Take extra precautions with food in pregnancy 🤰 to help ensure you and your 👶 baby stay healthy. Here’s our guide on which foods to avoid, which to take extra care with and which foods are okay when you’re eating for two 😍.
First Trimister: Eat foods high in folic acid, such as leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits, avocados, bananas, fortified grains, beans and rice.
Second Trimester: During this time, a balanced diet containing elements from the four food groups is generally all you’ll need to maintain your baby’s healthy growth. The groups are fruit and vegetables, bread and cereals, dairy, and lean meats and legumes. Constipation could be an issue throughout your pregnancy, so make sure you drink plenty of water and include plenty of fibre in your diet to keep things moving along.
Third Trimester: In this trimester, the most important nutrient (and one pregnant women are most commonly deficient in) is iron. Red meat is the best source but most animal meat, including fish, contains iron, as do eggs. Vegetarians and vegans should ensure they manage their iron requirements carefully; again, supplements can help. Eating foods high in vitamin C helps iron absorption, so try some tomatoes with your steak!
WHAT'S OFF-LIMITS...
To help avoid food poisoning, health professionals recommend don’t eat the following:
👉Hummus and other dips containing tahini. Instead, make your own, omitting the tahini or replacing it with ground or whole sesame seeds. Eat it within a couple of days.
👉Raw or smoked seafood, such as sushi, smoked salmon, marinated mussels, and oysters.
👉Prepared foods, such as store-bought sandwiches, where you can’t be certain of product age, storage conditions or the preparer’s food handling practices.
👉Processed meats like ham, pâté, salami and luncheon.
👉Cold cooked or smoked chicken.
👉Chilled ready-to-eat foods, for example from a supermarket deli or restaurant buffet, such as coleslaw, salads and sliced meat, unless heated until piping hot.
👉Soft and semi-soft pasteurised cheese, such as brie, camembert, feta, blue, mozzarella and ricotta.
👉Raw milk, raw milk cheeses and raw milk yoghurts.
Soft serve ice cream.
👉Raw eggs, for example in smoothies, mayonnaise or desserts like mousse.
👉Cream or custard (eg in pre-made cakes or pastries). Newly opened or home-made and fresh is fine.
