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

Make sure you eat:

1. Five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, for bags of vitamins and minerals.
2. Wholegrain bread, brown pasta and rice, for energy-giving carbs and fibre.
3. Lean meat, chicken, white fish, well-cooked eggs and pulses, for protein.
4. Oily fish such as mackerel, salmon, herring, trout, sardines and pilchards - fresh or canned - for essential fatty acids such as omega-3 oils. Have up to two servings a week.
5. 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

1. 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. Why is folic acid so important?
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Iron: boost your energy with iron-rich foods such as spinach, chickpeas, lentils and beans, sardines, lean steak, sunflower seeds and dried fruit.

What to drink

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.

Top up tips

• Drinking a glass of warm water with lemon juice before you have anything else to drink or eat in the mornings.
• Having a glass of water every time you have a cup of tea or coffee. 
• Finding a cordial you like and drink it well diluted. Try elderflower, citrus or ginger. 
• Diluting fresh fruit juices with water. Begin with just a splash of water and gradually add more until you can drink it 50/50. 
• If you don’t really like drinking water, try it chilled with a slice of lemon or orange and drink it through a straw.

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.  Find out more here.

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.

What else to consider

Peanuts

Eating peanuts during pregnancy may be linked to a peanut allergy in some children, especially if there is a family history of allergy such as asthma, eczema or food allergy. Research is ongoing, but you may want to avoid them just to be safe. Refined peanut oils are very unlikely to cause a problem.

Fasting during pregnancy

In some religions, fasting at certain times is important. However, most religions do not expect pregnant or breastfeeding women to fast. Talk to your spiritual adviser if you’re worried about anything you should or shouldn’t be eating. You’ll probably find that the usual rules don’t apply in your special case, and that will put your mind at rest.

More on eating well during pregnancy

www.eatwell.gov.uk www.healthystart.nhs.uk