Calcium is one among the key minerals you would like during pregnancy—along with other vitamins and minerals, your body provides it to your baby to assist the event of important structures just like the skeleton.

Needs vary by age and an excessive amount of and insufficient calcium can cause complications. Keep reading to seek out out what proportion calcium you would like, why it’s important, and the way to form sure you're getting enough.

Daily Requirements

Calcium needs vary by age—even during pregnancy.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends that pregnant and breastfeeding moms aged 19 and over-consume 1,000mg of calcium every day.

Teen moms require a touch more. they have enough to take care of their bones and therefore the stores of calcium in their bodies while supporting the expansion of their baby. Therefore, experts recommend that pregnant teens aged 18 and under get a minimum of 1,300mg of calcium every day .

Importance

Calcium is a crucial nutrient for the body. During pregnancy, you would like more calcium for your health and therefore the health and development of the baby growing inside you.

For Your Baby

Your developing baby needs calcium to make bones and teeth.1 They're building a whole skeleton, after all. Calcium is additionally a crucial nutrient for your baby's heart, muscles, nerves, and hormones.

For You

During pregnancy, you give your baby all the calcium they have, so once you consume the recommended amount of calcium a day you're taking care of your baby and yourself. If you do not get enough, you'll run into some complications.

Regardless of whether or not you're taking in enough, your body will still give calcium to your baby. So, if you're not replacing what you're making a gift of, you'll find yourself with weakened bones and a greater risk of osteoporosis later in life.

Complications

Complications are possible as a result of both insufficient and excessive amounts of calcium. Luckily, they're easily preventable.

Too Little Calcium

You probably won't experience any major pregnancy complications if you don’t consume the recommended amount of calcium every day exactly.

A calcium deficiency is more likely to cause complications if it’s thanks to a health issue like a kidney problem, surgery, or the necessity to require certain medications.

Too little calcium can lead to:


  • High vital sign during pregnancy
  • Premature birth
  • Low birth weight
  • Numbness and tingling within the fingers
  • Slow growth of the baby
  • The baby not getting enough calcium within the bones
  • Heart problems
  • Muscle and leg cramps
  • A poor appetite
  • In rare cases, increased risk of bone fractures.

In severe and rare cases, insufficient calcium could lead to death. While, understandably, many of those complications are a cause for worry, remember that you simply are likely to urge some calcium without even trying, and you ought to have enough stored in your bones to supply to your growing baby. within the case that you simply do have any health issues listed that are more likely to steer to insufficient calcium, your doctor is going to be cognizant and dealing closely with you to stop any complications.

Too Much Calcium

It is rare to urge an excessive amount of calcium from the foods that you simply eat. you're presumably to require in an excessive amount of calcium if you employ supplements.

It’s important to know which nutrients and the way much of every nutrient is in your prenatal vitamin and the other supplements that you simply take. you'll be getting extra without even knowing it.

It’s always best to speak to your doctor about any vitamins that you simply are taking or considering, so you get what you would like without taking an excessive amount of. If you're 19 or older, you are doing not want to require quite 2,500mg of calcium every day, and if you're 18 or younger, you are doing not want to travel over 3,000 mg daily.

Too much calcium can cause:


  • Constipation
  • Kidney stones
  • Possibly trouble absorbing other minerals, like iron and zinc
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Low calcium within the baby’s body5

Sources

Your body doesn't make calcium, so you've got to urge it from food, fortified products, and supplements.

Food Sources

Four servings of fortified milk or other fortified dairy products will fulfill your daily calcium requirement by supplying you with about 1,200mg (approximately 300mg per serving). A glass of fortified fruit juice has an equivalent amount at about 300mg per serving. Other foods like greens, nuts, and beans have a touch less (about 100mg per serving).

Make sure the dairy products you eat are pasteurized and ask your doctor about the sort of milk and dairy products that are best. Low-fat and non-fat milk contains all the calcium and nutrients of milk without the additional fat and calories. However, your doctor will advise you on the simplest choice supported whether you're underweight, within the recommended weight range, or overweight.

The serving sizes and calcium content listed below are averages provided by the USDA.

