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Eating well in pregnancy

Eating a nutritious and varied diet in pregnancy is the best way of caring for yourself and your baby. This topic outlines what is meant by a nutritious and varied diet and is suitable for most pregnant women. There are some women who may need to make some special changes when they are pregnant. They include:

• very young women (adolescents who are still growing)
• women who are underweight or overweight when becoming pregnant
• women who have had more than three pregnancies in two years
• women who eat a restricted diet (eg, macrobiotics, vegans)
• women who have been eating a diet which they consider has been unhealthy
• women who have any complications of pregnancy.

If you fit within any of these categories you may need special nutritional advice. Talk with your lead maternity carer or doctor about whether you would benefit from visiting a registered dietitian.

What foods are ideal in pregnancy?

The following food groups provide you with the necessary vitamins, minerals and protein for a healthy pregnancy and baby.

• Vegetables and fruits. Eat at least seven different types per day.
• Breads, cereals, pasta and rice (wholegrain is best). Eat at least six servings per day.
• Milk products like milk, yoghurt, cheese or cottage cheese. Eat two servings a day.
• Lean protein sources like fish, chicken, eggs, meat, nuts and pulses. Eat at least one serving a day.

Be aware that if you are only eating nuts and pulses for protein you will not be getting the iron, vitamin B12 or zinc, which are required for good health. You will need to ensure that these nutrients come from other parts of your diet. A serving corresponds roughly to the size of your hand.

What foods are best avoided in pregnancy?

Chilled or uncooked fish or seafood products can be infected with the bacterium Listeria. Infection with Listeria can cause listeriosis, a flu-like illness that can harm your baby. Other foods which can cause listeriosis are pate, precooked chicken or ham and other chilled, precooked meat products. Stored salads and coleslaws and unpasteurised milk products should also be avoided.

• all fresh foods should be washed thoroughly before eating
• alcohol should not be drunk in pregnancy. There is no known 'safe' amount to drink and as such it is wise to avoid it completely
• have foods that are high in sugar (like fizzy drinks or undiluted fruit juices), fats (french fries, cakes or chocolate) and salt (potato chips or prepackaged noodles or stock) for occasional treats.

Eating for two is not strictly true

Although women do often feel hungrier during pregnancy (due to the demands of a growing baby and placenta) it is not necessary to literally eat for two. Let your appetite guide you, if you feel hungry, eat healthy mid-meal snacks from the food list given above. Ideal snacks include yoghurt, fruit, washed vegetable sticks, muffins, nuts, dried fruit, or drinks such as fruit smoothies.

Most women will gain some extra non-baby weight during pregnancy. This is a natural phenomenon designed to help you breastfeed well. This extra weight will generally come off when breastfeeding is established if you maintain the diet outlined above.

If you have stopped smoking your weight may also increase. Smoking is much more harmful for you and your baby (before and after it is born) than a little weight. Most ex-smokers who put on weight will eventually return to their normal weight.

Nausea and vomiting

Morning sickness can mean that the healthiest of eaters find it hard to maintain a balanced diet. In most women morning sickness will settle down by the 15th week of your pregnancy and you can resume your normal diet. Try to eat healthy foods when you can - eating small amounts and more often if necessary.

Drink plenty

Drink plenty of fluids every day (one to two litres). This will help prevent urinary tract infections (cystitis) and constipation. Don't be tempted to reduce your fluid intake if you are needing to urinate (pass urine) more often.

Folic acid (folate)

The genetic make-up of some women means they have an increased chance of having a child with neural tube defects like spina bifida. Recent studies have shown these women can reduce (but not eliminate) their chances of their child developing neural tube defects if they increase the amount of folate they eat. As there is no practical way to determine which women have this genetic make-up, the Ministry of Health has suggested that all women eat a healthy diet rich in folate from vegetables, fruits and cereals.