevent NTDs, during the first 30 days of pregnancy – often when a woman does not know she’s pregnant. 

Women who are not pregnant require 18 milligrams of iron daily, but many are not meeting that quota.  Iron-deficiency anemia affects an estimated 8 million American women. It’s harder to correct an iron deficiency during pregnancy, when iron requirements soar, so make sure you get enough iron each day before conception occurs. 

While dietary supplements are not suitable substitutes for a balanced diet, a daily multivitamin fills in small gaps in nutrients that can sap fertility, particularly in men who don’t get enough vitamin C, folic acid, and zinc. 

Women who may become pregnant should take a daily multivitamin with 100% of the Daily Value for iron and folic acid. Men don’t need the extra iron and should take a multivitamin with no iron, or very low iron. 

3. Re-Think Your Drinks.  If you’re trying to conceive, it may be time to evaluate your caffeine and alcohol consumption. 

Some studies suggest excessive amounts of caffeine may result in miscarriage and stillbirth, while others question caffeine’s effects.  While the jury is still out regarding the safety of caffeine during pregnancy, it’s probably wise to limit your intake. The March of Dimes recommends 200 milligrams or less of daily caffeine- about the amount found in 10 ounces of Starbucks coffee – after conception occurs. It’s not a bad idea to start cutting back beforehand, however. There is some evidence that caffeine may hamper fertility.

There’s no safe amount of alcoholic beverages to drink during pregnancy, but how about when you’re trying to conceive?  It makes sense to enjoy a cocktail or glass of wine when you’re sure that you’re not pregnant. However, health professionals recommend erring on the side of caution when trying to conceive.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the March of Dimes contend that drinking and trying for a baby do not mix.  Even moderate drinking (one or fewer drinks daily for a woman; two or less for a man) may make it more difficult to conceive for some couples. In addition, it is possible, no matter how careful you are, to be pregnant and not know it, and alcohol is particularly detrimental to a developing baby during the first trimester. 

In men, heavy drinking produces sperm with defects that may hinder their ability to fertilize an egg. Although the link between moderate drinking and fertility is murky, it’s wise for men to play it safe by limiting alcoholic beverages to two or less a day.

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The process of raising healthy eaters actually starts before conception. The health of women entering –and during – pregnancy has a profound impact on the health of both mom and baby.

Part of my job is to inform you (my readers) of important changes in public health recommendations. The Institute of Medicine last tackled pregnancy and weight in 1990 – almost 20 years ago. Health experts have been talking about the need to re-examine these guidelines for the last several years. Yet the newly released guidelines from the Institute of Medicine don’t look much different from the 1990 ones. That said, a lot was learned in the process. Let’s take a look…

A Different Population of Women
Pregnant women today look drastically different than moms-to-be did just 20 years ago. First off, more women start pregnancy either overweight or obese and they gain more weight during pregnancy. Women are also having children later in life with a substantial increase in multiple births. All of these factors increase the likelihood of chronic disease and complications during and after the prenatal period.

Key Takeaways
The Institute of Medicine extensively reviewed studies to determine the optimal range of weight gain for pregnant women. Here are some highlights from the report:
–Weight at the start of pregnancy may be the most important factor for a healthy pregnancy. The science clearly shows that pre-pregnancy weight alone can predict undesirable prenatal health outcomes.
–Women who gain more than the recommended amount of weight during pregnancy are more likely to have c-sections, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes and they are likely to remain overweight long after birth.
–Women who start off pregnancy underweight and gain less than the recommended amount of weight tend to have small (for gestational age) babies. Women who gain more than the recommended amount of weight tend to have large (for gestational age) babies.
–Gaining too little or too much weight has also been associated with preterm birth.

The Guidelines
Below are the 2009 guidelines from the Institute of Medicine. The guidelines assume that women gain 1.1-4.4 pounds in the first trimester. The biggest change from 1990 is the smaller range of weight gain for obese women:

Underweight <18.5 (28-40 pounds)
Normal Weight 18.5-24.9 (25-35 pounds)
Overweight 25.0-29.9 (15-25 pounds)
Obese > 30 (11-20 pounds)

Provisional guidelines for twins: normal weight (37-54 pounds), overweight (31-50 pounds), obese (25-42 pounds).

Want to know your BMI. Check it out here.

To Sum Up
Beginning pregnancy at a healthy weight and gaining a sensible amount during the pregnancy provides a healthier start for both you and your baby. This is an incredible opportunity because it allows you to develop a healthier relationship with food before your child is even born.

For more information on nutrition and pregnancy see our pregnancy nutrition section.

Subscribe to Raise Healthy Eaters to learn more about nutrition during pregnancy.

References
Weight Gain During Pregnancy: Reexamining the Guidelines