Dairy products that are an excellent source of calcium include:


  • Milk (1 cup, whole, 276mg calcium).
  • Cheese (2 slices or 1.5 ounces, 307mg calcium)
  • Yogurt (8 ounces, plain, low fat, 415mg calcium)
  • Kefir (1 cup, low-fat, 316mg calcium)

Other foods rich in calcium include:


  • Collard greens (1 cup cooked, 268mg calcium)
  • Kale (1 cup cooked, 177mg calcium)
  • Broccoli (1 cup cooked, 64mg calcium)
  • Bok choy (1 cup cooked, 158mg calcium)
  • Soybeans (1 cup cooked, 184mg calcium)
  • Baked beans (1 cup cooked, 160mg calcium)
  • Almonds (1 cup, roasted, salted, 370mg calcium)
  • Salmon (6 oz, 15mg calcium)

Please note that while fish is taken into account healthy during pregnancy, there are some caveats to consuming it. generally, pregnant women are advised to avoid larger fish that are known to possess higher levels of mercury, like swordfish and cavalla.

Common calcium-fortified products include:


  • English Muffin (1 muffin, 100mg calcium)
  • Waffle (2 pieces, 200mg calcium)
  • Calcium Fortified fruit juice (1 cup, 349mg calcium)
  • Cereal (1 cup, 100-1,000mg calcium)

Be sure to see the product's packaging for labeling that indicates it has been fortified with calcium.

Diet Tips

If you enjoy dairy and may easily consume four servings each day (8 ounces per serving), then you’ll haven't any problem reaching your daily goals. But, if you aren’t an enormous fan of straight dairy, there are preparation methods that you simply may enjoy quite just drinking a cup of milk or eating a cup of yogurt.

Here are a couple of easy options to assist you to get what you would like.


  • Have cereal within the morning. Enjoying a bowl of dry cereal or hot cereal/oatmeal made with milk may be a good way to start the day.
  • Make it a latte. Add a touch extra milk into your morning coffee or tea.
  • Top it with cheese. Add a touch little bit of cheese to your salads, soups, and other dishes.
  • Make it creamy. Add some milk or milk to your recipes and make creamy soups, sauces, casseroles, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, and other delicious dishes.
  • Substitute some dairy in your cooking. Use milk rather than water to cook noodles, pasta, rice, oatmeal, or other foods.
  • Change your regular order. Have a glass of milk or milk with lunch or dinner rather than a soda or another beverage. In colder weather, enjoy a cocoa made with milk rather than water.
  • Add it as a snack. Fill the fridge with cut-up cheese cubes, cheese, or flavored yogurt so they’re ready and straightforward to grab once you need a touch bite to eat.
  • Have a treat. Enjoy a bowl of frozen dessert or yogurt, a little milkshake, yogurt and fruit smoothie, or some pudding for dessert.

Vegetarian and Vegan Diets

Vegetarian and vegan diets are often very healthy. But if you select to follow one, you will need to know a touch about nutrition to make certain you’re getting all the vitamins that your body needs. Getting the proper nutrition is even more important when you’re pregnant.

There are different types of vegetarian diets. what proportion calcium you get and the way much of it you absorb depends on what you eat. If you follow a lacto-ova vegetarian diet, you'll have eggs, milk, and cheese. So, on this plan, you ought to be ready to get enough calcium every day.

On the opposite hand, it's going to be tougher to satisfy the daily recommendation if you follow a strict vegan or plant-based diet. On a vegan diet, you are doing not consume any milk or dairy products. Plus, some plants interfere with how well your body absorbs calcium. That doesn’t mean you can’t get enough calcium in your diet if you’re a vegan—it just means you've got to understand the proper foods to settle on from.

Vegan sources of calcium include: 


  • Dark leafy greens
  • Navy beans (1 cup boiled, 126mg calcium)
  • Almonds (1 cup, 370mg calcium)
  • Sesame seeds (1 cup, 1,400mg calcium)
  • Tahini (2 tbp, 310mg calcium)
  • Raisins (1/4 cup, 20mg calcium)

Commonly fortified products include: 


  • Tofu, firm, with calcium sulfate (1/2 cup, 253mg calcium)
  • Soy milk (1 cup, 299mg calcium)
  • Rice milk (1 cup, 283mg calcium) 

If you're having trouble getting the calcium you would like through your diet alone, you ought to ask your doctor a few vegetarian or vegan calcium supplements.

Lactose Intolerance and Milk Aversion

If you don’t tolerate dairy products well, you'll still get the calcium you would like through other foods, non-dairy alternatives, and fortified products.

