Staying healthy during pregnancy

In the first few months of pregnancy, food, and for some an aversion to it, may be the main thing on your mind. Some women may find that they just want to eat all of the time, while others may not be able to stomach anything. Everyone will find some days more tiring than others and you may want to reach for the sugary snacks or caffeine. It is important to do what is right for you and not to punish yourself at this time. However, you should try to keep yourself and your baby as healthy as possible.

We spoke to Charlotte Stirling-Reed, a nutrition consultant who specialises in maternal, infant and child nutrition. She told us how to maintain a healthy balanced diet in pregnancy and why food is so important.

What foods should I avoid?

Stay away from soft and blue cheeses because you are at a small risk of listeria.

Avoid anything undercooked such as fish or meat and unpasturised milk and dairy.

Undercooked eggs are fine as long as they are Red Lion stamped.

Avoid shark, swordfish and marlin and liver and liver products such as pate.

We don’t know what the safe limit for alcohol is, or even if there is one, so it is best to avoid it completely. Limit your caffeine intake to 200g which is around 2-3 cups a day. Too much caffeine can lead to babies being born with a low birth weight and too much alcohol can cause foetal alcohol syndrome.

Increase your iron intake:

Iron is really important during pregnancy because we have more blood flowing through our bodies and it’s needed for immunity and cell growth. If your iron intake before pregnancy was low you may be more at risk of being deficient in pregnancy.

If you are feeling lethargic or super tired and you know you don’t have much iron in your diet you may be deficient. You can get tested by your doctor or a midwife and supplements will be recommended if you are anaemic.

Red lentils, red meat, egg yolks, beans, pulses and nuts are great sources of iron.

If you are vegan or vegetarian you might be more at risk of a deficiency. Fortified cereals and tahini in humous are also great sources.

The body can find it hard to absorb iron so it is recommended that you eat a vitamin C rich food alongside it to help with this. This could be some berries with your fortified cereal or a glass of orange juice with your dinner. 

How do I hold back from eating junk food?

Everyone is different and it depends how you are feeling and what stage you are at in your pregnancy. Don’t punish yourself, if you want to eat a biscuit, you should do it.

But do try to get the nutrients where you can and put a limit on the amount of fried, fatty and sweet foods you eat. In your second trimester your baby will start being able to taste what you’re eating.

You body does store nutrients so even if your diet goes downhill you should still be able to stay well.

Try to include eat wholegrain foods, fruit and vegetables, iron, protein-rich fish, eggs, pulses and meat and dairy and non-dairy alternatives every day.

Do I need to take supplements?

It is recommended that when trying to conceive and during pregnancy you take folic acid supplements and eat folate-containing foods such as orange and red vegetables.

A 10mcg vitamin D supplement is also a good idea.

If you feel like your diet isn’t healthy, or is restricted due to being vegan or vegetarian or having allergies, then you may want to consider taking pregnancy multivitamins. These are not a replacement for a balanced diet but more of a little top up. Take the tablet with meals as it will help with the absorption of the vitamins.

What can I eat in my third trimester to help with the tiredness?

Try not to just turn to caffeine or sugar if you are exhausted. Rest is key at this time alongside an energy-rich diet. Eat long-term energy foods such a wholegrain foods and vegetables, nuts, pulses and beans.

If you’re struggling to eat big meals then spread them out to eat little and often.

Can you recommend any foods for labour?

If you want to have Jelly Babies, you should have them. But also consider energy-rich snacks such as homemade energy balls or oat cakes with peanut butter. A bag of nuts and raisins is great as nuts give long-releasing energy and raisins give short which creates a good balance. Also pack some energy bars and drink lots of water.

What does my body need if I am breastfeeding?

Your body needs more protein and calcium when you’re breastfeeding so make sure you are getting plenty in your meals and snacks.

If you are exclusively breastfeeding you may need up to an extra 300 calories a day. 

You will also need more fluid. Many breastfeeding women talk about how thirsty they get. Try to drink an extra 3-4 glasses of water per day.

Caffeine and alcohol can pass through your breastmilk into your baby so limit your intake to 200mg of caffeine a day and don’t drink any alcohol in the first three months. 

Similar to in pregnancy hearty energy-rich meals and lighter snacks will help with the feeding. Try beans on toast with cheese, peanut butter on oatcakes and red pepper and yoghurt with oats and nuts added. 

A 10mcg vitamin D supplement is also recommended during breastfeeding, especially during winter.

:: Find out more about pregnancy nutrition at https://www.srnutrition.co.uk/ and follow Charlotte @sr_nutrition. 

Charlotte has also worked with The Body Coach Joe Wicks on his book Wean In 15 and his podcast of the same name.