Controlling your pregnancy diet

We know that as mums-to-be we need to eat well, but it isn't always that easy...

Posted: 4 August 2009
by Maria Muennich

Most pregnant women are aware that a good diet is important for both their developing baby's health and their own health and vitality during pregnancy. But what with nausea, tiredness, aches and pains and simply a busy lifestyle, eating well can often be easier said than done for mums-to-be, so what can you do to make it easier to get the right foods?

Rope in your partner - If your partner doesn't eat very healthily it can take far more effort for you to do so. Try explaining to him early on why you need to eat healthily during pregnancy and ask him to help by joining you on the healthy eating trail and buying and preparing healthy foods when it's his turn. If you've got a really hopeless case on your hands you may have to provide more specific instructions!
Start the day off well - Getting your nutrition off to a positive start in the morning can really help how you feel during the day and lessen the chance that you'll start craving junk food later on. Try and vary what you eat each morning, yogurt with fruit one day, muesli another, wholemeal toast the next, and so on. If you find you need a carbohydrate fix in the morning to avoid nausea, then go for wholegrain breads or oat biscuits and try not to eat too much white bread, as it's very low in the nutrition stakes.
Get on top of your morning sickness - If you're one of the 70% of mums-to-be who suffer morning sickness to some degree, you may find that it's hampering your ability to eat a healthy diet. In some cases, where you're prone to actual vomiting, it may be all that you can do to find some foods that you can keep down, but in many cases you may be able to take steps to cope with your morning sickness that leave you in a better position to think about nutrition. Frequent snacking to keep your energy levels up, using ginger, lemon and/or peppermint may all help, and there are plenty of other ideas here for dealing with morning sickness.
Get snacking - Snacking may not be favoured by your dentist, but it's actually quite important during pregnancy to keep your energy levels up, as your body is doing a lot of work even when it looks like you're just sitting in a chair. The key is to snack before your body starts to tell you that it needs fuelling up, usually when you feel very tired, dizzy and/or nauseous. If you leave it too long you'll probably feel like reaching for the fatty, salty or sugary snacks and less keen on healthy options.
Stock up on healthy snacks - There are snacks and snacks, obviously, and while every pregnant lady deserves a treat now and then, you'll best shore up your energy levels and get a nutritional boost from snacks such as fruits, nuts and seeds. Go for unsalted mixes that are heavier on nuts like brazils, almonds, hazlenuts and pistachios and have fewer peanuts. You can buy or mix your own trail mix with dried fruits, nuts and a variety of seeds and if you're feeling up to it you could even bake your own healthy muffins or muesli bars. If you want a chocolate treat then opt for something that's at least 60% cocoa. Ginger and liquorice can both help with nausea, though they're not everyone's cup of tea. Find out more about healthy snacks here.
Use your freezer - Of course the fresher the food you eat, the better. But there will probably be times when you are simply too tired, or too nauseous to start peeling and chopping vegetables, so it's a good idea to stock up your freezer with some minimum-effort healthy foods, like vegetable mixes and fish filets that you can chuck into the steamer or microwave when you don't have the energy to cook. Frozen fruit and berry mixes are also good ones to have on hand for when you've nothing fresh in, or you want a fruit salad without the faff.
When you do have the energy and time to cook, try cooking double lots and sticking some in the freezer so you always have something quick and healthy to hand when you're in a fix.
Shop right - If you can, try and avoid shopping when you're hungry (and always have some of those healthy snacks to hand, just in case) which is when you're more likely to drift into the biscuit aisle. Prepare your list at home before hand and try to stick with it, while always opting for the groceries and veg which look the most fresh. Go for as much fresh and unadulterated food as you can, and steer clear of processed foods and anything with additives and lots of sugar and salt. You can save time label-browsing if you know what policy your supermarket has on things like additives in its own label produce - you might also want to consider buying organic. Bear in mind though, that organic processed foods aren't necessarily a particularly healthy option, they still may contain lots of salt, sugar and fat.
Stock up on caffeine and alcohol alternatives - If you're someone who usually drinks her fair share of caffeine or coffee wake-up call and cutting out the booze needn't be as hard as you might think. One ThinkBaby firm favourite for a special-occasion drink is Amé, a lightly sparkling fruit juice, herbal and mineral water drink which comes in wine-mimicking red, white, dry and rosé versions and has no added sugar. There are also a wide variety of herb teas, some of which may also help with morning sickness and offer a more interesting alternative to plain water.
Write down what you eat - If you're really struggling to eat well, or you have a sneaking suspicion that you could be doing better, then try writing down exactly what you're eating each day for several days. Pick out what's unhealthy and choose a healthier alternative that you can then make a conscious effort to replace that food with next time - sometimes seeing what you're eating in black and white can help you give the kick you need to change your habits.

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