Healthy eating is key to you and your baby’s wellbeing during pregnancy, and beyond. Follow our eating for two menu to help make sure you’re getting what you both need
Eat me
- Five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, for bags of vitamins and minerals.
- Wholegrain bread, brown pasta and rice, for energy-giving carbs and fibre.
- Lean meat, chicken, white fish, well-cooked eggs and pulses, for protein.
- Oily fish such as mackerel and salmon - fresh or canned - for essential fatty acids such as omega-3 oils. Have up to two servings a week.
- Milk/fortified soya milk, cheese and yogurt, for bone-building calcium, also found in dark green leafy veg, tofu, canned fish with bones, and calcium-fortified drinks.
Nutrients you need
- Folic acid: one of the B vitamins, which helps your baby's spine and nervous system develop properly. Important from before conception until you’re three months pregnant. You’ll find it in fortified cereals and bread, green leafy vegetables, brown rice and pulses. Take a folic acid supplement too - 400mcg a day.
- Calcium: studies have shown that not getting enough calcium in pregnancy can lead to osteoporosis when you're older. To help absorb calcium from foods, eat foods high in vitamin D, such as butter, margarine and low fat spreads and oily fish.
- Vitamin C: vital for your baby's growth, helps fight infections and absorb iron from foods. Foods rich in vitamin C include citrus fruit and juice, brassicas, tomatoes and peppers.
- Iron: boost your energy with iron-rich foods such as spinach, chickpeas, lentils and beans, sardines, lean steak, sunflower seeds and dried fruit.
Drink up?
- Lots of liquids. Drink around 1.2 litres of non-alcoholic, caffeine-free fluids a day to help beat constipation, lessen fluid retention, and cut your chances of developing high blood pressure.
- Caffeine? Currently, it’s recommended that you don’t have more than 300mg of caffeine a day when pregnant - equal to six cups of tea or three mugs of instant coffee. However, this may change, as recent US research suggests a link between caffeine intake and miscarriage, and there are similar UK studies underway.
- Alcohol-free. Give booze a miss, as the latest guidelines are that it's best not to drink alcohol at all when you're pregnant.
