Once the initial shock and/or euphoria of finding out your pregnant has started to settle, you may start to think about what you should and shouldn’t be eating over the next few months.
Although we now know that the age-old adage of eating for two is a myth (in reality you only need around 300 extra calories a day), you do have to think about another person when you chose what to eat.
Your baby is depending on you to provide everything she needs to develop and grow. From around 14 weeks your placenta takes over the function of providing nourishment, channelling the best of what you eat to ensure your baby gets all she needs – at your expense if necessary.
Keep it simple, little and often
Stick to a normal, varied and nutrient-rich diet and eat regularly, according to hunger - five to six small meals a day can help if you can’t face a proper meal, and will be easier on your digestive system as your tummy grows. Everything you and your growing baby need can be found in foods such as:
- 5 servings of fruit and vegetables – fresh or frozen.
- 1 or 2 servings of protein – meat, fish, eggs, hard cheeses, pulses (beans, peas, lentils etc), yogurt, pasteurised or UHT milk.
- 4-5 servings of wholegrains and carbohydrates – bread, cereals, pasta, rice, noodles, yams, potatoes.
- 4 servings of calcium rich foods – milk, hard cheese, yogurt, fromage frais, canned sardines with bones.
- 2 servings of iron-rich foods – cooked egg yolks, apricots (fresh or dried), fish, red meat, haricot beans.
Vegetarians may need to take an iron supplement – ask your doctor or midwife about this – and all women are advised to take a folic acid supplement for at least the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
Cook meat and wash fruit and veg before eating to avoid toxoplasmosis. Make sure you thoroughly reheat precooked or ready-roasted poultry, and cook-chill foods.
TIP: Take some food with you to work, so you've always got an alternative to the sticky, sugary snacks on offer, or chocolate bars from the machine.
Don’t go there
- Soft cheeses, blue-veined cheeses and any made from goat's or sheep's milk can contain listeria, which can harm your baby. Also avoid pate from the deli counter, though shrink-wrapped packaged pate is fine.
- Liver, liver products and foods fortified with Vitamin A. High levels of Vitamin A have been associated with birth defects.
- Peanuts and foods containing peanut products (check food labels) – thought in some cases to trigger a potentially serious allergy to peanuts in your baby.
- Raw egg-based foods, and ready-made coleslaw – they can contain salmonella. Bin cracked eggs and avoid fresh mayonnaise, home made ice-cream and uncooked cheesecake. Cook eggs until whites and yolks are solid.
- Ready-made or chill-cook meals, especially chicken and seafood. If you do eat them follow cooking guidelines to the letter and serve piping hot to kill any harmful bacteria.
A word on weight loss
Never aim to lose weight while you’re pregnant. If you were on a diet before you became pregnant, ask your midwife if you can see a dietician and discuss your plans with her. Stick to a healthy eating plan and you'll keep your diet on track.
And to drink?
Eight glasses of water (or fruit juice) a day is ideal, and will also help your skin to look clear and glowing.
Take a caffeine-check of your daily hot and fizzy drinks consumption. Coffee and tea is likely to be your main source of caffeine, so cut right down – 200 mg or less a day is the recommended allowance, so no more than two cups of coffee or four cups of tea daily. Top-up with herbal teas instead.
TIP: Keep a bottle of water or fruit juice close by you at work, and drink regularly. Many workplaces have a dry atmosphere and that can make you feel tired and listless.
The jury’s still out on the issue of alcohol in pregnancy. Although there's no conclusive evidence that occasional small amounts of alcohol (no more than two units a week) will do you or your baby any harm, current government advice is to avoid drinking altogether while pregnant. One thing is for sure, excessive drinking is harmful to your baby.
And finally smoking is definitely out – ask your midwife or GP if you need help giving up.
Please note that the contents of this section are for information only and are not intended as medical advice or as a substitute to your doctor's advice. For medical care and advice, you should consult your doctor on a regular basis. If you have any problem which concerns you, consult your doctor immediately.
