Eat your way to a healthy baby
When you're pregnant what you eat the baby eats and a healthy diet can have lifelong benefits for the unborn child.
Research has found that women who are short of nutrients when pregnant are more likely to produce underweight babies. And low-weight babies are more prone to developing diabetes and heart disease in later life.
The old idea of eating for two is now known to be a myth, but pregnant women do need to stock up on extra calories. An extra four hundred calories are advised – the equivalent of two pieces of toast.
Health experts advise that pregnant women eat a healthy and balanced diet consisting of a variety of food groups, but you should also make sure you get your fill of the following:
Folic acid
Women are advised to take folic acid supplements while trying to get pregnant and during the first three months of their pregnancy. During the first three months it is necessary for the creation of the baby’s nervous system. Folic acid can help prevent neural tube defects such as spina bifida, and other congenital malformations such as cleft palate or cleft lip. Folic acid is also widely found in many foods such as orange juice, lentils, Brussel sprouts, spinach, broccoli and baked beans.
Folic acid can also influence conditions such as pre-eclampsia. Researchers at the University of Bergen in Norway and the University of Washington found a link with low levels of folic acid and the production of homocysteine which can bring on pre-eclampsia – a cause of premature childbirth.
Iron
Throughout the pregnancy more iron is needed to produce all the blood required to supply nutrients to the placenta. To avoid anaemia women should eat plenty of spinach and broccoli, strawberries, muesli and wholemeal bread. Eating these foods with a glass of orange juice is a good idea, as vitamin C helps the body absorb the iron.
Vitamin D
The body needs more of many other nutrients while pregnant. Vitamin D helps the body absorb and process calcium, needed for strong bones and teeth.
Choline
Choline is an essential nutrient used in the construction of two major centres of memory and learning in the brain. It is a member of the B group of vitamins, and is found in egg yolk, beef and dairy products. In order for these areas of the brain to develop fully, 450 milligrams of the nutrients of choline are required every day, less than that can cause permanent harm to foetal brain chemistry and development.
DHA
DHA, an Omega 3 fatty acid, is vital for the development of the baby’s eyes and brain, especially during the last three months of pregnancy. In late pregnancy the placenta extracts it from the mother’s own blood. Low levels of DHA have been linked to conditions such as dyslexia, ADHD and autism. When researchers at the University of Dundee monitored 340 babies they found that babies who had received higher levels of DHA from their mothers during pregnancy had better eyesight than those who didn’t. Salmon, trout, herring, mackerel, and fresh tuna are all good sources.