MedClick

It is now known and accepted that in order to maintain our health, our diet has to be healthy and balanced. If you are pregnant, this is even more so because you are not only nourishing your own body, but also the baby inside you.

It has often been said that a pregnant woman should eat for two people, but this is not true. What is true is that during pregnancy you have to provide good nutrition for two individuals. The growing baby gets all its nourishment from its mother through the umbilical cord, so diet is very important. If the mother's diet is lacking in any vitamins and nutrients her baby might lack them too, and this could impair his/her development.

How much energy does a woman need during pregnancy? The mean weight gain during the 9 months of pregnancy is 12 kilograms. The total energy cost of pregnancy has been estimated as 77,000 calories, over 9 months this averages out to 285 calories per day.

Research has shown that energy needs are different for each trimester; an increase of 5%-10% and 25% of pre pregnancy basal metabolic rate is the agreed figure.

Given this research, it is best to increase your calorie intake during each trimester. Based on 285 calories per day overall, this would equate to:

First Trimester - 85 extra calories

Second Trimester - 285 extra calories

Third Trimester - 475 extra calories

All of this can be summarised in two words - balanced diet!

For your diet to be healthy and balanced, you should be eating:

·     Plenty of carbohydrates, such as rice, potatoes, pasta and bread, particularly wholegrain varieties.

·     Five different portions of fruit and vegetables each day. They can be fresh, frozen, dried or tinned. One glass of fruit juice a day counts as one portion. Green leafy vegetables also contain good amounts of folic acid.

·     Dairy foods containing calcium, such as cheese, milk and yoghurt. You should choose the low fat variety of yoghurts and cheeses and use semi-skimmed milk. You must avoid any unpasteurised and veined cheeses.

·     Protein-rich foods, such as meat, fish, pulses and eggs. Try to eat only lean meat and remove the skin from poultry before eating. Aim to eat at least two portions of fish per week, including oily fish. These are good sources of iron which is important during pregnancy.

·     Plenty of foods which are high in fibre, such as wholegrain bread, pulses, fruits, vegetables and rice. Cereals are also a good source of fibre and also contain folic acid - be sure to try and eat the sugarless ones though!

·     To avoid putting on too much weight during the course of your pregnancy cut down on your consumption of fatty and sugary foods such as cakes, pastry and biscuits.

If you are a vegetarian, you may need to increase the amount of milk, cheese and yoghurt in your diet to provide extra calcium for you and your baby. In addition you need to take extra care that the nutritional requirements of the baby are met, especially calcium needs, iron requirements and sufficient vitamin B12. It is sensible to see your doctor or midwife and discuss your diet to ensure you both get all the nourishment that you need.

What foods should be avoided during pregnancy?

·     Try to avoid sugary snacks, fizzy drinks and junk food if you can

·     Try to reduce your caffeine intake.

·     It is important to avoid vitamin A during pregnancy because it may cause damage to the developing embryo. Foods containing large amounts of vitamin A include liver and pate, and should not be eaten whilst pregnant.

·     Unpasteurised cheeses, blue-veined cheeses and pate are also not recommended because of the possible risk of transmission of infectious diseases such as Listeria.

Folic acid

During the first three months of pregnancy (and preferably before becoming pregnant) a woman needs folic acid. This is one of the B-group vitamins and is also known as vitamin B9. It is important during pregnancy to aid in the creation of the baby's nervous system.

Folic acid can help prevent neural tube defects such as spina bifida and other congenital malformations such as cleft palate or hare lip.

Good natural sources of folic acid are barley beans, fruit, green vegetables, orange juice, lentils, peas and rice.

Iron

During pregnancy, a woman's body needs more iron than usual to produce all the blood needed to supply nutrition to the placenta. Good sources of iron are green vegetables such as broccoli and spinach, strawberries, muesli and wholemeal bread.

Iron is more easily absorbed if it is taken in conjunction with vitamin C - either as a supplement or in citrus fruit or juice. Tea and coffee can interfere with the body's absorption of iron.

Zinc and Calcium

The minerals zinc and calcium are also needed for the development of the embryo. However, it is usually possible to obtain enough zinc and calcium by following a varied diet.

To sum up, some practical easy to remember safety tips to keep you on track.

·     Wash all fruit and vegetables thoroughly before eating.

·     Don't eat raw or undercooked meat - its better to be safe than sorry.

·     Cook eggs well before eating.

·     Use only pasteurized dairy products.

·     Avoid soft cheeses such as Brie, Camembert and those with blue veins.

·     Don't eat liver, liver sausage or pate

·     Avoid shell fish.

·     Avoid cook-chill meals.

·     Make sure that your fridge's temperature is below 5C.

·     Your kitchen should be kept ultra clean and hygienic.

·     Don't eat food that is past it's sell by date.