LESSON PLAN

Title Nutrition during Pregnancy Name Sheri Sotto

Target Audience WIC Nutritionists who will Method Illustration Time: about 1 hour
teach Nutrition Classes

Terminal Objective Terminal Concept

WIC Nutritionists will be comfortable coaching There are foods that are not recommended
expecting mothers on safe food consumption during during pregnancy, and foods that are especially
pregnancy and be able to list foods to focus on and important to consume for the health of both
avoid. Nutritionists will be able to explain health mom and baby.
consequences of each, and analyze appropriateness
of meals for pregnant consumption.
Domain Taxonomic Level
Cognitive, Affective Synthesis, Valuing
References
Moran DE, Kallam GB. The gift of motherhood. Customized Communications, Inc. 1997. Pg 8.
Food Poisoning During Pregnancy A Topic Overview. Accessed at : http://www.webmd.com/food-
recipes/food-poisoning/tc/food-poisoning-during-pregnancy-topic-overview#1
Preparation:
Bring:
photos of 6 different meals that are usually considered healthy, but contain something to be avoided during
pregnancy:
1 -hot dog (undercooked meat)
2 - salad with feta cheese on it (soft cheese)
3- turkey bacon avocado sandwich (deli meat)
4- swordfish meal (fish high in mercury)
5 -sushi (raw fish)
6- sunny-side up egg with apple juice (lightly cooked egg & unpasteurized juice)
Diagram of pregnant woman highlighting major changes during pregnancy (see Objective #1)

Pre-assessment: Introduction
Show pre-prepared photos of 6 meal options and have Healthy eating during pregnancy is crucial for
class rank the meals from best to worst for a pregnant
woman. (Note: there is no right order because they are all
bad, so let them do whatever they want).
After the class ranks the images, explain that none of
these meals are recommended during pregnancy, and we
will discuss the reasons why that is, and ways to alter
these meals to make them appropriate.
Time (if in class): 3-4 minutes
the development of the baby, especially in the
early stages of pregnancy, but understanding
what foods are appropriate, and how much to
eat can be very difficult for new moms. The
purpose of the nutrition class will be to help
moms feel confident in their food choices.
Review Lesson Objectives:
What foods are recommended?
What foods should they avoid?
Navigating menus to find healthy options
Barriers to Healthy eating choices

Time: 2-3 minutes

Supporting Content Outline
Objectives
Nutritionists will be Folic Acid prenatal vitamins,
able to explain what fruits and vegetables
nutrients are important for fetal brain and
especially important spinal cord development
during pregnancy
and give examples Calcium UL of 3000mg found
of foods for each. in dairy foods, broccoli -
important for bone growth in
baby and maintaining bone
strength in mom
Calories later on in the 2nd
and 3rd trimesters add 300-500
calories
Well-balanced meals (review
Choose My Plate)
Time Learning Experiences
10-15 Show a diagram of a pregnant woman
minut highlighting major changes that occur in
es the body (weight gain, increased strain
on the skeletal structure, mammary
gland development, and fetal
development). Connect each major
change to a nutrient that supports that
change (Folic Acid for fetus, Calcium for
bones and mammary glands, Calories
for weight gain). Identify food sources of
each nutrient.
Show Choose My Plate diagram, and
remind them that mothers can go online
to get a personalized recommendation
for servings per day.
Nutritionists will be Foods to avoid to decrease risk
able to list foods to of food poisoning (especially
avoid during listeriosis which can cause
pregnancy. preterm delivery, still birth, or
serious infection in baby):
1) Raw/undercooked fish,
fish high in mercury such
as shark, tile fish,
mackerel, and swordfish
2) Raw/undercooked meats
(hot dogs, deli meats,
etc)
3) Unpasteurized cheeses
and soft cheeses (brie,
feta, bleu, etc)
4) Unpasteurized dairy and
juice products
5) Raw sprouts
6) Raw/undercooked eggs
7) Refrigerated meat
spreads
Nutritionists will be
able to suggest
alterations to make
unsafe meals
appropriate for
consumption.
5-10 Write the list of foods to avoid on the
minut chalkboard one by one and have the
es class identify which of the 6 pictures
used on the pre-assessment has that
food as you list each one place that
picture next to the food.
Emphasize that recognizing each of
these foods to avoid can be very difficult
for new moms so it is important for
them to allow for lots of questions about
what is and is not included in this list.
Answer any questions the Nutritionists
may have as well.
15-20 Discussion: Once the pictures are
minut categorized, have the nutritionists get in
es groups of 2-3 and brainstorm ways to
adjust the meal to make it safe for
pregnant women to eat (for example:
replace the swordfish with halibut,
replace the sashimi with a California roll,
replace the hot dog with a hamburger,
replace the feta cheese with cheddar
cheese or nuts, cook the egg and get
pasteurized apple juice, replace the
turkey with carved turkey). Ask for
 volunteers to share their ideas with the
class.

Nutritionists will be Every mothers experience will 5-10 Discussion: Ask what things they have
aware of common be different, and even when minut come across in their dealings with
barriers to healthy mothers understand what they es pregnant women (personal, friends, or
eating during should and should not be clients) that have made it hard for them
pregnancy and eating there are some barriers to follow a good diet. List barriers on the
recognize ways to to following through that may board and ask class to think of ways to
overcome them. include: advise mothers on how to lessen the
nausea, feeling full quickly and impact of each barrier.
or hungry quickly, food and
smell aversions, financial
strains (although WIC should
help), unwillingness to change
food habits, cravings, fatigue
leading to a decreased desire
to prepare meals, etc).
Assessment
Ask for any clarifying questions. Do a quick oral quiz on major nutrients to focus on and to avoid.
Over the next month randomly sit in on their nutrition classes to check for accuracy and confidence in
presentation.
Closure
Emphasize to nutritionists the importance of their role in helping pregnant women to succeed in eating a
healthy diet by providing them with accurate nutrition information and ideas on how to overcome
common obstacles to good nutrition as well. Encourage nutritionists to take the information that they
learned today and create their own lesson plan incorporating each main concept.