Eating During Pregnancy
What to eat during pregnancy
This is in no way an exhaustive list, it is some items to think about if you are now eating for two!
Starting with what to avoid: pate, soft/blue/unpasteurised cheeses, raw eggs, raw fish, green/sprouting potatoes, undercooked or cured meat, soft ice cream/fresh cream from dispensers.
If you have a cat during pregnancy make sure someone else cleans out the litter tray. There is a risk of Toxoplasmosis which is an infectious parasite found in cat faeces, raw/undercooked meat, and in soil on unwashed fruit/veg. It’s rare but can be passed on to, and be dangerous for the baby.
During pregnancy for the same reasons as above washing your fruit and veg properly is really important. The best washing method is to soak in apple cider vinegar then rinse well before eating.
Try and drink filtered / mineral water and make sure you are drinking enough (8 glasses a day). Water is required to make up for the increased blood volume during pregnancy (30% more) and to replace the amniotic fluid around the baby (which is completely replaced every 3 hours). Being well hydrated lowers your risk of morning sickness, pre-eclampsia and constipation (very common during pregnancy and can be quite debilitating!)
Caution with herbs and herbal teas in pregnancy as some can stimulate the uterus. Ginger peppermint and chamomile in small doses are ok but avoid parsley, pesto, rosemary, coriander, basil as they are stimulating.
Try to avoid taking unnecessary medications during pregnancy - antibiotics and anti depressants have been linked to congenital defects.
Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of premature delivery, cancer and sudden infant death syndrome
What to eat & some supplements (always get proper advice before supplementing):
One of the most important, make sure you’re eating enough protein (an extra 6-10g per day). Protein are the building blocks and you are building a new human! It supports foetal, placental and maternal tissue growth. If you are not eating enough protein it can cause obesity, hypertension and blood sugar dysregulation in kids. Good protein sources include beans, lentils, quinoa, wild fish, organic eggs.
Calcium helps with the building of the babies skeleton, teeth and brain and is protective of the mum’s bones too. Eating enough Calcium lowers the risk of pre-eclampsia. Sources include Kale, okra, green beans, sesame seeds, figs, red kidney beans, sardines, watercress.
Magnesium lowers risk of pre eclampsia, foetal growth retardation, pre-term labour and metabolic dysregulation. Sources include : Almonds, pumpkin, spinach, barley, kelp, cashew, legumes, eggs, cod. If you are taking supplements stop in the last trimester as it can interfere with contractions.
Iron is essential for oxygen transport & production of red blood cells. Sources: spinach, quinoa, legumes, pumpkin seeds, clams, beef, oysters.
Vitamin A is important for foetal growth, development (especially the brain), vision, hearing, immune & respiratory system functions. Caution with supplements as preformed vitamin A is dangerous for the baby. Low vitamin A during pregnancy can cause anaemia. Sources include Apricots, barley, carrots, green leafy veg, kohlrabi, spinach, sweet potatoes. If you are trying for a baby make sure you have an optimal vitamin A status before conception - you can test levels / speak to a doctor or nutritionist about this.
Vitamin D is always important but even more so during pregnancy. It’s used in calcium homeostasis, cell differentiation, immune function. Later in pregnancy 40-80% of women have low vitD status and this can affect the child’s bone health, brain development and increase risk of heart disease, diabetes, insulin resistance, dental issues, decreased muscle mass and pre-eclampsia. So, get Sun exposure (caution with melasma a darkening of face skin which can happen during pregnancy), eat sun soaked mushrooms, egg yolk, wild oily fish (sardines mackerel herring salmon and tuna) or take supplements. Magnesium, calcium and Vitamin D all work together so its best to make sure all levels are optimal.
Omega 3 EPA/DHA are important for having a healthy birth weight, increased gestational length, a healthy BMI, improved infant visual performance, lowered levels of allergies, the babies brain function/mental function. Maternal fish oil supplementation helps decrease risk of food allergies and eczema/asthma in the child – eat wild oily fish, eggs, flax/chia seeds (caution not to consume too much flax as it is oestrogenic). Supplements of 200-300 mg DHA+EPA daily during pregnancy can be taken, but be sure to reduce 4 weeks before birth as they are an anti coagulant. Please be cautious with eating fish and supplements, non wild and poorly made supplements are full of toxins and heavy metals and may harm you more than they help! The brand Bare Biology seem to be the UK market leader in supplements of Omega 3.
Think about your Gut microbiome. Having excess pre pregnancy weight/excess weight gain during pregnancy can cause gut flora changes which can predispose your child to obesity. Having a C section or not breastfeeding affects the babies microbiome. If you are having a C section it’s possible to ask the doctors to take swab of mothers vagina + put on babies face post birth to expose the baby to the vaginal microbiome which will help populate their gut! You can take probiotics (10 bill lactobacillus rhamnosus GG + bifidobacterium) which can moderate weight gain and decrease eczema dev in the child. It’s generally protective against allergy development when there is a family history of allergies.
Exercise & lifestyle:
In the first trimester opt for brisk walking, low impact exercise.
In the 2/3rd trimester go for gentle pregnancy yoga, aqua natal classes.
Try to rest + relax.
Sleep!
Try to lower stress levels and avoid endocrine disruptors/toxins.
If you are very sporty before getting pregnant do speak to your doctor as you might be able to continue with exercise.