HEALTHY DIET - HEALTHY BABY - NDR-UK

HEALTHY DIET - HEALTHY BABY
FOR YOUNGER MOTHERS, THEIR PARTNERS, FAMILIES AND SUPPORTERS
Eating well
Now you are pregnant, it will probably never be more important for you to look after yourself. Being
healthy while you are pregnant means you are giving your baby the best chance of growing and
developing well.
During your pregnancy, you will receive lots of advice from many people. The advice about what to eat
is important for both you and your baby. Remember, your food is your baby’s fuel. Eating well means
feeling well, enjoying your pregnancy, and knowing you are giving your baby the best possible
nutrition for a great start in life. A healthy diet means following the eatwell plate shown below:
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Smokers
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You may already know that the poisons from smoke are passed to your baby. The most important thing
you can do for your baby’s health is to stop smoking. Many mums – and dads - stop smoking during
pregnancy. Ask your midwife or doctor for help.
Being a teenager means you’re still growing yourself. So you need good nutrition for yourself as well
as your baby. Here is special information for teenagers who are pregnant.
Try to eat:
Three regular meals a day – breakfast, lunch and tea - and healthy snacks in between.
• A wide variety of foods.
• Plenty of fruit and vegetables (fresh, frozen, tinned or dried). Aim to have at least 5 portions a day,
including just one as a glass of fresh fruit juice.
• Foods rich in folic acid which help reduce the risk of spina bifida (spine damage) in your baby.
Foods to eat include bread, cereals, green leafy vegetables, peas and beans. For the first 12 weeks of
your pregnancy, also take a folic acid tablet every day.
• Plenty of starchy foods like bread, breakfast cereals, potatoes, pasta and rice. Have one of these at
every meal. Choose high fibre types whenever you can. Whole wheat or multi-grain bread,
wholegrain breakfast cereals like Weetabix, Shredded Wheat or bran flakes and jacket potatoes are
ideal.
• Drink plenty of fluids – at least 6 to 8 cups a day – to work with the fibre and prevent constipation.
Water is the most healthy choice.
• Calcium rich dairy foods, at least three times a day. This includes milk, yoghurt and cheese. Hard
cheese like Cheddar or Cheshire, cheese slices or triangles or cottage cheese are good choices. If you
don’t eat dairy foods, choose soya alternatives. Make sure they are the calcium enriched brands.
• Protein foods two or three times a day. This includes lean meat (e.g. ham, beef), chicken, fish (e.g.
tuna*, cod and salmon), eggs and pulses (e.g. lentils, chickpeas or beans including canned baked
beans). If you do not eat meat, make sure you have eggs and pulses instead, for the iron they contain.
*Limit tuna to twice a week because of its high mercury content.
Healthy snacks? If you’re stuck for healthy snack ideas, here are few suggestions:
• Cheese and pickle sandwich
• Bread sticks dipped in cheese spread or hummus
• Wholewheat crackers with cheese or ham
• Pitta bread filled with tuna and sweetcorn
• A bowl of breakfast cereal with milk
• Yoghurt with sliced banana
• Tomato, carrot or lentil soup or broth
• Dried fruit like apricots or raisins
• Fresh fruit like bananas, apples, pears, oranges, grapes
• Tinned fruit like mandarin oranges or peaches, with yoghurt
• Scones
Meal ideas?
Here are a few. You’ll probably also have your own favourites to add.
• Tuna bake (tuna, sweetcorn and cheese sauce mixed with cooked pasta)
• Beef stew made with all your favourite vegetables and potatoes or bread
• Scrambled egg (cooked until solid) with tomatoes and whole-wheat toast
• Fish fingers, oven chips, peas and sweetcorn
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• Baked beans on toast
• Sausage casserole (sausage cooked with onions, potatoes and a mixture of vegetables)
• Cheese and onion omelette cooked until all the egg is solid, with baked potato and carrots
• Spaghetti bolognaise (made with tinned tomatoes and chopped carrots in the meat)
• Chicken casserole with boiled potatoes and broccoli
• Ham risotto (cooked rice mixed with chopped ham, onions, peas and sweetcorn)
• Pizza topped with tomato, peppers, mushroom, onion and cheese, served with a side salad
• Lasagne (meat, tuna or vegetable) with baked potato and salad
• Roast dinner with lots of vegetables and all the trimmings
• Shepherds pie with carrots and broccoli
• Cauliflower cheese with crusty bread
If you buy ready meals, try to choose those with added vegetables or serve your own vegetables or
salad with them. Remember to re-heat them, so they are piping hot.
Eat Safe
Remember that for safety reasons, there are certain foods you must NOT eat while you are pregnant.
They may carry listeria or salmonella, germs or bugs that can damage your baby. The foods you should
avoid are:
1. Pre-cooked or ready-prepared cold foods which will not be reheated. This means things like
shop bought mixed salads (e.g. coleslaw, potato salad), paté, (meat or vegetable), quiches and
cold meat pies or pasties.
2. Undercooked meat or chicken, sausages or burgers – make sure they are not pink in the
middle.
3. Raw eggs and soft cooked eggs – make sure the yolk is solid.
4. Soft ripened cheeses like Camembert, Brie, and blue veined cheese like Danish Blue and
Stilton.
5. Un-pasteurised milks – make sure any milk you drink is pasteurised.
6. Soft or whipped ice cream from a counter or van.
There are some other foods you should be cautious about, for different reasons:
7. Avoid liver, liver pâtė and liver sausage – they are so rich in Vitamin A, they can harm your
baby.
8. Raw meat and raw poultry – take care where you put it in the fridge or when you handle it,
because bugs may cross over from your hands, to other foods you eat. Wash your hands well
after touching raw meat.
9. Hot pies, pasties and sausage rolls at the hot counter can harbour bugs or germs, so make sure
they are piping hot.
10. Tuna fish contains mercury from the pollution in the sea, and this can damage your baby’s
nervous system. Eat 2 portions a week in sandwiches or a salad, but no more.
11. Peanuts – if you or your partner or a close family member suffers from any allergy, asthma,
eczema, or Hayfever, you should avoid peanuts and peanut containing foods while you are
pregnant and breastfeeding. This will reduce the chance of your baby being allergic.
Drinks Water is the safest and most healthy drink – and it’s free! Diluted squash or juice is fine and
milk shakes or milky hot chocolate are a good way for you to get your calcium. Tea and coffee These
contain caffeine, which, in large amounts, can damage your baby or cause a miscarriage. Limit yourself
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to 1-2 mugs of coffee and 2 mugs of tea a day - or less if you can. You may like to try fruity or herbal
teas for a change, which are caffeine-free.
Cola and high energy drinks
These are especially high in caffeine – even diet cola. Limit yourself to just 2 cans a day – or cut them
out altogether if you can.
Alcohol
Drinking alcoholic drinks when you are pregnant may affect the health of your baby. Drink no more
than 1 or 2 units of alcohol, just once or twice a week. One unit usually means the smallest measure
you can buy in a pub - for example - 1 small glass of wine, ½ pint of beer, lager or cider, or one shot of
spirit like vodka.
Not feeling great? A lot of pregnant women say they feel very tired and slightly ‘off colour’,
especially in the first few weeks and months. If you feel sick or are suffering with constipation or
indigestion, ask your midwife or doctor for advice.
This information has been produced for SNDRí by Registered Dietitians and other relevant health
professionals. At the time of publication the information contained within the leaflet was, to the best of
our knowledge, correct and up-to-date. Always consult a suitably qualified dietitian and/or your GP on
health problems. SNDRí cannot be held responsible for how clients/patients interpret and use the
information within this resource.
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