All the nutrients your baby needs to grow come straight from you. Although you don't need to eat more to supply the demands of pregnancy, you do need to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet.
‘Most of us eat enough, but our diet's quality is often poor,' says Dr Wendy Doyle, expert in material nutrition at the British Dietetic Association. ‘Calcium and magnesium levels fall in pregnancy,' warns Dr Doyle. And young women particularly are often low in iron. All of these are found in fresh foods. You just need to know which ones to go for.
Power your pregnancy
Now's the time to get out of a dietary rut. If you can't face meals, eat healthy snacks. Even in late pregnancy, you only need 200 calories more a day.
These 20 pregnancy ‘power foods' are packed with nutrients. They're all from one of the five vital food groups:
Carbohydrates These are the bulk of your diet - the bread, pasta and potatoes - and give sustained energy. Eat four to six portions a day.
Fruits and vegetables Eat five portions a day. The vitamins and minerals help your baby develop normally. You need some supplements, e.g. folic acid, but get nutrients from food where you can.
Dairy foods The best source of calcium, vital for bone development in babies. Eat three portions a day, but choose low-fat products to keep saturated fat levels low.
Protein Pick the healthiest sources. Fish, eggs, cheese and meat are good, but only have two portions a day. Red meat is rich in iron, but is not the only source. Look out for alternatives, such as spinach.
Oils and fats Some are great sources of essential fatty acids omega-3 and omega-06, vital for cell function, brain and eye development. Omega-6 fatty acids are found in many cooking oils. Omega-3 is found in oily fish like salmon and mackerel.
Wholemeal bread A simple way to stock up on carbohydrates - it's a good source of iron, calcium, B vitamins and some is now fortified with folic acid.
Sweet potatoes Try steamed or mashed with a little olive oil. A good source of energy, and packed with calcium, vitamin C and beta-carotene - a vegetable source of vitamin A, vital for skin and eye development.
Cereal Choose cereals fortified with vitamins and folic acid. If you get hunger pangs, forget chocolate bars and go for a whole-wheat cereal with milk instead. Just one bowl a day can provide up to 100mcg of folic acid.
Broccoli Contains plenty of calcium, magnesium (essential for bone development) and folic acid. To help preserve the nutrients, steam rather than boil.
Yam Rich in calcium, magnesium, folic acid and phyto-oestrogens, so it's good for post-natal days when low oestrogen levels can leave you feeling a bit jaded.
Dried apricots Good for topping up your iron stores and easy to snack on. Also contain folic acid, potassium, calcium and magnesium. One handful gives you ten per cent of your daily iron requirement.
Bananas Rich in potassium, these are good for reducing fluid retention and maintaining a healthy fluid balance. They also contain tryptophan which helps to promote sleep. A good starchy, energy-giving snack.
Yoghurt Low-fat versions are just as full as calcium and vitamin D as their full-fat counterparts and this is a fantastic source if you don't like to drink lots of milk.
Tofu For non-meat eaters, this is an excellent source of protein that is also rich in iron, calcium and magnesium, vitamin A, and vitamin K - essential for normal blood clotting, particularly after the birth.
Buckwheat Use as a nutritious pasta or potato alternative. It's packed with beta-carotene, vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, zinc (essential for normal development and growth) and folic acid.
Chickpeas Another good vegetable source of protein that is also rich in calcium, magnesium, zinc and folic acid. Houmous (made from chickpeas) and bread sticks make a tasty snack.
Sunflower seeds An instant source of both omega-3 and omega -6 fatty acids, as well as magnesium, vitamins A, B, D, E and K, calcium, iron, potassium and zinc.
Walnut oil A rich, non-fishy source of omega-6 fatty acids. You only need about a tablespoon a day, so use to stir-fry vegetables.
Eggs Well cooked, of course, but they provide protein, iron, and Vitamin B12, which is essential for the healthy growth of cells in your baby.
Salmon Good for omega-3 fatty acids. Sadly, concerns over environmental pollutants in oily fish means pregnant and breastfeeding women are recommended to stick to just two small portions a week.
Strawberries Full of vitamin C (good for healthy skin and immunity), beta-carotene, folic acid and potassium. If you eat them after an iron-rich meal, vitamin C will help boost iron absorption as well.
Tuna Another source of omega-3 fatty acids, but also rich in selenium, an antioxidant mineral that protects against cancer. Deficiency of this mineral has also been linked to miscarriage, so it won't hurt to top up. Don't eat more than 4 medium cans a week though as tuna contains some mercury, which may harm your baby's nervous system.
Spring greens or cabbage
Both offer a fantastic supply of folic acid (one portion gives you 25 per cent of your daily requirement), plus iron, potassium and vitamins C, E and A. Lightly steam to keep the goodness in.
Sardines Are rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids, these will help with your baby's brain and nerve development. But remember to not have more than two portions a week.
Water Last, but not least. Aim to drink eight glasses a day. It will also help prevent constipation and cystitis.
Food baddies
Most foods are perfectly safe to eat during pregnancy, but there are a few that should be avoided. These include:
Liver and liver products such as patè. It contains high levels of vitamin A, which can cause birth defects if it is eaten in large quantities.
Soft, mould-ripened cheeses such as Camembert or blue-veined cheeses like Stilton. Rarely, these contain a bacterium called listeria (which affects one in 30,000 pregnancies), which is harmful to unborn babies. Avoid cheeses such as Brie, all blue cheeses and unpasteurised sheep and goats' cheese. Mozzarella, cottage cheese, cheese spreads and all hard cheeses are fine to eat.
Peanuts If there's a family history of allergies, such as asthma, eczema or a peanut allergy, you may wish to avoid peanuts during pregnancy. Some experts believe eating peanuts in pregnancy might increase the chance of your baby having a peanut allergy.
More than six cups of tea or three coffees a day Too much caffeine is linked to low birth weight and miscarriage.
For more information on healthy eating during pregnancy, call the Centre for Pregnancy Nutrition Helpline on 0845 730 3646 between 10am - 4pm, Monday to Friday.
