Healthy diet during pregnancy
9-minute read
Key facts
- A balanced diet will support you and the needs of your baby as they grow.
- There are certain foods, such as cold meats, which may carry bacteria which can affect the health of your baby.
- Nutrients, such as folate, support the health of your growing baby and should be taken during pregnancy.
- It's normal to gain weight during pregnancy, but it is important to remain in a healthy weight range.
What nutrients do I need when planning pregnancy?
There are a few nutrients that are important before and during your pregnancy:
- folate has been shown to protect against neural problems in your baby
- iodine is key to the brain growth of your baby
- zinc supports the immune system of you and your baby
- iron is important to support blood flow
- vitamin D is needed for bone health
If you're planning to be become pregnant, talk with your doctor or midwife about which nutrients are important for you.
It's recommended that you start prenatal supplements 3 months before you start trying to fall pregnant.
What is a 'balanced diet'?
It's key to have a balanced diet during pregnancy and breastfeeding. During this time, what you eat supplies your baby with the nutrients they need.
A healthy, balanced diet has a wide variety of foods from the 5 food groups:
- wholegrains and cereals
- vegetables and beans
- lean meats, fish, eggs, tofu and nuts
- fruit
- dairy foods such as milk and yoghurt
Some foods that make up a balanced diet, are not safe to eat during pregnancy.
If your family or culture have a specific pregnancy diet, there are ways to make sure you are getting enough nutrients.
Ask your doctor if a supplement might be suitable for you.
What are the recommended servings during pregnancy?
During pregnancy, you will need more serves from the 5 food groups.
The 'serving size' doesn't always change, instead you should have a bigger variety of food and more serves per day. This will allow you to meet the needs of you and your baby.
| Food group | Serves per day |
|---|---|
| Vegetables and beans | 5 |
| Fruit | 2 |
| Grains and cereals, mostly wholegrain and/or high fibre cereal | 8 |
| Lean meat/fish/chicken/eggs/tofu/nuts | 3.5 |
| Milk/dairy foods | 3.5 |
Are there any foods that I should avoid during pregnancy?
There are some foods which need to be avoided during pregnancy, as they can carry bacteria such as listeria.
Eating food that has bacteria can cause serious complications for your baby.
Foods that can contain listeria include:
- cold meats
- chilled seafood
- soft cheeses
- packaged fruit or vegetable salad
- rockmelon
- raw milk
It's also important to check 'use-by' dates and to make sure that food has been stored correctly. If you are not sure about the safety of a food, the best choice is to not eat it.
Some types of fish have high levels of mercury, which can cause harm to your baby. It is important to check the serving size of fish when pregnant, to make sure you don't eat too much.
Fish that contains high levels of mercury include:
- shark (flake)
- marlin
- swordfish
If you think you have eaten something you shouldn't have, contact your doctor or midwife straight away.
What foods should I limit during pregnancy?
It's recommended that you limit processed foods during pregnancy. Although these foods taste good and are often convenient, they aren't part of a balanced diet.
Foods you should limit include:
- high fat foods such as butter and cream
- foods with added salt such as chips and crackers
- sugar sweetened drinks such as soft drinks or cordial
What about pregnancy cravings?
Food cravings during pregnancy are very normal, and about 9 out of every 10 people will have some cravings while they're pregnant.
Pregnancy can cause changes in your sense of taste, which changes the foods you think are appealing. Cravings can also be related to the stress of pregnancy, which can cause you to crave certain food.
You may also no longer enjoy a certain food (food aversion). This can happen due to hormone changes.
Do I need to prepare and cook food differently when I'm pregnant?
It's important to be careful when preparing food during pregnancy. Food poisoning is generally caused when bacteria grows in food. Food poisoning can be very harmful to your baby.
When preparing food, you should always:
- defrost frozen meat, especially poultry, in the fridge or microwave
- use different cutting boards for vegetables and meat
- wash benches and tools with hot, soapy water
- cook food well and avoid raw meats
- reheat foods to at least 75°C
- do not leave cooked food at room temperature more than 2 hours
What can I drink during pregnancy?
The safest drinks during pregnancy are water and milk.
You should avoid drinking alcohol if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy. Even small amounts can harm a baby's growth and may cause fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).
Small amounts of low sugar soft drinks, juice or mineral water are also fine to drink.
Small amounts of caffeine in tea and coffee are safe. During pregnancy and when breastfeeding, you should not drink more than 200mg a day of caffeine.
The rough amounts of caffeine found in drinks are:
- 1 cup of instant coffee — 60mg
- 1 shot of espresso coffee — 100mg
- 1 cup of tea — 30mg
- 375ml can of cola — 49mg
- 250ml can of energy drink — 80mg
Is it normal to gain weight during pregnancy?
It's normal to gain weight during pregnancy. The right amount of weight gain will depend on whether you were at a healthy weight before pregnancy.
Gaining too much weight increases the risk for you and your baby.
Using Body Mass Index (BMI) is a good guide for how much weight gain is healthy during pregnancy.
Resources and support
Speak with your maternity care provider. If necessary, they can refer you to a dietitian who specialises in pregnancy eating support.
Speak to a maternal child health nurse
Call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby to speak to a maternal child health nurse on 1800 882 436 or video call. Available 7am to midnight (AET), 7 days a week.