How often you eat and how much—3 large meals a day, 5 small ones, or combinations of meals and snacks—is not critical as long as you eat nutritious foods to make up a properly balanced diet.

Following is information about key nutrient needs during pregnancy and how to meet them.

Calories
Your caloric intake doesn’t need to change during the first 3 months of pregnancy, as long as you eat quality, nutritious foods. During the last 2 trimesters, your body needs approximately 300 calories more per day than when you were not pregnant.

Protein
You and your baby depend a great deal on protein, the nutrient that supports proper tissue growth. To get the extra protein you require, you need to consume 60 g of protein daily, which is 20% to 36% greater than your normal requirements.

Some excellent sources of high-quality protein are fish and seafood, poultry, beef, lamb, pork, liver, and eggs. Vegetarian and other nonmeat sources of protein—including legumes, nuts, and cereals—are also appropriate. Milk and other dairy products, such as cheese and yogurt, are also excellent sources of protein.

You may want to consider substituting a balanced nutritional beverage like S-26* MAMA for regular cow’s milk. In addition to providing 16% of the recommended daily allowance for protein in each serving, S-26 MAMA is fortified with a full range of vitamins and minerals.

Fat
Fat is important in your diet because it helps your body absorb many nutrients. Fat is also important for energy, and spares protein for body-building functions.

However, even during pregnancy, you should limit your intake of fats, which are very high in calories. If you eat too many high-fat foods, you will gain weight too quickly.

Foods that are good sources of fat include meat, milk, cheese, butter, margarine, and oils. If you include a few of these foods in your daily diet in proper amounts, you will be receiving the necessary energy from fat.

S-26 MAMA can be a good milk substitute because only 15% of its calories come from fat, and it is low in saturated fat.

DHA
During pregnancy, the fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is essential for brain development. Your baby relies on you for an adequate supply of DHA.

Studies have shown that maternal DHA supplementation improves the DHA status of the newborn. Experts recommend that pregnant women ensure a DHA intake of 300 mg per day.

Eggs, organ meats, liver, and fish are good sources of DHA. Some specially formulated beverages like S-26 MAMA are fortified with DHA.

Carbohydrates and fiber
Whole-grain and fiber foods, such as whole-grain breads, cereals, rice, oats, and pasta, are important because they supply you with energy.

To satisfy your requirements, you need to have 3 servings of whole-grain/fiber foods daily. (One slice of bread equals 1 serving.)

Try to choose foods that are enriched and made from whole grains, like oats, rye, and wheat. Whole-grain products contain more nutrients than refined and processed foods, and also contain fiber.

Fiber is important, especially if you are one of the many women who suffer from constipation during pregnancy. High-fiber foods, such as whole grains, fresh fruits, and fresh vegetables, can help relieve constipation.

Vitamins and minerals
Pregnant women have higher-than-usual requirements for most vitamins and minerals. Fruits and vegetables provide a greater variety of vitamins and minerals than you will find in other foods.

You should have at least one generous serving of citrus fruit and one generous serving of a green or yellow vegetable daily. Other fruits and vegetables—apples, pears, peaches, grapes, bananas, pineapple, berries, guavas, mangoes, papayas, dates, figs, melon, carrots, beets, tomatoes, and cauliflower, among others—are important too.

It’s best to eat fresh fruits and vegetables. They contain more nutrients than canned or frozen products, and do not contain added sugar, salt, or fat.

The vitamin folic acid, and the minerals iron and zinc, are especially important during pregnancy.

Folic acid
Folic acid is critical to the healthy development of your baby. Adequate folic acid intake, especially before conception and in the early weeks of pregnancy, can help prevent neural tube defects (NTDs), which are some of the most serious birth defects.

Fruits and vegetables—including orange juice and leafy green vegetables—and fortified grains are good sources of folic acid.

You should consume at least 600 mcg of folic acid daily. In fact, experts recommend that pregnant women take a vitamin supplement containing at least 600 mcg of folic acid daily rather than rely on food sources of folic acid alone for this important nutrient.

Iron
The dramatic increase in blood volume during pregnancy greatly increases your iron needs. Iron is a primary component of hemoglobin, the part of the blood that supplies your cells and your baby’s cells with oxygen.

Iron supplementation during pregnancy has been shown to help prevent iron deficiency, which can increase the risk of complications in labor and delivery, and of low birthweight and preterm delivery.

Iron-rich foods include beef, liver and other organ meats, legumes, and fortified grains.

Experts in the United States (US) recommend that you consume 27 mg of iron daily, 50% more than your normal requirement. Because it is very difficult to meet these increased iron needs through food alone, most experts recommend that you take a supplement containing at least 30 mg of iron daily.

Zinc
Zinc is important for your health and your baby’s health. Maternal zinc deficiency can cause complications in pregnancy and labor. Inadequate zinc levels in infants have been associated with NTDs and low birthweight.

Seafood, liver, and meat are good sources of zinc.

In the US, the recommended daily allowance for zinc during pregnancy is 11 mg, approximately 38% higher than your normal requirements. Some women find it easiest to meet these needs by consuming a zinc-fortified supplement.