My Blog Eating Well for Pregnancy Emma Carder RD RNutr MBDA: Posted on Monday, June 27, 2011 12:40 PM Eating Well for Pregnancy Eating well and staying active before, during and after your pregnancy will benefit both you and your baby. On this blog I answer some commonly asked questions ....... Should I be “eating for two” during my pregnancy? Whilst you are pregnant it is a myth that you need to “eat for two”. The average woman does not need any extra calories for the first six months of pregnancy and only about 200 extra calories per day for the last three months. Your own appetite and hunger signals are the best indication of how much food you need to eat and you may find that it changes during the course of yourpregnancy. If you are concerned about being under or overweight before, during or after your pregnancy your GP, midwife or health visitor will be able to advice you. It is important not to attempt to lose weight during your pregnancy as this can affect your baby's weight, and may stop you from getting all the nutrients that you both need. Do I need to take a vitamin and mineral supplement? If you eat a healthy balanced diet you should not be short of any of the essential nutrients you need during pregnancy. Folic acid and Vitamin D are currently the only vitamins that are recommended in a supplement form during pregnancy. Recent Posts Liverpool Food Festivals 2011 National Childhood Obesity Week 4th - 10th July 2011 Eating Well for Pregnancy Healthy Packed Lunches Ideas for Children Family Go Live Article Jan Feb 2011 Most Popular Posts Healthy Packed Lunches Ideas for Children National Childhood Obesity Week 4th - 10th July 2011 Top tips for successful change! Jan 2011 Family Go Live Article Jan Feb 2011 Eating Well for Pregnancy Categories Food Festivals Nutrition & Wellbeing Search powered by Folic Acid Folic acid helps to protect your unborn baby from developing neural tube birth defects e.g. spina bifida. If you are trying to conceive then the right time to take a folic acid supplement is NOW and continue each day until the end of your 12th week of pregnancy. You need 400mcg of folic acid each day; some women require a higher dose which is only available from their GP. More information can be found at the newly launched www.gofolic.co.uk campaign Vitamin D Vitamin D is often called the “sunshine vitamin” as most of our vitamin D comes from our skin’s exposure to UVB sunlight during April toOctober. Only a few foods contain Vitamin D. Our main source comes from oily fish, much smaller amounts are found in meat & egg yolks. It is compulsory in the UK to fortify infant formulas & margarines with Vit D. Breakfast cereals, some soya & dairy products may also be voluntary fortified. All pregnant and breastfeeding women should take a 10µg VitD supplement. This helps your body to absorb calcium which is important for the development of your baby's bones, ensures your breast milk is rich enough to supply all your baby's needs once they are born and helps to replete your depleted stores. Healthy Start vitamins, free for eligible women, contain vitamin D. You may be able to buy these locally or obtain them from your GP, heathvisitor or midwife. For more information visit www.healthystart.co.uk Are oily fish safe to eat in pregnancy? Oily fish contain omega 3 fatty acids which are needed for your baby's brain and nerve development in late pregnancy. Omega-3 essential fatty acids are derived mainly from oily fish such as: mackerel, herring, salmon, sardines & fresh tuna. Due to levels of mercury found in these fish current advice recommends limiting them to no more than two portions per week. For the same reason shark, swordfish and marlin should be avoided. Vegetarian sources of omega 3 fatty acids includethe oils of walnut, soy bean, linseed /flax seed. These can be used as salad dressings or in stir fries etc... What is a safe amount of caffeine to have in pregnancy? Eating or drinking too much caffeine during pregnancy may result in your baby having a lower birth weight than it should. Caffeine occurs naturally in a range of foods, such as coffee, tea and chocolate, and it's also added to some soft drinks and 'energy' drinks. It is advisable to limit the amount of caffeine you consume each day. The recommended upper limit is 200mg of caffeine per day during pregnancy, which is 2 mugs of instant coffee or 1 of freshly brewed coffee or 4 cups of tea. Can I eat peanuts during my pregnancy? If you wish to eat peanuts or foods containing peanuts such as peanut butter during your pregnancy, you can do so as part of a healthy balanced diet, unless you're allergic to them or your health professional advises you not to. In the past women were advised to avoid eating peanuts during pregnancy if there was a history of allergy (such as asthma,eczema, hay fever or food allergy) in their baby’s immediate family. This advice changed in 2009 as the latest research shows that there's no clear evidence that eating peanuts during pregnancy affects the chances of your baby developing a peanut allergy. Categories: Nutrition & Wellbeing Trackback Link 0 Comments to Eating Well for Pregnancy : Comments RSS Add a Comment Your Name: Email Address: (Required) Website: Comment: Make your text bigger, bold, italic and more with HTML tags. We'll show you how.