Expect the Best for a Healthy Start for You and Your Baby

Can I still have my morning coffee? Was last week's sushi dinner a huge mistake? Are all soft cheeses on the "don't eat list" or are a few okay to eat? When can I have alcohol again?

If you are expecting or have recently had a child, you know these questions are some of the many that women face during pregnancy. A new book from the American Dietetic Association, Expect the Best: Your Guide to Healthy Eating Before, During, & After Pregnancy (John Wiley & Sons Inc. 2009), answers these questions and many more with practical advice and food lists based on the latest research on the effects of lifestyle on pregnancy.

As a registered dietitian and mother of three, Elizabeth M. Ward authored Expect the Best as ADA's one-stop guide for pregnant women and new mothers, offering them realistic nutrition advice and balanced eating plans they need for their well-being and that of their developing child.

Expect the Best takes a look at all aspects of proper nutrition and fitness from preconception to the "fourth trimester," and covers the basics of early infant feeding, too. Other topics covered in the book include:

  • Pre-pregnancy Nutrition: Easy diet and exercise changes that can help women achieve optimal pre-pregnancy weight and close nutrition gaps in their diet to improve fertility
  • Pregnancy Nutrition: Information to help women make sure they are getting enough nutrients to fuel their body and their baby's growth during each trimester, including the caffeine and pregnancy controversy and a list of nearly 65 caffeine-containing foods; who needs prescription prenatal supplements; and discussion of foods rumored to be on the "don't eat" list
  • "Fourth Trimester" Nutrition: Must-have nutrients during breast feeding, safe weight loss and offers dozens of quick and healthy meals ideas
  • Food Safety: Tools for following simple food safety rules during a time when vulnerability to food-borne illness is higher
  • Special Situations: How nutrition and physical activity help to manage conditions like constipation, morning sickness, gestational diabetes and others 
  • Recipes: More than 50 recipes for delicious and nutritious smoothies, breads, salads, sandwiches, easy-to-make entrees and healthy desserts the entire family will love

Expect the Best: Your Guide to Healthy Eating Before, During, & After Pregnancy is available at bookstores and online retailers for $15.95 (paperback) and can be ordered online at www.eatright.org/shop.

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