Pregnancy series: Nutrition in pregnancy

During pregnancy your body will need to build a placenta, increase fluid levels and blood volume, increase your heart’s workload, adjust hormones, adjust lung and kidney functions, and prepare for breast-feeding. That’s a lot of extra work! In addition, your metabolic rate will increase, especially during the last half of pregnancy. You will need extra, high-quality nutrition to fuel these added demands.

Diet

Healthy foods will provide the building blocks for the development of your baby’s new tissues and organs, and give you energy. It is important to have a well-balanced diet with plenty of complex carbohydrates, protein, and fresh fruits and vegetables, with minimal fatty and sugary foods. Pregnancy is not an appropriate time to diet, and it’s definitely not an excuse to ‘eat for two’! If you have a special diet, or any health conditions that require diet modification, you should consult with a dietician about planning your weekly meals.

Key food groups

Always remember that you are eating to nourish yourself and your baby, so choose a variety of healthy food options. Try to eat three meals every day or six smaller meals if you have problems with nausea or heartburn.

Carbohydrates (breads and cereals) give you energy, B vitamins, some protein, iron and other minerals. Try to eat whole grains (like whole wheat bread) because they have more vitamins and fibre.

Protein-rich foods (fish, meat, eggs, legumes) help build muscle, enzymes, hormones and antibodies for you and your baby. They also contain B vitamins and iron, which are important for red blood cells and energy production.

Milk and other dairy products (or calcium-enriched soy milk) have calcium, which you and your baby need for strong bones and teeth. Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding should have at least three servings per day of milk, yoghurt or cheese to meet their calcium needs. Other sources of calcium include dark green leafy vegetables, sardines and canned salmon (with bones), and tofu.

Fruits and vegetables with vitamin C help you and your baby with healthy gums, help your body to fight infection, heal wounds and absorb iron. Fruits and vegetables with high vitamin C content include strawberries, oranges, kiwi fruit, berries, tomatoes, peppers, cabbage and broccoli. Dark green vegetables also have iron and folic acid. Fruits and vegetables also provide fibre and give you energy.

The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating advises an additional daily intake of one serving of fruit and one serving of vegetables during pregnancy, to provide the extra folate, vitamin C and other nutrients that you will need.

While it’s good to maintain a low-fat diet, fats from sources such as nuts and seeds, avocado, fish, flaxseed and olive oil provide important fatty acids for your baby’s brain development and cell membranes.

Drinking adequate water during pregnancy is important to build up extra blood volume and helps avoid constipation, haemorrhoids, and possible urinary tract, including bladder, infections. Pregnant women should drink at least six to eight glasses of water per day. Avoid soft drinks, and coffee and teas that have caffeine.

Eat most: whole grains, including breads, cereals, rice, pasta; fruit and vegetables.

Eat moderately: protein-rich foods, including fish, chicken, eggs, red meat, legumes, nuts, seeds and dairy products.

Eat occasionally: monounsaturated fats, e.g. olive oil, avocado, macadamia nuts.

Limit: sugar, salt, caffeine, butter, polyunsaturated fats, e.g. sunflower and safflower oil.

Dieting during pregnancy

Dieting during pregnancy is never recommended, even for obese women. Under-nutrition may pose a risk to the developing foetus and contributes to an increased risk of health problems for your child later in life. Dieting to lose weight, fasting diets and eating disorders during the first trimester of pregnancy may also lead to an increased risk of neural tube defects. Even though it can take some time to get used to your changing body, take pride in your expanding belly and the wonderful little person growing inside it!