Eat a healthy balanced diet

Aim to eat a 'healthy diet' (which everyone should be eating!) Briefly, the bulk of most meals should be starch-based foods (such as bread, cereals, potatoes, rice, and pasta), together with fruit and vegetables. Eat protein foods such as meat, fish, pulses, chicken, etc, in moderation.

Don't 'eat for two' and overeat when you become pregnant. Too much weight gain will increase your risk of developing problems later in the pregnancy. Also, the extra weight is difficult to lose after the birth. If you are already obese or overweight, ideally you should try to lose some weight before becoming pregnant to reduce the risk of pregnancy complications.

Include foods with plenty of iron, calcium and folic acid

A growing baby needs these nutrients right from the start of the pregnancy.

• Iron is mainly in red meat, pulses, dried fruit, bread, green vegetables and fortified cereals.
• Calcium is found mainly in dairy products such as milk, cheese, and yoghurt. (Low-fat milk, cheeses and yoghurts usually contain just as much calcium as the full-fat varieties.)
• Folic acid is mainly in green vegetables, brown rice, fortified bread and breakfast cereals.

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