What you eat for your body has an effect on your baby. Here are nutrition tips during pregnancy.
| Nutrient | Needed for | Best sources |
| Protein | cell growth and blood production | lean meat, fish, poultry, egg whites, beans, peanut butter, tofu |
| Carbohydrate | daily energy production | breads, cereals, rice, potatoes, pasta, fruits, vegetables |
| Calcium | strong bones and teeth, muscle contraction, nerve function | milk, cheese, yogurt, sardines or salmon with bones, spinach |
| Iron | red blood cell production (to prevent anemia) | lean red meat, spinach, iron-fortified whole-grain breads and cereals |
| Vitamin A | healthy skin, good eyesight, growing bones | carrots, dark leafy greens, sweet potatoes |
| Vitamin C | healthy gums, teeth, and bones; assistance with iron absorption | citrus fruit, broccoli, tomatoes, fortified fruit juices |
| Vitamin B6 | red blood cell formation; effective use of protein, fat, and carbohydrates | pork, ham, whole-grain cereals, bananas |
| Vitamin B12 | formation of red blood cells, maintaining nervous system health | meat, fish, poultry, milk (Note: vegetarians who don’t eat dairy products need to supplement Vitamin B12.) |
| Vitamin D | healthy bones and teeth; aids absorption of calcium | fortified milk, dairy products, cereals, and breads |
| Folic acid | blood and protein production, effective enzyme function | green leafy vegetables, dark yellow fruits and vegetables, beans, peas, nuts |
| Fat | body energy stores | meat, whole-milk dairy products, nuts, peanut butter, margarine, vegetable oils (Note: limit fat intake to 30% or less of your total daily calorie intake.) |