Guide
Pregnancy Nutrition: What to Eat (and What to Limit)
Good nutrition in pregnancy supports your baby's growth and your own energy, and it does not have to be expensive or complicated. This guide covers the foods that help, what to limit, and simple choices that fit real budgets and kitchens. It is educational, not medical advice.
What to eat more of
Build plates around vegetables and fruit, whole grains, beans and lentils, eggs, dairy or fortified alternatives, and lean proteins and lower-mercury fish like salmon and sardines. These give you protein, iron, calcium, folate, and fiber. Frozen and low-salt canned options count and stretch a budget.
What to limit or avoid
Avoid raw or undercooked meat, fish, and eggs, unpasteurized (raw) milk and soft cheeses, deli meats unless heated, high-mercury fish (shark, swordfish, king mackerel), and more than about 200 mg of caffeine a day. Avoid alcohol entirely, and wash produce well.
How Materna helps
Materna connects you to a bilingual dietitian for simple, affordable, culturally familiar meal ideas, helps with WIC and food resources, and tracks how you are feeling. Spanish-first and Medicaid-friendly.
This guide is educational and not medical advice. Ask your clinician or a dietitian about your specific needs, especially with diabetes or other conditions.
Frequently asked questions
- How much should I eat in pregnancy?
- You do not need to eat for two. Most people need only a few hundred extra calories a day in the second and third trimesters. Focus on quality, not just quantity, and ask your clinician about your needs.
- What fish is safe in pregnancy?
- Lower-mercury fish like salmon, sardines, tilapia, and canned light tuna are good choices, about 8 to 12 ounces a week. Avoid high-mercury fish like shark, swordfish, and king mackerel.
- Can I eat well on a tight budget?
- Yes. Beans, lentils, eggs, frozen and canned vegetables, oats, and seasonal produce are affordable and nutritious. WIC and food programs help, and Materna can connect you to resources.