A new baby! What better reason to make some changes in your diet? If you were eating a well-balanced diet before you became pregnant, you probably won't need to make big changes. But some little changes can make a big difference in ensuring that you and your baby get all the vitamins, minerals and calories needed for a healthy pregnancy.

Five Healthy Food Groups
Rely on ingredients from the five healthy food groups: grain products, vegetables, fruits, protein foods, and milk and milk products. To get the nutrients you and your baby need, choose these foods every day:

Grain products provide carbohydrates, your body's main source of energy. Choose 6–11 servings of whole-grain or fortified products such as whole-wheat bread, cereals, brown rice or pasta. One serving is a slice of bread, or a cup of cooked rice or pasta.

Fruits and vegetables provide important vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber to aid digestion. Choose at least three vegetables and two fruits every day, including a juice or fruit rich in vitamin C, such as an orange. One serving is a cup of raw, leafy vegetables or 1/2 cup raw or cooked nonleafy vegetables, one whole raw fruit, or 1/2 cup cooked or chopped fruit.

Protein foods, such as meat, fish and dried beans, are crucial for your baby's growth. Choose 3–4 servings per day. One serving equals 2–3 ounces of lean meat, poultry or fish, or one egg. If you are a vegetarian, be sure to eat eggs, tofu and other soy products, dried beans and nuts, as well as a wide variety of grains every day.

Milk and milk products (including calcium-fortified soy milk) help build your baby's bones and teeth. Choose 3–4 servings a day of low-fat milk, yogurt or cheese. A serving is one cup of milk or yogurt or two 1-inch cubes of cheese. If you have trouble digesting lactose (the natural sugar found in milk), lactose-reduced milk products and calcium-fortified orange juice can help you get enough calcium.

Limit the amount of fat that you eat to no more than 30 percent of your daily calories. You should use high-fat foods (such as butter, sour cream, salad dressings and gravies) sparingly. Also, try to limit sweets. You don't have to eliminate them but, when possible, make healthier choices.

You also need to drink plenty of healthy fluids—6 to 8 cups a day. While water is best, you do get some water from juice. But keep in mind that juice is high in calories, while water has none. Avoid or limit caffeine-containing beverages such as coffee, tea and colas.

Sizing Up Your Portions
The recommended servings on the food guide pyramid may sound like a lot of food, especially the 6-11 grain servings. However, serving sizes are often less than you normally eat.

For example, most people use two slices of bread for a sandwich, which equals two grain servings.

It’s easier than you think to eat the recommended amount–or even more than you need. Here are some examples of what counts as one serving.

Grains Group

• 1 slice of bread
• ½ cup cooked cereal, pasta or rice (size of a small fist)
• 1 cup of cold cereal flakes
• 1 pancake or waffle (size of a CD)
• 1 muffin (size of a large egg)

Fruit Group

• 1 medium apple, orange, pear (size of a baseball)
• ½ cup chopped, cooked or canned fruit (size of a small fist)
• ¾ cup of fruit juice

Vegetable Group

• 1 small baked potato (size of a computer mouse)
• ½ cup of cooked or raw vegetables (size of a small fist)
• ¾ cup of vegetable juice

Dairy Group

• 1 cup of milk or yogurt
• 1-½ ounces of cheese, such as cheddar (size of 6 dice)

Protein Group

• 2-3 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry or fish (size of a deck of cards)
• ½ cup of cooked dried beans (size of a small fist). You should eat double this amount if you are a vegetarian substituting dried beans for meat.

Crucial Vitamins and Minerals
Eat foods that include folic acid like orange juice, leafy green vegetables and fortified breakfast cereals. When taken before pregnancy and in the early weeks of pregnancy, adequate amounts of folic acid may help reduce the risk of birth defects of the brain and spinal cord.

Most health care providers recommend that pregnant women take a prenatal multivitamin containing the recommended amounts of vitamins, including folic acid. Your prenatal vitamin is crucial throughout pregnancy to support the growth of the baby, so be sure you take it every day. Your need for iron doubles during pregnancy, and you may not be able to get enough from your diet. Some pregnant women need to take a 30-milligram iron supplement during their second and third trimesters to help prevent anemia. Your health care provider will recommend one if you need it. Your provider also may recommend a calcium supplement if you are unable to consume dairy products. Never take a supplement that contains more than the Daily Value (DV) of vitamins and minerals without talking to your health care provider, because large doses of certain vitamins (such as vitamin A) may harm your baby.

Dangerous Cravings
Nearly all pregnant women have cravings during pregnancy. The most common cravings are for sweets and dairy products. But some women crave nonfood items such as clay, cornstarch, laundry starch, dry milk of magnesia, paraffin, coffee grounds or ice. This kind of nonfood craving is called "pica." Pica can cause serious problems for pregnant women and their babies. These problems include severe constipation, blocked bowels and nutritional deficiencies. If you have cravings for any nonfood substances, tell your health care provider.

Some women believe that pica is normal, or are encouraged to eat substances like clay by well-meaning friends and family members. Other women believe that, if they eat clay or cornstarch, their baby will have a light complexion or they will have an easy birth. Some people believe that chewing clay or starch relieves tension. Unfortunately, none of this is true—it's better to take a walk or talk with a friend to relieve tension.

Food Safety Tips

• Wash your hands with soap before you handle food and again after touching raw meat, fish or poultry.
• Wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly.
• Always use a clean cutting board and knife. Wash them well after using for raw meats, fish and poultry.
• Refrigerate uneaten food promptly.

Off the Menu
Some foods can make you and your baby sick. You should avoid these foods which may cause food poisoning or contain pollutants that could harm your baby.

Deli meats (such as ham, bologna and salami) are an occasional cause of food poisoning. Avoid them or reheat them before eating.

Some women need to be especially careful about what they eat while pregnant. If you have a food allergy (to peanuts, eggs, wheat or cow's milk, for example), a family history of food allergies or a partner with a food allergy, you can avoid that food. Some studies indicate that your baby may have an increased risk of developing a food allergy later in life if you, your partner or a family member has a food allergy. You may wish to consult a food allergy specialist for help in planning your diet during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Say No to Alcohol
If you drink alcohol, your baby does, too. Even small amounts of alcohol can harm your unborn baby—there is no "safe" level of alcohol consumption when you're pregnant. Women who drink heavily during pregnancy can have a baby with a group of birth defects called fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). FAS is the leading preventable cause of mental retardation. Many more babies whose mothers drink lightly or moderately are born with lesser degrees of alcohol-related problems.

If you drink during pregnancy, you also increase your risk of having a miscarriage or a stillborn baby.