Natural Pregnancy Diets

Pregnancy is the most important time in your life to be keeping your body healthy. After all, it is not only yourself that you are caring for, but for the baby you are nurturing inside. These natural diet tips will point you in the right direction for what to eat and how much to eat on a daily basis during your prenatal care.

How Often Should You Be Eating?

• Like any normal, healthy diet, you should be eating three meals a day. Of course, the meals should be natural foods, which you will see below, and you should also have two snacks in between. You do not want to eat until you are over-full. The saying that you are "eating for two" does not really mean you should be eating twice as much as you normally do. It is just a way of describing the food cravings you may have and wanting an abundance of foods you normally do not like in the first place. Having a small snack before you go to bed will fulfill any late-night hunger cravings, and as long as you make it a healthy snack, you won't feel guilty.

  Aside from your daily eating routine, if you wake up in the middle of the night, as you probably will to use the bathroom, you may crave something since you are awake. If you choose a small piece of fruit, its natural antioxidants will help fight morning sickness.

Whole Grains, Fruits and Vegetables

• You may experience several bouts of constipation during your pregnancy, so eating natural whole grains helps fight against it. They regulate your digestive system, as well as add healthy nutrients that you will not find in plain white bread. Try to stick with whole grain pastas, bread and beans, as well.

  Both fresh, natural fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants and nutrients, and eating them in abundance will help keep your baby healthy. Green vegetables, such as lettuce and spinach, along with oranges will also help regulate your digestive system and provide a natural source of folic acid. Folic acid is necessary in the baby's growing process. To filter your stomach with good bacteria necessary for fighting against invasive bacteria, you should eat fermented vegetables like sauerkraut. Remember, the healthier you are, the healthier your baby will be.

Iron, Protein and Vitamin C

• Iron and protein eaten regularly keep your blood sugar levels relatively steady, so you have more energy. Meats are absolutely necessary to eat when you are pregnant since they are full of iron and protein. Good meats to choose are fish and ground beef that have come from antibiotic-free and hormone-free animals. It's best to keep everything you eat completely natural so no harmful toxins are passed along to your baby. If you are vegetarian, you may prefer to eat eggs and drink milk rather than eat meat to gain the protein and iron you need. Remember, taking a pill to supplement for any of these necessities is not the same as actually eating the food that is naturally filled with these healthy elements.

  Vitamin C is vital to keeping your immune system healthy. If you drink a glass of orange juice with your omelet every morning, you get the nutrients you need, as well as the vitamin C helping the body to absorb the iron faster.