Eating healthy and nutritious food ensures the safety of the child and mother alike. It is the best way for a mother to keep the baby safe and prevent any birth related disorders and defects.Eating nutritious foods also ensures that the baby is strong and grows well. Pregnant women crave for certain foods; these may not be the healthiest options nevertheless they cannot be overlooked. While it is safe to indulge in your cravings in small amounts you must avoid over indulging in foods that are low in nutrition.

Pregnant women must consume iron, folic acid and calcium in appropriate amounts. Folic acid prevents birth defects related to the spine. Cereals, beans and green leafy veggies are the best source of folic acid.

If you are anemic you need to eat foods that are rich in iron. This is especially important when you are pregnant. Anemic mothers are at greater risk of delivering premature babies and hence increasing your iron intake in important. Red meats, lean meats, lentils and orange and yellow fruits and vegetables are a great source of iron.

Pregnant women put on weight in a short span of time; this puts additional strain on the bones. In order to prevent this increasing your calcium intake is important. Milk and other dairy products are a rich source of calcium. In addition to this broccoli and spinach also offer the body huge amounts of calcium.

Protein enriched foods are essential for the baby as they strive to develop. Eggs, meats, fish, cheese and dairy products offer the body a rich amount of protein.

In addition to eating a healthy and nutritious meal one must also avoid eating foods that cause harm to the body. Any solid or liquid food that contains caffeine harms the mother and the baby and hence it must be avoided. Alcohol can damage the child’s central nervous system and thus it must be removed from the diet completely. Avoid foods that are cooked in alcohol as well.

Foods that are high in mercury content are also unhealthy and cause harm to the fetus. Uncooked or semi cooked foods like eggs and hot dogs as well as other processed meats must be avoided.