What should I eat during pregnancy?
Having a healthy well balanced diet during pregnancy is important not only to meet the needs of your baby but also to meet your nutritional needs and to ensure you have appropriate weight gain during your pregnancy.
Important foods to include in your diet include a variety of fruits and vegetables of different types and colours, wholegrain cereals and breads, foods high in iron such as lean red meat or tofu, drinking milk, eating hard cheese and yoghurt and drinking plenty of water each day.
For more information visit www.eatforhealth.gov.au
Did you know there are foods you should also avoid during pregnancy to help prevent food poisoning and listeriosis? Foods which may contain listeria bacteria include soft cheeses, sandwich meats, bean sprouts, pre-prepared salads and pate. Raw eggs may contain salmonella and should be avoided.
What about alcohol in pregnancy? Current recommendations are that pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid alcohol completely. Research can not establish what a safe level of alcohol is during these times.
During your pregnancy you will be thinking about what the optimal nutrition for your baby is? Breastfeeding gives your baby a great start. Breastmilk is unique and provides all the nutrition your baby requires exclusively for around 6 months, and then continues to be a valuable source of nutrition after solid foods are introduced. Breastfeeding protects babies against infection, obesity and other chronic diseases such as diabetes later in life. For more information visit www.breastfeeding.asn.au andwww.raisingchildren.net.au
Support with nutrition during pregnancy and feeding your baby is available from the midwives at Coast Life Midwifery.