What to Eat When You’re Pregnant: A Week-by-Week Guide to Support Your Health and Your Baby’s Development

A trimester-by-trimester guide to what to eat–as opposed to what to avoid–while pregnant and nursing, to support the mother’s health and the baby’s development during each stage of pregnancy, with 50 recipes.

Pregnancy has traditionally been viewed as a time when women can give in to their food cravings and not worry about their weight. But new research suggests that the foods women eat during pregnancy can have a lasting effect on the baby’s brain development and behavior, as well as the mother’s waistline. While many books tell women what not to eat, there are few guides that tell women what to eat while also considering that hormonal influences during pregnancy can make it difficult to stick to a healthy diet. More and more women enter pregnancy overweight, gain an unhealthy amount of weight while pregnant, then struggle to lose the baby weight after the baby is born. Drawing on the latest research from the fields of medicine, nutrition, and psychology, this guide gives moms-to-be a clear understanding of what their bodies really need and how those foods contribute to the development of healthy and happy babies.