The big book of pregnancy nutrition Everything expectant moms need to know for a happy, healthy nine months & beyond

When she was pregnant, registered dietitian Middleberg couldn't find one trusted source about what to eat. So she created this guidebook. She offers guidance for the first, second, third, and "fourth" trimester (recovery and nursing), providing around 40 recipes. Think smoothies and spinach and pistachio pesto. Middleberg helpfully compares the size of the baby at week four to a poppy seed and at week 12 to a lime. She uses charts to explain the role of nutrients like vitamin B12, which helps develop the baby's nervous system, and to list fruits and vegetables. She suggests choosing organic. Other tips include drinking more water, which helps prevent constipation caused by rising progesterone levels and by the iron in prenatal vitamins; reducing consumption of late-day caffeine, which can take up to 10 hours to clear from the body; and avoiding foods like raw or rare meat, which might be tainted with pathogens like E. coli, Listeria, and salmonella. Middleberg also notes that breastfeeding requires an extra 670 calories a day. Lots of good, up-to-date, solid, reassuring advice.

"There's tremendous joy in welcoming your baby; let's make food a part of it," writes dietitian Middleberg (The Big Book of Organic Toddler Food) in this substantial handbook for pregnant people. She discusses how to meet changing nutritional needs during each trimester of pregnancy, explaining, for instance, that generating "red blood cells to support the growth of the baby" in the first trimester requires 50% more iron intake, which can be achieved by eating red meat or cooked spinach. Expounding on how to treat gastrointestinal issues that arise during the second trimester, Middleberg recommends eating kale salad and other fiber-rich foods to resolve constipation and limiting citrus fruits to reduce acid reflux. The body retains more fluid during the third trimester, Middleberg notes, entreating readers to lessen the swelling by consuming such natural diuretics as asparagus, cucumbers, and pineapple. The helpful guidance also covers what to eat after giving birth ("Healthy fats nourish and fuel your metabolism" and "if you're nursing, add more electrolytes because you're providing so much in your milk"), and the straightforward recipes for a quinoa breakfast bowl, avocado chocolate mousse, and spinach and pistachio pesto are geared as much toward satiating cravings as providing necessary nutrients. Expecting parents will find much of value here. Agent: Kirsten Neuhaus, Ultra Literary. (Apr.)