So you’re now eating for two, or maybe more! It may be a good reason to indulge occasionally, but how much do you really need to eat, and what foods are safe during pregnancy? Your baby relies on you for her energy, growth and development, so take this opportunity to start your child on the road to good nutrition from the very beginning.   

Energy Intake

According to the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (NHMRC) pregnant women do not need any additional kilojoules in the first trimester (although this is often when you are absolutely starving), an extra 1400 kj/day in the second and an additional 1900 kj/day in the third.

What does this mean in English? If you are 19 to 30 years old, are approximately 160 to 170cm tall and currently (pre-pregnancy) weigh 56 to 64kg, have a reasonable level of physical activity;

• your current energy requirements are between 8800 to 9600 kilojoules per day
• So during your second trimester of pregnancy increase that to 10200 to 11000 kj/day
• and during your third trimester of pregnancy increase that to 10700 to 11500 kj/day

This doesn’t mean you have start counting your calories or be obsessive about how much food you eat. To put it simply, don’t go hungry, but it’s also important not to view pregnancy and a license to gorge yourself because you plan on losing it all afterwards. Overeating and eating the wrong foods can have adverse health effects on your unborn child.

Preparation & Planning

Eating a healthy diet can be difficult enough when you are pregnant. The concern of the ever growing list of forbidden foods, not being able to eat from a from a bain marie or salad bar or eat pre-made sandwiches can be very inconvenient for some people so it’s easy to eat something that’s safe but also void of any nutritional value. While this is ok occasionally, it’s important to make sure the majority of your diet is made up of wholesome, nutritious foods.

Nutritional deficiencies are responsible for a large range of symptoms including decreased energy, anxiety, headaches, muscle cramps and spasms, inflammatory disorders, skin conditions plus much more. All of which are suffered by many during pregnancy anyway, so minimizing your chances of these conditions by eating well will give you a head start. Like any good eating plan preparation is the key.

Essential to Avoid during pregnancy - Listeria, Salmonella & Toxoplasmosis

You’ll continuously hear women of previous generations or even women who were pregnant as little as 10 years ago say how they’d never heard of Listeria or never had to worry about what they ate. Obviously they were lucky enough to not have eaten anything that harbored these harmful bacteria.

These recommendations have been put into place because we now know the detrimental the effects of poor food hygiene can be to our unborn children.

• Deli meats (e.g. Ham, salami, hot dogs)
• Soft cheeses – these have not been pasteurized which removes any bacteria (brie, camembert)
• Unpasteurized milk
• Pates (animal liver)
• Pre-prepared salads – lettuces can harbor bacteria if not properly washed
• Any food served from a bain marie (food court))

If eating food from a food court or take-away shop or even cafes don’t be afraid to ask when the food was prepared, keeping in mind you shouldn’t eat anything that’s more than 12 hours old unless it was frozen immediately after being made and thawed immediately before being eaten. Don’t hesitate to ask them to make you something fresh if you are in doubt.   

Salmonella can be avoided by not eating undercooked poultry, raw or undercooked eggs.   

Toxoplasmosis is a harmful parasite which can be found in cat litter & garden soil so its important to wear gloves while handling these materials and wash vegetables and salads thoroughly to remove any dirt. Raw or undercooked meat is another place this parasite can be found so make sure any red meats are well cooked during your pregnancy.

Five foods to add to your shopping list

• Nuts & Seeds (fresh, raw & unsalted) make a great snack to keep in your handbag or desk draw. They are high in minerals such as zinc, selenium, calcium & magnesium and contain goods fats.
• Cottage cheese (low fat) is high in protein and some amino acids that are great for mood and energy as well as being a good source of calcium
• A wide range of different colored seasonal fruit and vegetables – stone fruits, berries, citrus fruit, carrots, sweet potato, spinach, broccoli, gourmet lettuce, etc. Make fruit salad or stir fries fresh to take with you on day trips or to work to avoid having to eat take-away food
• Wholegrains are full of vitamins, minerals, good fats and fibre so choose choose breads and cereals that are processed as little as possible - the browner the better! Eating a variety of grains ensures you get the biggest range of nutrients so try Quinoa (a great plant source of protein), Oats, Cous Cous, Brown Rice, Polenta or Pearl Barley
• Deep sea fish (2-3 times a week) are high in Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids which have anti-inflammatory properties, are important for your babies brain development and visual acquity. Eating the smaller fish such as sardines and mackerel will mean your will reduce your consumption of contaminants such as mercury, which is found in greater amount in larger fish which are higher on the food chain

Low GI

Following a Low Glycaemic Index Diet during your pregnancy is an important way to prevent or treat many of the complications that can occur, in particular Morning Sickness, Gestational Diabetes and Pre-eclampsia. If you can follow this type of eating plan right from the start it will also minimize general complaints such as tiredness & lethargy, muscle cramps, & fluid retention because you are more likely to consume all the important nutrients, therefore improving and maintaining your bodies intricate functions and supporting the optimal development of your baby. Read the Low Glycaemic Index article for more details.

10 tips for living well & eating well during pregnancy

1. Avoid smoking & smoky environments
2. Eliminate alcohol & reduce caffeine as much as possible
3. Include a balance of protein, good fats and complex carbohydrates in your diet
4. Do not restrict calories - increase by approximately 20% after the first trimester
5. A low GIycaemic diet is important for maintaining your energy levels, preventing gestational diabetes and reducing morning sickness (Read our Low Glycaemic Index article in the Health & Fitness section)
6. Consume a range of different coloured fruit & vegetables to ensure a wide variety of nutrients and antioxidants are obtained
7. Take a pregnancy multivitamin with folic acid
8. Regular exercise will assist in preventing unnecessary weight gain & fluid retention as well as assist with labour and post partum recovery
9. Remove environmental toxins such as strong cleaning agents, cigarette smoke & minimise exhaust fumes (e.g. don’t exercise along busy roads)
10. REST when needed, listen to your body, this is not a time to push the limits!   

Read more about Exercise During Pregnancy and Supplementation In Pregnancy