Top tips for a healthy pregnancy
Did you know your baby uses your stores of vitamins and minerals to grow? This means that you need to eat well before and during your pregnancy for the health of you and your baby.
Here are our 6 top tips for a healthy pregnancy:
- Aim to eat a variety of foods from each of the five food groups:
- Vegetables – choose a mix of different types and colours
- Lean meats, chicken, fish and meat alternatives such as tofu, eggs and legumes
- Grain foods like bread, pasta, and rice
- Fruit – choose a variety of types and colours
- Milk, yoghurt, cheese or dairy alternatives that have added calcium. Look for at least 100mg of calcium per 100g.
- Learn what works (and what doesn’t) to tackle your nausea and cravings
Nausea (or ‘morning sickness’), reflux, cravings and appetite changes are all very common during pregnancy. Different people find different tips useful when tackling pregnancy cravings and nausea.
Learn what works for you, as it may change as your pregnancy progresses. While these pregnancy symptoms can be uncomfortable, they don’t usually harm you or your baby. If you are feeling too sick to eat well, or if you are concerned for any reason, it is best to talk to your doctor or midwife.
- Take a pregnancy supplement
No matter how well you eat, a pregnancy multivitamin is recommended for everyone, because there are some nutrients you can’t get enough of from the food you eat (no matter how well you eat). Look for a pregnancy multivitamin that contains:
- Folate: 500 micrograms of folic acid every day for the first 3 months of pregnancy. If you are planning a pregnancy, start a folate supplement at least one month before you become pregnant.
- Iodine: 150 micrograms of iodine every day during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. If you are planning a pregnancy, start taking an iodine supplement.
- Being careful about food safety to avoid food poisoning
During pregnancy your immune system is weaker, so you need to take extra care with food safety. To lower your risk of food poisoning, eat freshly cooked and prepared food, and reheat leftovers until they are steaming hot.
As for foods to avoid, steer clear of foods like deli meats, soft cheeses, pre-prepared salads and soft serve ice cream. See a full list of foods to avoid here.
- Avoid alcohol
Alcohol can harm unborn babies. No amount of alcohol is safe during pregnancy. If you need support to avoid alcohol or other drugs while pregnant (or breastfeeding), speak to your doctor or midwife or see here for what support services you could access.
- Healthy weight gain
No two pregnancies are the same, so how your body changes and how much weight you gain is unique to you. If your doctor or midwife tells you the amount of weight that is recommended for you to gain, remember that this is only a guide, and it can depend on lots of factors.
You can’t control your weight during pregnancy, but you can try to eat well and move your body. Talk to your doctor or midwife if you have more questions about gaining weight during your pregnancy.
