omething great happens when you eat better quality foods: You’ll find that you are more satisfied, both emotionally and physically. Plus, you’ll need less food to get the right amount of nutrients to support both your growing baby and your own body. One delicious whole-grain oatmeal cookie with apple pieces or a slice of banana nut bread with a cup of herbal tea (with milk or soy milk) indulges your cravings and provides optimal nutrition.
Here are some guidelines for quantity:
Quantity: Carbohydrates When it comes to carbohydrates, try to stay within a range of 15-30 grams of total carbohydrate per eating occasion.
Some examples of what a 15-gram serving size looks like:
about a slice of bread
½ cup (a typical fist size) of rice, beans, corn, peas, or pasta
6 ounces of yogurt or milk
½ of a pita or tortilla (or 1 small tortilla)
½ of a banana
1 cup of berries
a fist-size piece of fruit
You can also read a label to assess how much of a serving is 15 grams total carbohydrates. For example, if a cracker serving size is 6 crackers and it says 45 grams total carbohydrate, then you can have 2-4 crackers to stay within the 15-30 grams of total carbohydrate serving.
Quantity: Animal Protein For animal protein, use your palm as the appropriate measure for a serving.
Additional hints for identifying a serving of protein:
About 3 egg whites or 1 full egg and 2 egg whites
1 ounce of cheese
This could be in the form of:
1 string cheese
1-2 tbsp. of shredded cheese
½ cup cottage cheese
1 slice of deli-sliced cheese
Quantity: Fats Fats like nuts and seeds are usually:
1 tbsp. of seeds or nut butters (peanut, almond, tahini, etc.)
8-15 nuts
¼ of an avocado
8-10 olives
Anywhere from 1 tsp. to 1 tbsp. of oil (depending on whether you are cooking with it or adding it to a salad, etc.)
Quantity: How Many Extra Calories Do You Need Daily? Who hasn’t heard that a pregnant woman is “eating for two”? Well, when you’re craving something specific, it’s easy to forget that that second person isn’t all that big! So, how much extra food should you consume? While there is no set answer, a good rule of thumb is about 200-300 extra calories during the second and third trimesters. There is no real need to consume extra calories in the initial trimester. (This might be disappointing news for those of you who were looking for an excuse to down an entire pizza as soon as the pregnancy test showed a positive sign!)
So, what does "extra" mean? For most, it means above 1800 to 2000 calories a day. If you already normally consume 1800 calories daily, you would need the additional 200-300 to bring you to 2000-2100 calories daily. However, many women consume greater than 2000 calories already, so they may just need to practice better distribution of their nutrient intake throughout the day to keep their calories within an appropriate range for their body. As for those who may have had (prior to pregnancy) a nutrient-poor, reduced-calorie diet (this can be the result of eating fat-free and/or sugar-free product, or following certain diet plans), try switching to small amounts of higher nutrient quality foods. These foods can help make up the calorie difference as well as deliver the nutrients essential for a baby’s optimal development.
How much is 200-300 calories? About the size of a small meal or large snack.
Examples:
A slice of bread or a piece of fruit (60-80 calories), with a tablespoon of nut butter (approximately 100-150 calories) brings you to around 200 calories.
Four ounces (the size of your palm) of protein is about 200 hundred calories.
Ashley Koff is a registered dietitian in private practice and on staff at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. She is also a member of The Cradle's Board of Advisors.
A graduate of Duke University and New York University, Ashley is always on top of current trends in medicine, health and wellness.
Integrative medicine gurus like Dr. Andrew Weil, Dr. Soram Singh Khalsa, and the doctors at the world-renown Tao of Wellness in Santa Monica, all utilize her services with their patients.
Koff has shared her nutritional expertise on programs including CNN and Entertainment Tonight, as well as in magazines such as In Style, Shape, and Weight Watchers. She was ranked by City Search as the Best of LA’s nutritionists/dietitians for both 2005 and 2006.
omething great happens when you eat better quality foods: You’ll find that you are more satisfied, both emotionally and physically. Plus, you’ll need less food to get the right amount of nutrients to support both your growing baby and your own body. One delicious whole-grain oatmeal cookie with apple pieces or a slice of banana nut bread with a cup of herbal tea (with milk or soy milk) indulges your cravings and provides optimal nutrition. 
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