Eating during pregnancy

Adjusting your diet

Indulging cravings and eating more food than usual is expected during pregnancy, because your body uses up so much fuel supporting another human being.

But babies born to mothers who pay attention to nutrition during pregnancy have higher birth weights and are often healthier than those born to mothers who don’t make nutrition a priority during pregnancy.

So rather than just eating more food in general, you need certain vitamins and minerals in higher amounts than usual as well because the baby needs them to grow and develop properly. That means eating a balanced diet with plenty of fruit, vegetables, and other essentials such as iron and protein. When a mother doesn’t get enough vitamins and minerals, the baby can be born with low birth weight or even serious vitamin deficiencies that can cause permanent health problems. 

And don’t forget about yourself! Pregnancy can contribute to brittle bones or other medical problems because the baby will leech vitamins and minerals from the mother’s body if necessary. This is no time to skimp on nutrients!

Taking supplements

If you are trying to get pregnant or you're already expecting, you should be taking prenatal vitamins. Prenatal vitamins have higher amounts of the vitamins and minerals that your body needs in order to sustain a pregnancy.

Folic acid is one of the main nutrients that you'll need more of during pregnancy. When taken for at least one month before conception, it reduces the risk of neural-tube defects such as spina bifida by up to 70 per cent. Women at low risk of a neural-tube defect affected pregnancy, who plan to become pregnant, are recommended to take a 800 µg of folic acid daily for at least four weeks before conception and for 12 weeks after conceiving. The recommended amount may be higher if your baby is more at risk. You may also need to take iodine and iron supplements. 

It's a good idea to check with your doctor before taking supplements, especially if you have any medical conditions such as diabetes, which might require adjustments to the supplements you need.. 

Eat a healthy diet

It’s easy to overindulge when you’re pregnant and having cravings, but staying on a healthy diet is the best thing for you and the baby in the long run. Try to pause and ask yourself whether it's your body and baby craving a certain nutrient, or just a regular craving for potato chips.

Eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean protein and unprocessed grains will keep you healthy and help ensure the baby is born well and properly developed. It can also make it easier for you to lose the baby weight later. Drink plenty of water and try to limit sweets, fast food and other treats as much as possible. 

Take care

Be extra careful when preparing and storing food, to make sure it's as safe as possible to eat. You should also steer clear of food that might have bacteria that can harm your baby, such as raw fish and soft cheeses, or that shop sandwich you're not too sure about. If you're on a special diet - such as gluten free or vegan - it's a good idea to seek professional advice to make sure you're giving your baby all the nutrients it needs.

Of course, alcohol should also be off the menu as it can harm your baby's development. Remember your baby will be much more sensitive to alcohol than you are, and even small amounts will enter his or her bloodstream if you consume them.

It's also recommended that smokers give up those ciggarettes, and even if you don't smoke, avoid places where other people do - breathing in second-hand smoke has the same bad effects on your baby as smoking.