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While no mom-to-be should deny herself an occasional treat, eating a lot of junk food during pregnancy can harm both expectant mothers and their babies, according to the March of Dimes. Eating a balanced diet during this time in your life will likely help you feel better as well as aid your future child’s healthy development.

Pregnant women need healthy carbs, and plenty of them—nine servings daily, according to “Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn: The Complete Guide” by Simkin, Whalley and Keppler. Healthy carbs are complex carbohydrates such as bread and pasta made from unrefined grains, beans, legumes, potatoes with their skins, fruits and vegetables. Healthy carbohydrates retain the nutritious, high-fiber content that the refining process eliminates. Healthy carbs fill you up and are highly nutritious to boot, with plenty of vitamins and protein, furnishing many of the extra calories you need to provide nutrition for your unborn baby. There’s one catch: If you have gestational diabetes, it’s especially important to check with your doctor about your carbohydrate intake, since you may need to moderate your starchy foods to control your blood sugar.