Pregnancy & Postpartum Nutrition
Your nutrition needs change during pregnancy and some weight gain is a healthy sign that everything is progressing as it should. Knowing the right foods to eat – and the right amounts – can be tricky for pregnant women. After all, your body is going through a lot and you may have morning sickness and pregnancy cravings to deal with! We caught up with Dr Crionna Tobin, a top performance nutritionist who shared her top 5 insights
✔️Don’t panic-DAILY! If you have never focused on your diet before this don’t panic, just make whatever easy changes you can make. Some days you will be on tip top form & tick all the boxes & other days you will want to crawl under the pillow - this is all normal & once you have general consistency with your nutrition you & your baba will thrive. Focus on a healthy diet full of wholegrain carbs, fruit, vegetables, red meat, poultry, fish (oily), dairy, eggs, beans, lentils, olive oil, avocados, nuts & seeds.
✔️If you are suffering from morning sickness & the thought of any type of food or drink turns your stomach, eat what you can when you can. The baby’s development will not suffer as they will feed from your nutrient stores so concentrate on eating whatever makes you feel better. Stay hydrated & take a multivitamin to cover all your basic nutrient needs.
✔️While concentrating on nourishing your body during pregnancy, avoid the following;
❌ Soft Blue Cheese -The mould in these cheeses can contain listeria, a bacteria which can be harmful to the foetus
❌ Pate- can also contain listeria
❌ Swordfish, Marlin, Shark- as they contain high levels of mercury, which may be harmful to your bump
✔️Supplement with 400mcg folic acid, 400-1000IU Vitamin D, 150mcg iodine & an omega 3 supplement higher in EPA (300mg) during pregnancy
✔️ Everyone’s weight gain is different during pregnancy, however, a healthy weight gain is approximately 0.5- 3kg (1-7lbs) in the first trimester & 0.5kg (1lb) every week in the 2nd & 3rd trimester. However, please try not to focus on your weight during pregnancy as this is a time when weight gain is needed to nourish & grow the human being you are creating inside your wonderful body. Be mindful, be consistent with eating healthy and increase your calories to include an extra snack during the second trimester & a small meal during the 3rd trimester. Enjoy the occasional treat & focus on NOURISHMENT