In this article

Body weight and fertility and your partner… A balanced diet

Weight gain Nutrients for pregnancy

Foods to avoid Troubleshooting

Alcohol

Heavy drinking during pregnancy can harm an unborn child, and there's evidence that it's associated with birth defects and lower birth weight. Excess alcohol may also negatively affect the mother's nutritional status by affecting absorption of nutrients or reducing your appetite for other more nutritious foods.

Minimise your alcohol intake and consume no more than one to two units once or twice a week. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists says there's no evidence that a couple of units once or twice a week will harm a baby, but some women choose to give up alcohol altogether during pregnancy.

Caffeine

Caffeine, found in tea, coffee and many soft drinks, interferes with the body's absorption of iron and other nutrients. Current recommendations suggest that pregnant women should have no more than 300mg of caffeine per day, which is equivalent to four cups of coffee, six cups of tea, or eight cans of cola.

Peanuts

If you or your family (including the father's family) have a history of food allergy or other allergies such as hayfever or asthma, you may want to avoid peanuts before and during your pregnancy.

Morning sickness

Nausea and vomiting (especially in early pregnancy and not necessarily limited to the morning) affects about 70 per cent of pregnant women, and can range in severity from just feeling queasy to being unable to keep anything down. Only in around two per cent of women is the condition severe enough for medical intervention. However, check with your doctor or midwife if you're unable to keep anything down for sustained periods, as this can lead to dehydration.

There are things you can do to minimise the effects of pregnancy nausea:

• Have small meals more often - every one to two hours during the day. Base these on carbohydrate-rich foods such as bread or rolls, plain biscuits, crispbreads, oatcakes, pasta, rice or potatoes.
• Avoid fatty foods - these may be hard to digest and 'sit' heavily in your stomach.
• Take small sips of fizzy drinks - the bubbles in the drink can help alleviate the sickness.
• Stick to foods that don't take a lot of preparation.
• Keep a couple of biscuits beside your bed - it can help to nibble on a plain biscuit before you get up in the morning.
• Catch up on good days, making sure you have a variety of foods. Perhaps plan ahead and cook meals in advance to freeze.
• Try not to have too much black tea and coffee. Caffeine and tannins found in these drinks can aggravate nausea and vomiting. As an alternative, try ginger and lemon, peppermint or chamomile tea.

The good news is, morning sickness generally only lasts for the first three months.

Cravings and aversions

Food cravings and aversions are common during pregnancy. The causes aren't fully understood; changes in the gut, hormones and heightened sense of taste and smell have all been suggested. They're unlikely to have an adverse affect, provided the overall diet is nutritionally balanced. The most common aversions are to alcohol, caffeinated drinks, fatty foods and meat.

Heartburn and constipation

Indigestion, heartburn and intestinal discomfort are common, especially later in pregnancy when the baby displaces or squashes internal organs. Fortunately, they're usually temporary problems. Women tend to learn which foods to avoid to alleviate such problems. However, it may help to have smaller, more frequent meals, and to avoid lying down within one to two hours of eating. Some indigestion remedies available from pharmacies are suitable for pregnant women - but check with your pharmacist before you buy.

Constipation may be alleviated by consuming foods rich in fibre and starchy carbohydrates, as well as plenty of fluids. Fibre-rich foods include breakfast cereals, wholegrain bread and rolls, wholewheat pasta, brown rice, fruit and vegetables, nuts, seeds and pulses. It's important to keep your stools soft so they can pass easily and avoid the possibility of piles. Gentle exercise also helps to keep your gut moving.

Vegetarians and vegans

A well-planned vegetarian or vegan diet should be adequate to maintain the health of both mother and child during pregnancy. Pregnant women on vegan diets should seek the advice of a registered dietitian.

Coeliac and diabetes

If you're pregnant and have diabetes or coeliac disease, ask to be referred to a registered dietitian, who will make sure your diet is well balanced to provide all the nutrients required for a healthy pregnancy.

This article was last medically reviewed by the MRC Human Nutrition Research in July 2008.
First published in March 2001.