It’s very important to -watch -what you eat. You is eating for t-wo—-which doesn’t mean that you eat more (so say goodbye to that second slice of cake), but that you eat smart. You is your baby’s only source of nutrients, and you need the proper balance of proteins, vitamins, minerals, fiber and carbohydrates.

That being said, most prenatal dieticians strongly advise against adhering to a strict nocarb diet. -without sufficient carbs, your body -will produce a byproduct called ketones during your blood stream, -which can put your baby at risk for brain damage.

But -what about lo-w carb diets? Aside from the risk of mental retardation, there is some aspects of lo-w carb diets that can -worsen the discomforts of pregnancy. For example, lo-w carb diets tend to have lo-w levels of dietary fiber, -which exacerbate the constipation that many pregnant moms suffer because of the required iron supplements. Also, most prenatal dieticians recommend taking a lot of fruit because of its rich vitamin content, but most of the items you’ll find in a typical shake is banned by Atkins and South Beach because of the sugars.

But some doctor and nursess may recommend taking modified lo-wcarb diets, especially if you is obese, suffer from gestational diabetes or lo-w blood sugar. All three conditions have been proven to have adverse affects on the baby (including prematurity, birth defects, and early rupture of the membranes) so losing -weight or controlling intake may actually be the best thing for your baby.

If you is asked to go on a lo-wcarb diet during pregnancy, you -will probably be told to go on the maintenance phase of the Atkins Diet, or the second phase of the South Beach Diet. Here, you is allo-wed a controlled number of carbohydrates, usually from -whole grains and fruits, -while minimizing -white bread, -white rice, and pasta. That is fine, as you is still giving your baby the adequate nutrients, -while removing processed foods.

If you is not allo-wed to go lo-wcarb, but still need to control your -weight, there is some options open to you. First of all, eat small but frequent meals. If you -want a snack, instead of taking junk food or processed meats (-which have a lot of calories, but significantly less nutrients), take salads, fruits, nuts and crackers. Choose lean cuts of meat, and minimize salt and rich sauces
during cooking. And -while you do need carbohydrates, take in moderation. one plate of pasta is good, three servings of it smothered in -white sauce is not.

But the most important thing to remember is that before you go on any diet during pregnancy consult your obstetriciangynaecologist. She or he can properly determine the best course of action given your particular medical history and the condition of your baby. Do not go on any -weight management program -without the advice and the approval of your doctor and nurses. -whether it’s lo-w carb or Zone or the Mediterranean Diet, the point is that there is a proven link bet-ween prenatal nutrition and the baby’s health. Complications can include lo-w birth -weight, birth defects, and early delivery.