Find out which foods will give your baby a great start in life
Eating healthily makes sense at the best of times. If you’re pregnant, though, then diet takes on a whole new meaning. Nutrition in pregnancy is important because your baby requires key nutrients for development – particularly during the first 12 weeks, when the vital organs are forming – and all of these will come from you.1,2
We now know that genes account for just 25% of foetal development – the rest is down to other factors, including the mother’s diet,3 so it’s vital to know what to eat when pregnant. Nourishing your body over the next 40 weeks may be the best gift you can give your baby.
Increased appetite
Unfortunately, the foods your body needs and the ones you’re craving may be two very different things. Many women experience increased appetite during pregnancy and find themselves hankering after high-calorie treats like crisps, biscuits and cakes. While refined carbohydrates can provide a quick energy hit, they tend to be low in nutrients.4
As for the old adage ‘eating for two’, try not to take it literally. According to NICE guidelines, pregnant women require just 200 extra calories a day, and that’s only in the third trimester.5
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Weight gain during pregnancy
Your baby isn’t the only one who will benefit from you following a healthy pregnancy diet. Focusing on nutrition in pregnancy and eating sensibly will prevent you from gaining too much weight, lowering your risk of complications such as high blood pressure and gestational diabetes.6
Of course, putting on some weight is normal – the average woman gains around one and a half to two stone during pregnancy.7 Not all of this is your baby, there’s also the weight of the placenta, extra body fluids, plus the fat your body stores in preparation for making breast milk.8
The best way to maintain a healthy weight and ensure your baby gets all the nutrients they need is to eat a variety of foods from the following groups:
Dairy and dairy-free alternatives
They might have fallen out of favour in recent years, but dairy products such as milk, yoghurt, butter and pasteurised cheese, are an important source of calcium – vital for supporting you and your baby’s skeleton.9 Experts recommend around three portions of dairy a day for optimum nutrition in pregnancy.10
For vegans, dark green leafy vegetables, pulses and sesame seeds are good alternative sources of calcium. Fortified soya, rice and oat drinks are also an option.11 Doctors advise all pregnant women take a daily supplement containing 10μg of vitamin D.12
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Fruit and vegetables
These provide a wealth of important vitamins and minerals, as well as fibre, which is why nutritionists recommend everyone eats at least five portions of fruit and veg a day as part of a pregnancy diet – and the more variety the better.13,14 Leafy green vegetables in particular are an important source of folic acid, which your baby needs for healthy spinal development.15 In fact, doctors recommend pregnant women take a 400µg supplement of folic acid daily during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.16
Nuts, beans and seeds
These are great sources of protein, which the body converts into amino acids. These are essentially the building blocks for the body – both for you and your baby.17 As well as nuts, beans and seeds, you’ll find protein in soya, lentils and eggs, plus fish and meat.18,19
Not only does oily fish such as salmon and fresh tuna provide good amounts of protein, it’s particularly rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are vital for your baby’s brain and eye development.20
Aim to eat protein every day, but limit yourself to two portions of fish a week during pregnancy because of concern over levels of pollutants.21
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Wholegrains and other healthy carbs
Carbohydrates are the body’s and brain’s main source of energy – whether you’re pregnant or not.22 In a 2016 study, published in Obstetrical & Gynecological Survey, researchers reported that glucose from carbohydrate is the main fuel your baby needs to grow in the womb.23
Choose high-quality carbohydrates with a low glycaemic index and you’ll get a hit of fibre, too – for example wholegrains, fruits, wholemeal bread, and pulses. Limit refined carbs like sweets, puddings and fizzy drinks, as well as honey, syrup and fruit juice.24
Aim for healthy, complex carbohydrates to make up just over a third of what you eat.25
Satisfying pregnancy cravings
Don’t worry, no one is expecting you to be a saint. If you’re craving a sweet fix, good-quality dark chocolate will indulge your taste buds and provide a range of nutrients, including magnesium.26 A homemade smoothie may also satisfy a sweet tooth and will boost your fruit and veg intake: berries, banana, mango, spinach and beetroot all make nutritious additions.
Introducing new flavours to your baby
And there’s one more reason to be mindful about your diet – it could stop your baby becoming a fussy eater.
A 2001 study published in the journal Pediatrics reported that flavours of foods and drinks consumed by pregnant women are passed through to the amniotic fluid. These flavours are then swallowed – and so also tasted – by the growing foetus. The researchers thought that this was why the babies of women who drank carrot juice during pregnancy had a better response to carrot when weaning.27
Advice is for information only and should not replace medical care. Please check with your GP before trying any remedies.
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Sources
1. Rodriguez-Bernal CL, et al. Diet quality in early pregnancy and its effects on fetal growth outcomes: the Infancia y Medio Ambiente (Childhood and Environment) Mother and Child Cohort Study in Spain. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20410088
2. John Hopkins Medicine. Pregnancy: The First Trimester. Available from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/conditions/pregnancy_and_childbirth/first_trimester_85,P01218
3. Science Daily. Development in the womb: New insight on epigenetic influence on baby. Available from: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140428074640.htm
4. What To Expect. Increased Appetite During Pregnancy. Available from: https://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/symptoms-and-solutions/appetite.aspx
5. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Weight Management Before, During and After Pregnancy. Available from: www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ph27/chapter/1-recommendations
6. The National Academies. Consequences of Gestational Weight Gain for the Mother. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK32818/
7. NHS Choices. How Much Weight Will I Put On During My Pregnancy? Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/2311.aspx?CategoryID=54
8. As Source 5
9. Atkinson S. Impact of Pregnancy Nutrition on Offspring Bone Development. Available from: http://static.abbottnutrition.com/cms-prod/anhi.org/img/Atkinson_112th%20ANRC-112th%20Abbott%20Nutrition%20Research%20Conference.pdf
10. British Dietetic Association. Pregnancy. Available from: https://www.bda.uk.com/foodfacts/Pregnancy.pdf
11. NHS Choices. Vegetarian and vegan mums-to-be. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/vegetarian-and-vegan-mums-to-be/
12. British Nutrition Foundation. Nutrition and supplements during pregnancy. Available from: https://www.nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/nutritionforpregnancy/nutrition-and-supplements-during-pregnancy.html?limit=1&start=1
13. NHS Choices. Have a healthy diet in pregnancy. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/healthy-pregnancy-diet/
14. NHS Choices. Five a day: what counts? Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/5-a-day-what-counts/
15. NHS Choices. Why do I need folic acid in pregnancy? Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/913.aspx
16. As Source 12
17. Elango R and O’Ball R. Protein and Amino Acid Requirements during Pregnancy. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4942872/
18. British Dietetic Association. Food facts: vegetarian diets. Available from: https://www.bda.uk.com/foodfacts/vegetarianfoodfacts.pdf
19. As Source 13
20. Greenberg JA, Bell SJ, and Van Ausdal W. Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation During Pregnancy. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2621042/
21. As Source 13
22. Lowensohn RI, Stadler DD and Naze C. Current Concepts of Maternal Nutrition. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4949006/
23. As above
24. As Source 22
25. As Source 13
26. Triche EW, et al. Chocolate Consumption in Pregnancy and Reduced Likelihood of Preeclampsia. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2782959/
27. Mennella JA, Jagnow CP and Beauchamp GK. Prenatal and postnatal flavor learning by human infants. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11389286
