Module 2

Trimester-by-Trimester Nutrition Checklist

Key nutrients your baby needs at each stage of development

First Trimester (Weeks 1-13)

Neural tube closes by week 4. Organ systems forming. Nausea may limit food intake — focus on what you can keep down.

Folate (800 mcg/day)— Leafy greens, lentils, or methylfolate supplement

Choline (450 mg/day)— Eggs (2/day = 300mg), liver, salmon

Iodine (220 mcg/day)— Iodized salt, seaweed, dairy

Iron (27 mg/day)— Red meat, spinach, lentils + vitamin C for absorption

Vitamin B6 (25-50 mg)— Also helps with nausea

DHA (300+ mg/day)— Low-mercury fish or algae-based supplement

Vitamin D (4,000 IU/day)— Most prenatals underdose this

Rapid brain growth begins. Bones are mineralizing. Baby starts hearing. Appetite usually returns.

Calcium (1,000 mg/day)— Dairy, sardines, fortified foods

Magnesium (350-400 mg/day)— Prevents leg cramps, supports bone development

DHA (300+ mg/day)— Brain is building 250,000 neurons per minute

Protein (75-100g/day)— Increase from first trimester

Vitamin C (85 mg/day)— Collagen, iron absorption, immune function

Zinc (11 mg/day)— Cell division, immune development

Choline (450 mg/day)— Still critical — brain growth accelerating

Brain triples in weight. DHA accumulates rapidly. Iron stores being built. Lung maturation.

DHA (500+ mg/day if possible)— Peak brain DHA accumulation in last trimester

Iron (27+ mg/day)— Baby building 6-month iron store

Protein (80-100g/day)— Highest demand of pregnancy

Vitamin K2 (100 mcg/day)— Directs calcium to bones, not arteries

Probiotics— Seed baby's microbiome (especially if planning vaginal birth)

Dates (6/day from week 36)— Associated with easier, shorter labor

Calcium (1,000 mg/day)— Peak bone mineralization

Most prenatal vitamins don't contain enough choline, DHA, magnesium, or vitamin D. Supplement these separately if needed.