What to Eat When You're Pregnant - Book Review

When it comes to food and pregnancy, the facts out there can get a little confusing. I bought What to Expect When You're Expecting, and then my OBGYN said not to follow the diet suggestions in that book or I'd gain a ton of weight. My OBGYN's recommendation, aside from no hot dogs and deli meat and soft cheeses, was to cut back on the carbs.

So, those are things I CAN'T eat, but what SHOULD I eat?

I'm in my second trimester of pregnancy, and I wish I had gotten this book earlier. What to Eat When You're Pregnant by Nicole M. Avena, PhD, is not just a "don't eat this" and "avoid that" book. Instead, Dr. Avena tells you what you CAN eat and how it helps your baby's development through each stage of pregnancy.

Not only does this book tell you the key nutrients you need to be getting while pregnant and what foods contain those nutrients, but the book also includes recipes to make it easy for you to work those foods into your diet, especially if those foods aren't normally ones you eat every day.

Some of the recipes that I thought sounded good were Pork, Chard, and Black Bean Soup with Cumin; Harvest Oatmeal with Pumpkin Seeds (it's pumpkin season, y'all!); and Arugula Salad with Turkey, Avocado, and Dried Cranberries (perfect for Thanksgiving leftovers?).

We made the Maple Soy Glazed Salmon. (Salmon is one fish that it's okay to eat while pregnant!) It was very good, and, per the recommendations in the book, we had asparagus and a baked potato on the side.

But while a healthy diet during pregnancy is important, what's also important is a healthy diet AFTER pregnancy. Once the baby arrives, read the last chapter of this book for strategies to lose the bump and maintain your healthy eating patterns.

This is a great book that will take pregnant woman from start to finish and beyond. If you're pregnant, buy this book. If you know someone who is newly pregnant, buy this book for them.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.