Diet and Weight: Myth
Busters
I am pregnant. Should I be eating for two?
It’s not true!
Am a zi n g l y, yo u r b a b y ta ke s e ve ryth i ng h e o r s he n e e ds fro m yo u r b o d y. U p u n ti l th e th i rd tri meste r (s ix
m o n th s i n to yo u r p re g nan cy) yo u r b a b y g ro w s w e ll w i tho ut a n y e xtra ca l o ries a t a l l . It i s m o re i mp ortan t
th a t yo u e n s u re yo u r d i et i s ri ch i n n u trien ts su ch a s i ro n, ca l cium a n d o the r vi ta min s a nd m in erals s o th a t
yo u r b o d y ca n p ro vi d e e n o ug h fo r th e b o th o f yo u .
I think I am several weeks pregnant. Is it too late to take folic acid?
Fo l i c a ci d i s i mp ortan t i n th e e a rl y w e e ks o f p re g na ncy to h e l p p re ve nt s pi na b ifi da . Wo me n a re
e n co u ra ged to ta ke 4 0 0mcg a d a y b e fo re th e y b e come p reg na nt a n d fo r th e fi rs t 1 2 w ee ks o f p re g na ncy.
Sta rt ta ki n g th e s u pp lemen ts d a ily fro m n o w u nti l yo u h a ve h a d yo u r s can a n d kn o w yo u a re b e yo n d 1 2
w e e ks . Yo u ca n ke e p ta ki ng i t th ro ug hou t th e p re gna ncy i f yo u w i s h b u t th e m ain b e nefi t to yo u r b a b y i s i n
th o s e ve ry e a rl y w e e ks.
What foods should I avoid in pregnancy?
Wh e n yo u a re p re g n an t yo u a re m ore vu l n erabl e to fo o d p o iso nin g. So me fo o d p o iso nin g b a cteria ca n
cro s s th e p l a ce nta a n d h a rm yo u r b a b y, s o ta ke e xtra ca re w ith fo o d h yg i e ne i n th e ki tch en . D o n't e a t fo o d
th a t i s p a s t i ts u se -by d a te , a n d m a ke s ure th a t yo u co o k a n d re hea t fo o ds th o rou ghl y.
To fi n d o u t w h a t fo o d to a vo i d i n p re gn an cy vi s i t o u r Fo o ds to a vo i d d u r in g p re gn ancy fa ct s h e et.
When I am out shopping or eating out I keep forgetting what to avoid
Try p ri n ti ng o u t o u r Fo od s to a vo i d fa ct s he et a n d p u tti ng i t i n yo u r p u rse fo r w h e n yo u ’ re o u t a n d a bo ut –
o r ke e p a l i s t a s a n o te o n yo u r m o bi le p ho ne . Ove r th e co u rse o f th e p re g na ncy yo u ’ l l p ro ba bl y s ta rt to
re m e mbe r th em.
How much weight will I gain when I’m pregnant?
Al l o f u s g a i n s ome w e i ght w h e n w e ’ re p reg na nt, e sp ecia lly a t th e e n d o f p re g n an cy, a n d e a ch o f u s i s
d i ffe re n t, th a t i s w h y d o cto rs fi nd i t h a rd to s a y h o w m uch w ei gh t g a in i s OK fo r e a ch p e rso n. Th e
i m p o rtan t th i ng i s to ke e p w e i ght g a i n to a s a fe a n d h e al thy l e ve l fo r yo u a n d yo u r b a b y. Th e w e i g ht yo u
p u t o n i n cl u d es yo u r b a by, th e p l a ce nta , a nd th e e xtra fl u i d i n yo u r b l o odstrea m, t h e w ate r a rou nd yo u r
b a b y, yo u r g ro w i n g b reasts, a n d so me e xtra fa t s to res to p ro te ct yo u r b a by.
I hate the thought of putting on weight. Can I do anything to stop it?
Eve ryo n e p u ts o n w e ig ht w h e n th e y’ re p re gn an t, a n d i t i s i mpo rtant th a t yo u d o fo r yo u r h e a l th a n d yo u r
b a b y's . Th i s i s d e fini tel y n o t th e ti m e fo r a cra s h d i et! R e memb er, m uch o f th e w e i gh t w i ll b e l o st w i th th e
b i rth o f yo u r b a b y a n d p l a ce nta . In stea d o f w o rryi n g a b ou t p u ttin g o n w e ig ht, fo cu s o n b e ing a s h e al thy a s
yo u p o s sib ly ca n , g e tti ng a b a l ance d a mo unt o f d i ffe re nt fo o ds. Th i s w i ll ke ep yo u fe e l ing w e ll a nd h e lp
p re ve n t to o m u ch w ei gh t g a in. It’ s a lso re al ly i m p ortan t to s ta y a cti ve d u rin g yo u r p re gn an cy, a s th i s w i ll
h e l p ke e p yo u r m uscles i n to n e .
I have always been on and off die ts. Can you recommend a safe diet for
pregnancy?
Eve n i f yo u a re o ve rw e i ght, th e a d vi ce i s to a vo i d g o in g o n a d i e t, u n less yo u h a ve b e e n p ut o n a cl o se ly
m o n i tore d w e ig ht m an ag emen t p rog ra mme b y yo u r d o cto r o r d i e ticia n. Try i n s te ad to i mp rove th e q u al ity
o f w h a t yo u e a t. L o o k a t h o w to i n co rpo ra te m ore fru its a n d ve g e ta bl es i n to yo u r d i e t a n d cu t b a ck o n h i gh
fa t a n d s u ga ry s n acks. Ea t p ro p er m eals a nd d o n o t b i nge o r u se l axa ti ve s.
I’m a vegetarian and pregnant - everyone's saying I should eat meat. Is this
true?
Yo u ca n h a ve a ve ry h e a l th y p re g n an cy w i th o ut e a ti ng me at. Bu t yo u d o n e e d to m a ke su re th a t yo u h a ve
e n o u g h p rote in (fro m fo o ds l i ke b e a ns, l e nti ls, to fu , q u orn, m i lk, ch ee se a n d yo g h u rt), a n d i ron (from
l e n ti l s, d ri ed a p rico ts, g re en l e afy ve g e ta b les).