Dieta Modella per Donna Gravida

Translation for all you non-italian speakers: "The Model Diet for Pregnant Women".

Or, as I like to think of it: "The Diet for Models that are Pregnant". I mean, c'mon...

In Italy, at your first ob/gyn appt. you can expect to give a rundown of your family medical history as well as your husband's family medical history, get sent a list of prenatal tests that you need to take, have your first ultrasound, be prescribed the appropriate prenatal vitamins & folic acid, AND the topper, be given a 2-page sheet of your diet. Teresa, my sister-in-law, warned me about the diet. She said, "Lisa, the first thing they're gonna do is put you on a diet. They are crazy about weight here during pregnancy,". My first visit confirmed this as this was, in fact, the first thing that the doctor told me.

"First thing, you need to go on a diet," and he looked at Mimmo and said "And, you need to follow it with her,". Mimmo immediateley pulled out the diabetic card "Oh, but, Dr. I'm diabetic,". "Oh!," he said. "And, I have an intollerance to gluten," I added. He appeared flustered "Well..oh...I guess...hmmm...you can't do my diet because I have many items with gluten,". "Yes," I triumphantly high-fived myself inside. "BUT, actually, " he said after carefully looking at the diet "You could follow this with gluten-free products or alterations, so here you go," and he handed me the Italian version of Weight Watchers for pregnant women. He also told me that I was to weigh myself once a week and take my blood pressure once a week and keep a record until our next visit. Mammamia.

Needless to say, like a good 'ole American woman, I am NOT following the Italian pregnancy diet. As soon as I found out I was pregnant I got myself on amazon.com and ordered all the books/dvds in English that I knew would help me get through my pregnancy. "What to Expect When You're Expecting" has a great section for pregnancy foods. They break down how many portions you need of vegetables, protein, calcium, etc. And include a list of all the different food options that fufill your daily requirement. Gurmurkh's book "Bountiful, Beautiful, Blissful" which I love as a more natural, spritual-based book on pregnancy, also discusses nutrition and the recommendation to eat small meals more frequently while pregnant. This totally gels with me, as I've found that I get really full quite easily being pregnant. It's hard for me to do the whole Italian lunch for example which includes a 1st course (pasta) and a 2nd course (meat/fish) with bread, wine, and vegetables, salad, and fruit for dessert, all in one sitting. So, I'm following my own (albeit it carefully researched) diet. But, I thought, just for kicks, it would be funny to let you all in on the Italian Pregnancy Diet. So, here it is translated. Note the very specific cultural differences to eating (especially while pregnant):

Model Diet for Pregnant Women

8:00 am

1 glass of low-fat milk

2 pieces of mini-toasts

1 espresso with a teaspoon of sugar

10:00 am

1 piece of seasonal fruit

1:00 pm

1st Course: Pasta or Rice (70 grams, about a fist's size) with 1 teaspoon of parmigiano cheese + tomatoes + 1 teaspoon of olive oil

2nd Course: Lean Meat: beef, veal, chicken, rabbit, horse (yes, you read that right - horse), liver (150 grams) + 1 teaspoon of olive oil

Vegetables: Cooked vegetables; salad and fennel as much as you like
Bread: 50 grams
Fresh fruit: cleaned & well-selected
Wine: 1 glass

5:00 pm

1 glass of low-fat milk

8:00 pm

1st Course: Minestrone of vegetables (without potatoes and beans) + pasta, rice, or semolina (30 grams) + 1 teaspoon of olive oil + 1 teaspoon of parmigiano cheese

2nd Course: Fish (200 grams) + 1 teaspoon of oil

Vegetables, bread, fruit, & wine: like lunch

"We advise you to drink at least a liter of mineral water, preferabily natural, during the day. You're free to eat as much cooked and raw vegetables as you'd like. Bread, Pasta, Rice: preferably whole-wheat. We advise you to eat fruit after 2 hours of eating your principal meal or 1 hour before. If the pregnant woman doesn't have antibodies to toxoplasmosis, you need to avoid sausages (and that specified in this diet)."