Maintaining a healthy and well balanced diet all through your pregnancy is absolutely important for the well being of both the mother and the baby. A certain amount of weight gain is expected. However, make sure you eat the right foods that provide the right nutrients. Eating too much of rich food will just add on empty calories. A pregnancy health guide can help you to choose the right food. It can also help in determining the appropriate lifestyle to be followed while you are pregnant, the exercises you need to do, schedule of doctor's visits, etc. 

The Right Diet During Pregnancy

Make sure that you eat the right food during your pregnancy. Doctors as well as any pregnancy health guide will recommend that you consume an extra 300 calories a day during the second and third trimesters. Your pregnancy diet should contain proteins, fruits and vegetables, dairy products, breads and grains. 

• Dairy products are absolutely essential as your baby uses your calcium stores to grow. Calcium is particularly important during the last trimester. Dairy products help in maintaining your bone density. However, you need to avoid soft cheeses as these can cause a bacterial infection called Listeria which may be harmful for the baby. Cottage cheese, yogurt and processed cheeses are safe to eat during pregnancy.
• Proteins help in tissue growth and at least three servings a day are recommended during pregnancy. For vegetarians, sources of proteins could be beans, tofu and soy products.
• Vegetables and fruits: these contain vitamin C in plenty. Pregnant women need to consume approximately three to five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Broccoli, tomatoes, oranges and honeydew melon are all rich in vitamin C. Fruits and vegetables also contain a lot of fiber which is recommended during pregnancy.
• Breads and grains contain a lot of fiber and will help in preventing certain diseases such as kidney stones, cancer and heart diseases. Pregnant women should try to consume six to 11 servings a day. 

Things To Avoid During Pregnancy

A good pregnancy health guide will also tell you what kinds of foods you need to avoid during pregnancy. Some of them are given below: 

• Fish: Certain fish contain high levels of mercury which is harmful for the nervous system in developing babies. Shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish have high mercury content and should be avoided.
• Caffeine can decrease the blood flow to the placenta which in turn may harm the baby. Caffeine intake during pregnancy should be 300 mg or less in a day. Also keep in mind that sodas, brewed coffee and chocolate also contain caffeine and hence should be consumed with care.
• Artificial sweeteners: the effect of saccharine on developing fetuses is still unknown and so it is best to avoid artificial sweeteners that contain saccharine during pregnancy.
• Alcohol and tobacco  are both very harmful for the developing baby and could lead to complications such as premature growth, mental retardation and other birth defects. Both alcohol and tobacco should be avoided completely during pregnancy. 

In conclusion, you need to remember that a doctor may not always be available. But keep a good Pregnancy health guide with you so that you can refer to it for information whenever you need it.