Vegetarians and Pregnancy

Once you become pregnant, your body undergoes many changes including nutritional needs. It doesn’t matter if you are a vegetarian or maintain a “meatier” diet. However, 

it’s important for vegetarians to understand that once they are pregnant, their need for protein increases. There are also some other nutritional needs that pregnant vegetarians need to be aware of too. You’ll find them below.

More about Protein – The reason it’s so important for vegetarians to increase their protein during pregnancy is because this helps prevent pre-elampsia and eclampsia, which is a very dangerous condition that can occur during pregnancy. Additionally, the unborn baby needs additional protein to help it grow and develop properly.

The good news is that there are plenty of foods vegetarians can eat to get their protein aside from meats. For example, eggs and dairy products are good sources of protein. If you are a vegetarian that eats fish, there are some great protein sources there too. Not to mention the protein found in nuts, bean and legumes.

Calorie Intake – It is agreed upon that one should increase their calorie intake during pregnancy. This is true for everyone, regardless of your diet. Most sources agree that increasing your calorie intake by 100 calories during the first trimester is good, but once you get to the second and third trimesters you should increase it to about 300 calories. 

Now, this doesn’t mean that eating junk food for the extra calories is okay. You need to get these calories from healthy, nutritious foods.

Increase Iron – Many women (vegetarian and non-vegetarian) find themselves craving things like hamburgers, steaks and other meats during pregnancy. This may be your body’s way of telling you that you need more iron. Vegetarians increase their iron during pregnancy by eating more leafy (dark green) veggies such as kale and spinach and combine them with foods rich in vitamin C to improve absorption.

Another great source of iron is blackstrap molasses. And, many believe that by cooking with cast-iron will help your diet get more iron too. Now, if you drink a lot of caffeinated beverages, you may be inhibiting your body’s absorption of the iron you’re giving it. This is why experts advise against caffeine during pregnancy. You can also take prenatal vitamins or an iron supplement during pregnancy if you feel it’s necessary.

Calcium: Get It! It’s very important for you to get the calcium your body needs during pregnancy to help the baby develop correctly. Many people feel the only way to get this is by eating dairy products. However, this isn’t true. In fact, dark, leafy greens, soybeans, apricots, figs, tofu and even blackstrap molasses are excellent sources of calcium.

Please carry on to the next post in the Mama's Pregnancy Guide, Gentle Exercises for Pregnancy.