What Are Common Misconceptions About Pregnancy and Diet? (1:03)
Eating for two? According to nurse midwife Paula Greer, moms-to-be need only 300 extra calories each day. Watch the video to learn about diet dos and don’ts that will prevent you from gaining too much baby weight.
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I think the most common misconception about pregnancy and diet is that you get to eat for two. Come on get real, you are eating for 1.1. This little, tiny-tiny infant only needs about 300 extra calories a day, even at the end of the pregnancy. So you don't get to eat for two, not if you want to not gain too much weight, and end up having 40 or 50 pounds to stay off.
A healthy mom makes a healthier baby. Some moms think that during pregnancy you only need to avoid cigarettes, alcohol and drug use. That's not really true. There're whole list of foods that you should share and discuss with your health care provider. We have learned that things like deli meats and soft cheeses, for example, can cause listeria.
There're sometimes outbreaks with certain things in your area where you may need to avoid certain produces. Fish can contain mercury. At you next visit, ask for alost of dos and don'ts of what you should eat during your pregnancy, so that you and your baby can stay as healthy as possible.
Paula Greer is a graduate of the nurse midwifery program at Georgetown University and currently working for Baltimore Washington Medical Center in a faculty practice.
