340 Chapter 13 Nutrition Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Needs of Pregnant Women and Infants Nutritional needs begin before birth. Pregnant women must eat foods that will supply nutrients for their babies as well as for themselves. Once babies are born, they have signifi cant nutrient needs that support their rapid growth. Nutrition Before Birth An unborn child has no way to get nutrients except through the mother’s diet. Thus, the mother’s body needs to be well nourished prior to and during pregnancy. Pregnant teenagers have more diffi culty meeting the needs of their developing babies than pregnant adults. This is because teenagers must fulfi ll their own nutrient needs for growth as well as the needs of the growing baby. Women who have good eating habits will not need to make drastic dietary changes before or during pregnancy. Consuming two to three daily servings from the dairy group will provide the calcium needed during pregnancy. Two added servings from the grains group will help meet increased calorie needs. An extra serving from both the fruit and 13-10 People who do work that is physically demanding need more calories to fuel their high level of activity.