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Diet tips

Eating well is always important but never more so than when you're trying for a baby, during pregnancy and while you're breastfeeding.

Here's a few simple suggestions to bear in mind. A healthy diet will provide everything you and your baby need until the last 12 weeks of pregnancy, when you should add just an extra 200 calories a day.

The following advice is applicable before, during and after pregnancy (you might want to stay on the safe side until after you finish breastfeeding, particularly with foods that may cause allergies such as nuts).

Fruit and vegetables

During pregnancy, getting the daily recommended amounts of delicious, wholesome nutrients is vital. Both fruit and vegetables are important sources of the antioxidant vitamins which can protect against cell damage and are important for long-term health. Extra vitamin C is needed during pregnancy, in the last trimester, to help your baby's tissue formation.

You've heard all this before, but now it's even more vital to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day. Don't forget to include leafy green vegetables such as spinach, as they are a great source of Folic Acid.

And don't undervalue the humble potato. They are a great source of vitamin C and provide extra vitamins if cooked in their jackets.

The vitamins in fruit and vegetables are easily lost during cooking and preparation. So cook for as little time as possible - steam, stir-fry or microwave instead of boiling.

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Milk and dairy products

These foods provide vitamin B2, vitamin B12, vitamin D and vitamin A as well as minerals such as calcium, zinc and magnesium, which are vital for bone, muscle and nerve development.

Your baby's bones contain around 30g of calcium at birth, which must be provided by your diet. During pregnancy you need around 700mg of calcium a day - a pot of yogurt, a few slices of cheese and a glass of milk should give you all you need. Post birth you'll need 1250mg of calcium each day while your breastfeeding.

Skimmed or semi-skimmed milk is just as rich in calcium and zinc as whole milk but contains hardly any vitamin A or vitamin D. Whole milk, on the other hand, is a useful source of vitamin D.

Vitamin D is essential for the absorption of calcium. It's mainly formed in our bodies by the action of sunlight on the skin. If you don't get outside very often (remember, walking is great exercise during pregnancy), try to eat more vitamin D-rich foods.

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Protein-rich foods

Protein is essential for growth and the development of new tissue. Meat, fish, peas, beans, lentils, nuts and eggs are good sources of protein and also provide iron, magnesium and zinc, vitamin B6 or vitamin B12, and other vitamins in the vitamin B complex. An extra serving of these foods will provide the additional protein you need.

During your pregnancy, the Department of Health advises that you avoid liver and liver pate, as they are very high in vitamin A. While your body needs certain amounts of vitamin A for good vision and healthy skin, large amounts may be harmful to your baby.

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Iron rations

Iron is essential for making red blood cells and preventing anaemia. Good sources of iron include meat, fortified cereals, peas, beans, lentils and green vegetables.

Vitamin C will increase the amount of iron absorbed from cereals and vegetables. For example, only about 2% of the iron will be absorbed if you have a portion of breakfast cereal and a cup of tea. But add a glass of fruit juice or a piece of fruit and your body will take in around twice as much.

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I'm a vegetarian.

If you eat milk and dairy products you may only need to add extra iron-rich foods such as beans or peas to your diet. Eat these with a good source of vitamin C to make sure that more of the iron is absorbed.

Vitamin B12 is essential for the formation of red blood cells and a healthy nervous system. Because this vitamin is found mainly in foods of animal origin, you should look out for fortified foods or take a supplement such as Sanatogen ProNatal or Sanatogen ProNatal Plus Omega-3.

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Bread and cereals

Bread, cereals, pasta, rice and potatoes are good sources of energy and should form the basis of your diet.

Choose wholegrain varieties because they are rich in B vitamins which help your body use the energy from your food. They also contain trace elements such as chromium, selenium and zinc.

The dietary fibre in wholegrain foods will help prevent constipation which is a common complaint among pregnant women.

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General tips

• Eat regular meals
• Stop smoking
• Take regular exercise such as walking or swimming
• Eat a varied diet — no single food can provide all the vitamins and nutrients you need at this important time
• Don't use food cravings as an excuse to binge.
• Avoid foods like sweets, cakes and biscuits which are high in sugar and fat and low in nutrients.

Try taking a tailored multivitamin and mineral supplement such as Sanatogen ProNatal which is scientifically proven and contains all the essential vitamins, minerals and folic acid to help support the healthy growth of your baby and keep you healthy too.

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Foods to watch

Foods that you have enjoyed safely prior to pregnancy can sometimes pose a risk to your unborn baby. It's worth remembering that the diseases are rare, so slipping up is unlikely to cause a problem but it's sensible to minimise your exposure to risk as far as possible.

• Liver or liver products like pate and liver sausage: these are rich in Vitamin A. Taking more than the Government's Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of 800mcg of Vitamin A may be harmful to your baby.
• Soft cheeses like Brie or Camembert, blue cheese and fresh pate: these can harbour listeria, a bacteria which causes the rare infection listeriosis which occurs in 1 in 20,000 pregnancies and can cause miscarriage and illness in newborn babies.
• Raw eggs in mayonnaise or desserts, or soft-cooked egg: these should be avoided because of the risk of salmonella food poisoning.
• Raw or undercooked meats and poultry: these may contain toxoplasma, bacteria that can cause miscarriage or harm a baby's development.
• Ready-made meals: these should be thoroughly reheated to minimise the risk of listeria.
• Ice cream: frozen ice cream and lollies are fine but whipped ice cream from a van can contain salmonella.
• The Food Standards Agency has recently recommended that pregnant women don't eat shark, swordfish or marlin, as they may contain potentially unsafe levels of mercury.
• Peanuts: peanut allergy is increasing in children and experts believe that it may be caused by exposure to peanuts at a young age or even inside the womb. If asthma, eczema, hay fever or food allergies run in your family, it's sensible to avoid peanut products during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.
• Research has linked high caffeine intakes with an increased risk of low birth weight and miscarriage. Try switching to decaffeinated products.
• Seafood: avoid raw or undercooked shellfish such as oysters, mussels, cold prawns or crab, which can cause food poisoning.

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Safe preparation

• Always wash your hands before and after preparing food.
• Store raw meat away from other foods and use separate utensils and chopping boards.
• Use the bottom shelf of the fridge for raw meat and the top for cooked meats if you only have limited storage space.
• Wash all fruit and vegetables thoroughly.
• Cook eggs, meat and poultry thoroughly.
• Make sure the fruit and vegetables you eat are as fresh as possible.
• Lightly cooking vegetables will preserve vitamins and minerals.

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