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Essential Nutrition

During pregnancy your body needs different nutrients, vitamins and minerals than it would usually require. The following information will help you to identify where your diet could be changed so that you get the correct intake of essential nutrients that will benefit the development of your baby and your own health.

Calcium

Your baby needs calcium to develop strong healthy bones and teeth, particularly during the last 3 months of pregnancy. You will need to have a higher intake of calcium to prevent a loss occurring from your bones. Your baby will take its calcium requirement before you take yours.

If you are prone to suffering leg cramps during your pregnancy this may indicate that you are lacking in essential calcium. It may require just an increase in your milk intake, but you should consult with your doctor as it may be related to another health problem.

Your daily requirement for calcium is around 1200mg. Here are some foods that will help you fulfil your daily intake.

• 3 cups of milk will provide you with ¾ of your daily requirement.
• Dairy products (low fat is best).
• Wholegrain cereals.
• Legumes.
• Beans.
• Eggs.
• Fruit and vegetables.

Folate

It has been discovered that by increasing your intake of folate, or folic acid, for at least a month before conception, and for the first three months of pregnancy, the incidence of neural tube defects is reduced.

It is unlikely that you can get folate from your food in high enough quantities to prevent these defects from occurring. It is recommended that you take a supplement to meet your requirements (500mg per day).

In addition to your supplement you can try to eat foods rich in folate. These include:

• Green leafy vegetables.
• Wholegrain breads and cereals.
• Peas and dried beans.

You should note that folic acid is lost during storage and cooking. Raw salad or lightly cooked vegetables are recommended.

Fibre

It is recommended that during pregnancy you should increase the amount of fibre in your diet. Fibre is the term used to describe the part of food that is not digested and passes through your system and helps to produce soft, bulky stools. Constipation is a common complaint in pregnancy and by increasing your fibre you can help prevent this.

Increased fibre in your diet has many health benefits other than preventing constipation. Fibre is found in:

• Whole grain cereals and breads.
• Vegetables and fruit.
• Legumes.
• Bran.

Iron

During pregnancy your blood volume increases dramatically and your baby’s own circulatory system is developing. Iron is essential for supporting this increase in blood volume for yourself and your baby.

The daily recommended intake for iron during pregnancy is around 25-36mg.

In general iron found in animal products is more easily absorbed than that found in plants. You can increase your absorption of iron from plants by combining it with protein or vitamin C. For example, drink a glass of orange juice with your meal.

Protein

During pregnancy your daily requirement for protein increases by approximately 15%. This means you should be eating between 55gm and 85grams of protein depending on your body mass.

The protein you eat is essential for the development of your baby and to the development of your breast tissue in preparation for breastfeeding.

If you eat little or no meat you will need to greatly increase your intake of other foods rich in protein. These include:

• Chick peas.
• Beans.
• Peas.
• Soy products.

Drinking 3 cups of milk (low fat is best) will deliver you with about half of your daily protein requirements.

Water

Your intake of 6-8 cups of water is essential to your health during pregnancy. Dehydration can cause problems for the health of your developing baby.

For more information visit the Nutrition Australia website.