Pregnancy Diet

When pregnant you need to eat well - both in nutrition and volume. As a basic guideline, the following extra nutrients are advised:

• Extra Protein
  Lean meat, poultry, legumes, fish, low-fat dairy.
• Extra vitamin B1
  Peanuts, whole grains, yeast extract, sunflower seeds.
• Extra vitamin B2
  Yeast extract, some dairy.
• Extra folic acid (or folate)
  Sweetcorn, broccoli, asparagus, yeast extract, legumes .
• Extra vitamin C
  Fresh fruit - particularly citrus, kiwi, berries, capsicums.
• Extra calcium
  Dairy, fish, leafy greens, soy products.
• Extra iron (during last 6 months of pregnancy)
  Dark-green leafy vegetables, red and other meats, legumes, whole grains.

How Much is Too Much? - Pregnancy Weight Gain

There is plenty of advice telling you you need to eat more - but just how much more? This depends on your own starting weight, and is difficult to assess without getting a diet profile.

To get an idea of daily calorie needs during pregnancy - see the Pregnancy Calorie Needs Calculator.

Pregnancy Weight Gain Support

The amount of weight gain during pregnancy depends on your starting weight. Ongoing fitness and exercise also to help keep you at a healthy weight for you and your baby.

The BabyFit program covers this as well.

Frequently Asked Questions

Diet during pregnancy poses many questions. Here are a list of questions that are addressed by the BabyFit program.

• What exercises can I do in the first trimester?
• What should I ask my doctor?
• What should I weigh?
• Can I keep running?
• Is a vegetarian diet OK?
• What if I was on Atkins?
• How much caffeine can I drink? Note: See the Energy Fiend site for a huge list of caffeine in drinks.
• What are some cures for morning sickness?
• Are deli meats OK?
• Is my prenatal vitamin enough?
• Can I drink herbal tea?
• Am I getting enough folic acid?
• Is a glass of wine OK?
• What are good snack ideas?
• Can I take aspirin?
• Do I need a calcium supplement?
• Are sit ups OK?
• What's good for aching legs?
• how can I deal with heartburn?
• How can I strengthen my back?

Morning Sickness and Food Cravings

Low-fat food, that is bland in flavor can aid in alleviating sickness during early pregnancy:

• Small slice of wholemeal bread.
• Slice of fruit loaf.
• Dark rye crispbreads with yeast extract.
• Wheatmeal biscuit spread with jam.