Your pre-pregnancy nutrition plan is vital in maintaining a healthy pregnancy. If you have certain lifestyle habits that are unhealthy, you need to do your best to adjust that.

Even minor changes can have a significant benefit to your health and the health of your baby! Healthy eating and developing good habits while pregnant can have great advantages to your baby's growth and development.

If necessary, consult your doctor or a dietician to help you make the necessary changes for a healthy pregnancy.

Two things that absolutely need to be absent from your diet and lifestyle are smoking and drinking alcohol.

Caffeine can be consumed, but in very limited amounts (as in no more than 1 cup of coffee per day). To play it safe, get rid of it altogether! These can have negative effects on your baby.

Try to stick to your local government's recommended food guide. Generally, for pregnant women, the daily recommendations are as follows:

3-4 servings of milk/dairy products
3-4 servings of meat/poultry/fish/eggs
4-6 servings of vegetables
3-5 servings of fruits
6-12 servings of bread/cereal/rice/pasta

Certain fish - certain fish contain high levels of mercury, which is linked with neurological damage, learning deficiencies and developmental delays. See our section on pre-pregnancy planning health and safety tips , which outlines the fish that contain the highest level of mercury. Scroll down to the section entitled "Start Eating Healthy".

Undercooked meats - these could contain salmonella (a harmful bacteria), and other bacteria. Lunch meats, sushi, and other meats not cooked fully should be avoided.

Unpasteurized products - this would include raw milk, soft cheeses and unpasteurized juice. These products are more easliy infected with listeria (a harmful bacteria) than pasteurized products.

Raw eggs - these may also contain salmonella. Some processed foods made with raw eggs include: ceasar salad dressing, egg nog, cookie batter, and hollandaise sauce.

Aspartame - this is an artificial sweetener that has been linked to cancer.

Peanuts/peanut butter - if you have a family history of peanut allergies, stay away from peanuts and peanut butter, just in case your baby develops a peanut allergy.

Vitamins

Pregnancy nutrition should encompass vitamin supplements. Increased vitamins and minerals are required while pregnant. A maternal multi-vitamin is highly recommended.

Certain nutrients are vital for your baby. Folic acid should be taken daily to help prevent neural tube defects, such as spina bifida. Taking at least 0.4 milligrams of folic acid can cut the chances of your baby developing this by 70%.

Iron is also important. Iron prevents the mother from becoming anemic, which occurs when the blood has low levels of iron. Extreme fatigue can result from anemia.

Calcium is another important vitamin. It helps to develop the baby's bones normally, while preventing mommy from becoming calcium-deficient.

Omega-3 fatty acids should be consumed, as they are linked to brain and vision development. Try to get this through a supplement, as a major food that contains this nutrient is fish. As stated above, many fish contain high levels of mercury. Play it safe and stick to the supplement.

Discuss your pregnancy nutrition with your health care practitioner to make sure you are on the right path.