What to eat during your pregnancy
placeholding invisible text
placeholding invisible text
Worried about what you should and shouldn't eat when you're pregnant? Read on for our guide to eating when you're pregnant
First Trimester
Weeks 1-4
Folic acid is essential during this period, and ideally should be taken for six weeks before you conceive. In the first 28 days of pregnancy, there's lots of cell division in the embryo, and neural tubes are developing.
Folic acid reduces the risks of spina bifida, birth defects, miscarriage and low birth weight. You should take a supplement of at least 400mcg daily throughout your pregnancy, as it's difficult to get enough from food alone.
During these early days, the inner-layer cells of the embryo will become your baby, and the outer layer of cells the placenta. Research shows that the growth of the placenta is directly linked with the mum's food intake and that a healthy, well-nourished woman builds a better placenta.
The placenta is the nutrition highway between you and your baby, so ensure your diet is packed with nutrient-dense fresh and unprocessed foods.
If you haven't already, now is the time to cut out all the nutrient-zappers such as alcohol, cigarettes and caffeine, as toxins from these can pass through the placenta to your baby.
Where next?
- Weight gain in pregnancy: what's normal?
- Try our Superfood pregnancy diet
- What should I avoid when pregnant? Read our checklist
- Should you drink when pregnant? Read our expert's advice
- Want advice from other mums? Talk about it in Chat
By Victoria Greaves
Average rating:
Where to next?
-
£190 Health in Pregnancy Grant
-
Avoiding heartburn in pregnancy
-
Behind your pregnancy cravings
-
Constipation in pregnancy
-
Dealing with food cravings
-
Eating fish while pregnant
-
Food and pregnancy: fact or fiction?
-
Foods to avoid during pregnancy
-
Get fit after giving birth
-
Junk food warning for pregnant mums
-
Pregnancy superfoods
-
Preventing baby allergies
Caitlin Cass, about 1 year
Im 20 years old and just found out that i am pregnant. My husband and i are very excited but i still need more help preparing my body for the baby. I have had a hard time trying to find the specific foods i need to eat and whats good and whats not good to do during pregnancy. if anyone could help me with this, it would be greatly appreciated.
Report this comment