If you're lactose intolerant you'll try:


  • Lactose-free milk and cheese fortified with calcium
  • Dairy products with reduced lactose
  • Lactase tablets that you simply take before having dairy

If you only don’t just like the taste of milk you can:


  • Try cheese, yogurt, or other dairy products
  • Drink fortified fruit juice
  • Disguise the taste of milk by using in shakes, puddings, and other recipes

You can also enjoy vegan-friendly sources of calcium. make certain to speak to your doctor about your diet, especially if you’re having trouble getting enough calcium. you'll get to take a supplement.

Supplements

Prenatal vitamins, alongside other vitamin and mineral supplements that your doctor recommends, are an excellent thanks to fill in any nutrition gaps.

Remember that supplements are only meant to feature to a healthy diet, not replace it.

You should still be doing all of your best to eat right and obtain the nutrition you would like every day.

When to think about Supplements

If you're not getting what you would like in your daily diet, you'll get to take a supplement, especially if you’re having trouble getting enough calcium because of:


  • Severe nausea and vomiting
  • Lactose intolerance
  • A diet that doesn’t include dairy products
  • Health conditions like IBS or disorder

Supplements also are usually recommended if you're in danger of developing preeclampsia or gestational hypertension.

Be sure to speak to your doctor before starting any new supplement on your own. While you would like to make certain you’re getting enough calcium, you'll also want to make certain that you simply aren’t getting an excessive amount of. Let your doctor know if you're already taking an over-the-counter prenatal vitamin, calcium supplement, or antacid. Your doctor will advise you about the safest supplements or provide you with a prescription for what you would like.

Types of Calcium Supplements

Calcium supplements include:


  • Prenatal vitamins: While they typically contain a touch calcium, it’s not enough to hide your daily requirement. you'll still need to get calcium through your diet. Different brands have different amounts of vitamins and minerals, so check the label and ask your doctor.
  • Calcium citrate: Your doctor may recommend a calcium citrate supplement if you're having trouble getting enough calcium otherwise you are in danger for top vital signs in pregnancy.
  • Calcium carbonate: carbonate is the active ingredient in some antacids like Tums. Let your doctor know if you employ Tums to alleviate heartburn and follow your doctor’s advice on the way to take it. counting on what percentage times you're taking Tums every day and your overall diet, you'll be getting an excessive amount of calcium.


Potential Side Effects

Outside of the potential complications caused by an excessive amount of calcium, generally, taking calcium supplements may cause you to experience gas, bloating, and constipation.4 If you are doing have these side effects, it's going to be worth trying a special brand, tweaking your diet to scale back gas-causing foods, or finding methods which will ease these side effects.

Why you furthermore may Need vitamin D

Vitamin D is an important vitamin for several reasons. one of the items that it does is help your body absorb calcium. vitamin D and calcium work hand-in-hand to market strong bones.

During pregnancy, experts recommend that you simply get 600 IU of vitamin D every day.

Your body uses sunlight to form vitamin D naturally. But, you'll also get vitamin D from some foods or a supplement.

To get the vitamin D you would like every day, you can:


  • Spend a touch time within the sun. Sunlight converts a chemical in your skin to vitamin D.
  • Consume fortified products. Many calcium-rich foods also are fortified with vitamin D like milk, fruit juice, cereal, yogurt, and eggs.
  • Take your prenatal vitamin. Most prenatal vitamins contain vitamin D. But, make certain to read the label and ask your doctor.
  • Ask a few vitamin supplements. you ought to ask your doctor before taking any additional supplements. It’s important to urge enough vitamin D, but an excessive amount of might be dangerous.

How Caffeine Affects Calcium

Caffeine can act as a diuretic and cause you to need to urinate more. a rise in urination may cause some calcium to go away your body. This loss should be very small, however, if you stay within the recommended guidelines for caffeine during pregnancy.

The best thanks to make certain that you simply ’re getting all the calcium and other nutrients that you need is to eat well. A diet will keep you healthy during your pregnancy, provide your baby with what they have to grow and develop, offer you strength and energy for childbirth, and encourage successful milk production once your child is born.

Dairy products are considered a number of the simplest sources of calcium, but they aren’t your only choice. If you’re lactose intolerant, don’t eat animal products, otherwise you just don’t like milk, you'll still get enough calcium without dairy. once you see a doctor at your prenatal appointments, mention your diet and your concerns. Your doctor can advise you on the simplest thanks to meet your daily needs.