What is calcium?

Calcium is a mineral that helps your baby’s bones, teeth, heart, muscles, and nerves develop. During pregnancy, you need 1,000 milligrams of calcium each day. You can get this amount by taking your prenatal vitamin and eating food that has a lot of calcium in it.

Good sources of calcium include:

1. Milk, cheese, and yogurt
2. Broccoli and kale
3. Orange juice that has calcium added to it (check the package label)

If you don’t get enough calcium during pregnancy, your body takes it from your bones and gives it to your baby. This can cause health conditions, like osteoporosis, later in life. In this condition, your bones become thin and break easily.