Planning Your Plate

It’s important to nourish your body, especially while trying to conceive, during pregnancy, and in the postpartum period. Besides helping to reduce the risk of complications, good nutrition is important for general well-being. It also ensures your baby gets everything it needs to develop properly and is crucial for postpartum recovery.

Unfortunately, nutrition is an area where many of us struggle. It's not always easy, and time and money are two big reasons for this. In addition, we are often inundated with food options that taste great but aren't really nutritious. While the practice of eating well can be very challenging, the concept is really quite simple. Eating a well-balanced diet of nutrient-dense foods on a regular basis is the key. Nutrient-dense foods are packed with the essential nutrients (vitamins, minerals, protein, fats, carbohydrates, and water) we need and are limited in what we don’t (saturated fats, added sugars, and sodium). Nutrient-dense foods are typically "whole" or unprocessed and close to their natural state.

It’s also difficult to know which sources to trust when it comes to nutrition. Social media is full of misinformation, because there are irresponsible people who lack proper credentials promoting pseudoscience (often in order to sell you expensive supplements). And no one is really holding them accountable.

At the same time, some people have concerns when it comes to the dietary guidelines put out by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. These concerns stem from the effect food industry lobbyists might have on current recommendations.

 📝 Note: This post contains general nutrition information. If you want or need more individualized recommendations, contact your care provider or make an appointment with a dietician with an RD or RDN credential. This would be especially helpful if you’re pregnant with multiples or have certain health issues.

The Nutrition Source

For general nutrition guidance, consider checking out The Nutrition Source from the Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

I’m going to highlight a few helpful resources you’ll find on their website:

• Healthy Eating Plate
• Healthy Living Guide 2023/2024
• Recipe ideas.

The Healthy Eating Plate

The Healthy Eating Plate is a great resource to help you visualize and create healthy, balanced meals.

According to their website: 

The Healthy Eating Plate, created by nutrition experts at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and editors at Harvard Health Publications, was designed to address deficiencies in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s MyPlate. The Healthy Eating Plate provides detailed guidance, in a simple format, to help people make the best eating choices.

The Healthy Eating Plate is based exclusively on the best available science and was not subjected to political or commercial pressures from food industry lobbyists.

Copyright © 2011, Harvard University. For more information about The Healthy Eating Plate, please see The Nutrition Source, Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, www.thenutritionsource.org, and Harvard Health Publications, www.health.harvard.edu.

The Healthy Living Guide 2023/2024

I also recommend checking out their Healthy Living Guide 2023/2024. It contains great information on nutrition, as well as movement and sleep.

I love that it also focuses on mindfulness, intuitive eating (versus counting calories), and protecting the planet.

🔗 Healthy Living Guide 2023/2024

Recipe Ideas

Find recipe ideas to cook at home at the link below:

🔗 Home Cooking | The Nutrition Source | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Preconception to Postpartum Nutrition

The resources I’ve mentioned, so far, are great for understanding healthy eating, in general. However, nutritional needs change when you’re trying to conceive, expecting, and postpartum.

Preconception

Before and while trying to conceive is a great time to make sure you’re prioritizing nutrition in preparation for pregnancy.

In addition to general nutrition recommendations, start taking a daily vitamin supplement that contains 400 mcg folic acid at least one month before trying to conceive (and continue throughout pregnancy). This is because of the critical development your baby goes through very early on in pregnancy.

‼️ Important: You may hear individual health care professionals (and social media influencers) recommending supplements containing “natural food folate” instead of folic acid, especially for those with an MTHFR gene variant. I go more into this topic and debate in a blog post (linked below). 

🧭 MTHFR and the Folate Debate

Pregnancy

Pregnant people often joke that they’re eating for two. While this is true, it isn’t necessary (or a good idea) to double your food intake. In fact, you may only need a few hundred extra calories a day.

According to ACOG:

• First trimester: no extra calories needed
• Second trimester: around 340 calories per day needed
• Third trimester: around 450 calories per day needed

The goal is to gain an average of 25-35 pounds gradually throughout pregnancy. Some women and pregnant people will need to gain a little more or a little less. Dieting is generally not advised, because essential nutrient intake is reduced when calories are restricted. Check with your care provider for specific recommendations that consider your pre-pregnancy weight, activity level, overall health, and the number of babies you’re carrying.

🧭 Embracing Changes in Weight From Pregnancy to Postpartum

Postpartum

Continuing to eat a healthy, balanced diet during the postpartum period is so important for the healing process. Unfortunately, it can be really difficult to prioritize your own nutrition during this time. 

One of the best ways you can receive support during this time is access to healthy, nourishing meals. If you have a partner, this is something they can focus on while yours is on your newborn. Friends and family can also help in this way.

If you are breastfeeding or chest feeding, you will need extra calories (around 450-500) during this time, as well. Again, your care provider can give you specific recommendations. Staying hydrated will be critical, as well.

💡 Tip: Make sure the extra calories needed in pregnancy and while breastfeeding/ chest feeding are nutrient-dense. Choose healthy protein foods, foods containing Omega-3 fatty acids, and foods that contain important vitamins and minerals (like choline, folate, vitamin D, calcium, iodine, iron, and potassium).

📑 References