| When following a pregnancy diet it is important to try | | | | Folic Acid is essential to maintain a healthy pregnancy |
| to eat a wide range of foods. The best diet for | | | | and is included in the best pregnancy diets. You should |
| pregnant women includes: | | | | take a daily 400 micrograms (mcg) folic acid |
| Fresh fruit and vegetables. Aim for at least five | | | | supplement from the time you stop using contraception |
| portions a day. | | | | until the 12th week of pregnancy. You should also eat |
| Dairy products rich in calcium such as cheese, milk and | | | | foods containing folate - the natural form of folic acid - |
| yogurt. | | | | such as green vegetables (especially broccoli) |
| Carbohydrates such as wholegrain bread, pasta, | | | | breakfast cereals and brown rice. |
| brown rice and potatoes. | | | | Pregnant women can become deficient in iron, so it is |
| Foods rich in protein are equally important in a | | | | important to eat foods rich in iron. Vitamin C helps your |
| pregnancy diet. These include lean meat and chicken, | | | | body to absorb iron so keep eating those oranges! |
| fish, eggs and pulses (beans and lentils). These are | | | | Tea and coffee can make it harder for our bodies to |
| also good sources of iron. | | | | absorb iron, so cutting down could help to improve iron |
| Fibre - this helps prevent constipation and is found in | | | | levels. |
| wholegrain bread, pasta, rice, pulses and fruit and | | | | Good sources of iron include: |
| vegetables. Not following a high fibre diet during | | | | red meat |
| pregnancy will not only leave you feeling bloated and | | | | bread |
| sluggish, but eating the wrong kind of foods is what will | | | | breakfast cereals fortified with iron |
| be left on your body as fat once the baby is born. This | | | | green vegetables such as spinach and broccoli |
| will be hard to lose! Eating the right kind of foods will | | | | pulses |
| keep your sugar levels stable, energy levels up and | | | | Although liver contains a lot of iron, you should avoid |
| generally feeling more comfortable throughout the day. | | | | eating it while you're pregnant as it contains vitamin A |
| Being 20 pounds heavier and wider is hard enough as | | | | which can be harmful to your baby. This also includes |
| it is, let alone feeling bloated too! | | | | pate which is usually made from pork liver. If taking a |
| It is important to avoid excessive weight gain during | | | | multi-vitamin supplement make sure it doesn't contain |
| pregnancy by cutting down down on fatty foods such | | | | vitamin A. |
| as cakes and biscuits, hot dogs and french fries. When | | | | Vitamin D - You should take supplements containing |
| you are pregnant everything you eat your baby is | | | | 10mcg of vitamin D each day. |
| eating too. Would you really want them eating all this | | | | We get most of our vitamin D from summer sunlight, |
| junk food? | | | | which if your pregnant during the winter is not helpful in |
| If you find yourself hungry throughout the day, the ideal | | | | most locations (unless you're lucky enough to live in a |
| pregnancy diet does allow healthy snacks. It is | | | | tropical area!) |
| important not to go hungry when pregnant. If you're | | | | Weight gain during pregnancy varies and depends on |
| hungry, your baby probably is too! Enjoy currant buns | | | | your weight before you became pregnant. On |
| without icing; sandwiches or pitta bread; lean ham or | | | | average women put on around 20 to 30 pounds |
| chicken; low-fat yogurts; cottage cheese; vegetable | | | | throughout their pregnancy. If you gain too much |
| soups and fruit. | | | | weight your health can be affected. But equally, it is |
| Vitamins & Minerals - the ideal pregnancy diet involves | | | | important that you don't try crash diets to lose weight |
| taking supplements of certain vitamins and avoiding | | | | during pregnancy. |
| others: | | | | |