Food for two: eating that benefits you and your baby

  • In NZ, the Ministry of Health makes recommendations for healthy eating during pregnancy (Ministry of Health.2006.Food and Nutrition Guidelines for Healthy Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women: A background paper. Wellington: Ministry of Health). Some of the important nutrients you need are summarised below:
  • Protein  – this is vital for your baby’s development. The amino acids that make up protein are literally the building blocks of all the body's cells. Good sources of protein are lean meat, chicken, fish, eggs, nuts and seeds, and legumes (which are cooked dried peas, beans and lentils).
  • Folic acid (folate)  – this is an essential B-vitamin that is important during conception and pregnancy to help prevent birth defects such as spina bifida. Your GP or lead maternity carer will recommend a supplement to take before and during pregnancy. Folic acid is found in some foods like green leafy vegetable, wholegrain breads, cereals and brown rice, but you don’t get enough in your diet during pregnancy, and that’s why you need to take a supplement.
  • Calcium - between weeks four and six of your pregnancy, your baby’s bones will start to form, so it’s important that you have enough calcium in your body. Calcium is also important to help your baby’s muscle, heart and nerve development.  Great sources of calcium are dairy products like milk, cheese (go for the pasteurised kind) and yoghurt. You can also find it in some nuts and seeds e.g. sesame seeds, brazil nuts and almonds, as well as vegetables like broccoli, and kale (a type of cabbage). Canned fish (with bones) like salmon also has plenty of calcium. 
  • Having enough Vitamin D  helps your body absorb calcium, and the main source of this is simple sunshine on your skin. That doesn’t mean you should spend hours catching rays in the back yard and risk getting sunburnt, especially not here in NZ where our UV count is very high. Stick to the sun safe rules, wear sunscreen, and stay out of the sun during the hottest part of the day.  However, you do need to expose your skin to some sunlight to get enough Vitamin D. In winter it can be hard to get enough Vitamin D, so make sure you spend time outdoors and show your skin some sunlight. The exact amount of sun you need to produce enough Vitamin D varies from person to person, but if you spend most of your time indoors, or cover your skin with clothing all year around, you may need to chat to your GP about whether you need a supplement. 
  • Iron – that magic mineral that helps so many functions in your body, including helping produce red blood cells, which carry oxygen and nutrients through your body to your baby. During pregnancy, your baby will be taking lots of iron from you, so it’s important that you make sure you have plenty of iron in your diet, so you both get enough.  Iron is found in a range of foods like meat, green veges, dried fruit and legumes like baked beans. But by far the best source of iron is from lean red meat, chicken and fish, and the redder the meat the higher the iron. Aim to eat lean red meat three or four times a week. Green leafy veges, legumes, fortified breakfast cereals and eggs all contain iron, but your body doesn’t absorb it very easily. A trick to helping you absorb more iron is to eat food that’s high in Vitamin C at the same time, fruit and veges like oranges, kiwi fruit and yellow capsicums are all good. Avoid drinking tea with your meals as the tannins reduce iron absorption.  If you are concerned you are low in iron, have a chat with your GP.