Pregnancy Diet, Diet during Pregnancy

It is always important to follow a healthy, balanced diet but this becomes even more essential when you are pregnant, in order to give your baby the best start in life. Even if you already eat well you may need to fine tune your diet in order to provide all the vitamins and minerals your growing baby will need. As your body becomes more efficient at extracting energy from your food you should not need to increase your calorie intake at all for the first few months, and then only by just a few hundred calories (the same amount as two bananas) in the last few months. In the later stages of pregnancy the size of the baby can compress your stomach and digestive system, so it is better to eat smaller, more frequent meals, to avoid causing indigestion and heartburn. Hunger pains are also more acute during pregnancy due to changes in the muscle tone of the abdomen, so it is best to eat when you are hungry and try not to worry about changes in your appetite. As long as you stick to healthy snacks and meals you should able to control your weight gain throughout pregnancy.

There are some foods you will need to avoid during pregnancy, as these can in some cases be harmful to the growing foetus. These include:

* Shark, swordfish, salmon and marlin - experts recommend that pregnant women do not eat these types of fish, as they can contain unsafe levels of mercury (naturally occurring). Tuna is ok as long as it is eaten in moderation, approx no more than two fresh steaks or four regular sized cans a week.

* Seafood - raw seafood can contain some very harmful substances for unborn babies, so try and stay away from seafood unless you are sure it has been properly cooked, and avoid fresh raw oysters and sushi completely during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

* Cheese - many cheese making processes use bacteria to mature and add flavour the product, and cheese with a white mouldy rind or blue vein such as Brie, Stilton and Camembert can contain listeria, which is dangerous to unborn babies.

* Pate, raw meat/poultry/eggs - undercooked meat, poultry and eggs can contain very harmful bacteria to unborn babies so always cook these thoroughly (eggs until they are hard boiled) before eating and avoid pate altogether as it is often made from raw and undercooked ingredients.

* Liver Products - liver contains high levels of vitamin A, which has been linked to birth defects, miscarriage and premature birth. Avoid eating liver or liver products such as pate during pregnancy.

* Peanuts - eating peanuts during pregnancy and breastfeeding is thought to increase your baby's chances of developing a serious peanut allergy, so avoid peanuts and peanut products during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

* Alcohol - drinking alcohol during pregnancy has been linked to both physical and mental birth defects, so most woman avoid alcohol during pregnancy, or at least limit intake to no more than one to two units per week.

* Caffeine - this has been linked to low birth weights when drunk in large quantities throughout pregnancy, so if you are a heavy coffee, tea of cola drinker you should start limiting your intake and switch to non-caffeinated beverages during pregnancy.

Also during pregnancy you may need some help with your vitamin intake, especially as morning sickness and food aversions can affect your healthy diet. Ask your doctor what vitamins supplements you should be taking, and these are likely to include folic acid, iron and vitamin D. You should avoid taking any multivitamin supplements that contain vitamin A, as it is dangerous in high levels to unborn babies.

It is never appropriate to go on a diet during pregnancy as this can interfere with the baby's healthy growth and leave you deficient in essential vitamins and minerals. If you are overweight at the beginning of your pregnancy, eating a healthy controlled diet will help you maintain a good weight, and cutting out sweet and fatty snacks will naturally reduce your calorie intake to a healthier level, (although it is okay to have a treat now and again).

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