Try not to miss a meal while you are pregnant, especially breakfast. You need the nutrition, and so does your baby. If you don’t eat breakfast, you might begin to feel sick. It’s your body’s way of telling you to eat, and you need to listen to what it’s saying.

Make sure you are getting enough of the food you need daily.  It takes four to six servings of dairy a day for a healthy pregnancy; this can include some cheeses, milk, and yogurt.

Through these foods, you’ll provide your baby with the calcium needed to develop healthy, growing bones. You’ll need extra calcium too to keep your own teeth and bones strong.

Don’t forget to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. Their vitamins and nutrients will help keep you and your baby health, and you’ll have increased energy.

Avoid sugars and sweets. They will actually make you feel sluggish and will not provide you with nutrients.

Here are some other foods to avoid during your pregnancy.

Raw Meat - Uncooked seafood and rare or undercooked beef or poultry may be contaminated with coliform bacteria, toxoplasmosis, and salmonella.

Deli Meat  - Deli meats have been known to be contaminated with Listeria, which can cause miscarriage. Listeria has the ability to cross the placenta and may infect the baby, leading to infection or blood poisoning, which may be life-threatening. If you are considering eating deli meats, make certain that you reheat the meat until it is steaming.

Soft Cheeses, Unpasteurized Milk, Pate -These also all may contain Listeria. Stay away from imported soft cheeses such as Brie, Camembert, Roquefort, Feta and Gorgonzola. All soft non-imported cheeses made with pasteurized milk are safe to eat. Also stay away from refrigerated pate or meat spreads. You can safely eat canned pate or shelf-safe meat spreads.

Fish with Mercury - Mercury consumed during pregnancy has been linked to developmental delays and brain damage. Fish that contain a large amount of mercury include shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish. Canned, chunk light tuna generally has a lower amount of mercury than other tuna, but still should only be eaten in moderation.

Smoked Seafood - Refrigerated, smoked seafood often labeled as lox, nova style, kippered, or jerky could be contaminated with Listeria. (These are safe to eat when they are in an ingredient in a meal that has been cooked, such as a casserole.) This type of fish is often found in the deli section of your grocery store. Canned or shelf-safe smoked seafood is usually okay to eat.

Raw Shellfish -The majority of seafood-borne illness is caused by undercooked shellfish, which include oysters, clams, and mussels. Cooking helps prevent some types of infection, but it doesn’t prevent the algae-related infections that are associated with red tides.

Raw Eggs - Raw eggs or any foods that contain raw eggs may expose you to salmonella. Some homemade Caesar dressings, mayonnaise, homemade ice cream or custards, and Hollandaise sauces may be made with raw eggs. Commercially manufactured ice cream, dressings, and eggnog are made with pasteurized eggs and don’t increase the risk of salmonella.

Caffeine - Although most studies show that caffeine intake in moderation is fine, there are others that show that caffeine intake may be related to miscarriages. Limit your caffeine intake to fewer than 300 mg per day. Try to stay away from caffeine during the first trimester to reduce the likelihood of a miscarriage.

Alcohol - No amount of alcohol is safe to drink during pregnancy, and therefore you should avoid alcohol altogether. Prenatal exposure to alcohol can interfere with the healthy development of your baby. Continue to avoid alcohol during breastfeeding.

Exposure of alcohol to an infant poses harmful risks, and alcohol does reach the baby during breastfeeding.

Unwashed Vegetables - Make sure to wash all vegetables to avoid potential exposure to toxoplasmosis.

As you make sure you get enough to eat throughout the day, don’t forget to also get enough fluids.

Making healthy eating changes while you’re pregnant will help you sustain good eating habits after you give birth