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by Jennifer Stokols, MS, RD
Myth: Pregnant women should eat 300 additional calories a day.
Fact: Since there are various factors involved, your doctor will advise you about the weightgain range that’s right for you.
Myth: Pregnant women should not eat fish.
Fact: Pregnant women should avoid fish with high methyl mercury levels (i.e. swordfish, shark, king mackerel and tilefish) and all raw seafood. However, expectant mothers can still enjoy shellfish (i.e. shrimp), canned fish (i.e. tuna), smaller ocean fish and farm-raised fish (i.e. salmon) and should eat up to 12 ounces of these types of fish every week (with a maximum of six ounces of white albacore tuna a week).
Myth: Pregnant women can safely have one drink of alcohol daily.
Fact: Even at moderate levels (one drink per day), women who regularly consume alcohol during pregnancy may increase their risk for miscarriage or delivering low-birth weight babies.
Myth: Pregnant vegetarians need to eat meat.
Fact: Women can follow a vegetarian eating plan and get the nourishment they need for a healthy pregnancy.
Myth: Pregnant women shouldn’t exercise.
Fact: Women should incorporate 30 minutes or more of moderate intensity physical activity on most, if not all, days of the week.
All women of childbearing age should:
• Consume enough of certain types of vitamins, including B vitamin, which has been proven to prevent birth defects to the spine and brain and folic acid, found in fortified foods (enriched bread, flour, pasta rice, and cereals, or lentils, asparagus, spinach, black beans, peanuts, orange juice, etc.).
• Cut back on caffeine, drinking, smoking and drugs.
• Stay away from unsafe chemicals and highly stressful situations. • Enjoy pregnancy massages and other treats at health and beauty spas.
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