A healthy and balanced diet is really important during your pregnancy, or when you are trying for a baby. There are many benefits to eating well for you and your growing baby, which also includes looking at foods that are best avoided in pregnancy. You can find a list of foods to avoid in pregnancy here on the NHS website.

 

You don’t need to start a special diet when you are pregnant but eating a balanced diet that includes plenty of fruit and vegetables helps to provide the nutrients and vitamins that you and your baby need.

If you eat meat, make sure that it is well cooked and that there is no pink juices running from them, do avoid liver and pate in pregnancy.

Eggs seem to cause some confusion in pregnancy! You should avoid eating raw eggs or partially cooked eggs in pregnancy; this is due to the risk of salmonella. However, if the eggs have the red lion stamp on them and are produced under the Red Lion Code of Practice, the eggs from these Hens have received a vaccine against salmonella, therefore you should be able to eat these eggs raw or partially cooked.

Next is mayonnaise! Pasteurized mayonnaise from a shop or supermarket is ok, the concern over fresh mayonnaise is again about whether the eggs have come from hens that have received the vaccinations. So, if you are eating out, its best to check.

Here is a quick Christmas checklist of some top questions!

 

Eggs – ok if Red Lion Stamped

Pate – no go this time! None of the varieties not even vegetable.

Nuts – good! (not that you would or should eat them with and allergy but thought we’d mention it!)

Turkey – all good if cooked well.

Pulses – it’s a yes!

Fish – yes, twice weekly but not shark, marlin or swordfish

Tuna – is not counted as oily fish but do limit it to 2 times a week

Smoked salmon – it’s a yes! Smoked salmon and trout is considered safe to eat.

Prawns – cold pre-cooked are another yes J others shellfish should be cooked.

Cheese – lots to say here! All pasteurized is fine and hard cheeses,  no white rind cheese UNLESS it is cooked. Cooking kills the listeria in the rind.

This cheese list is considered ok  –

  • mozzarella
  • feta
  • cottage cheese or cream cheese
  • paneer
  • halloumi
  • ricotta
  • goats’ cheese
  • processed cheeses, such as cheese spreads

Cold cured meats – some are ok, best to avoid most. However cooked peperoni is fine – pizza on Boxing Day then! (with a lovely washed salad J )

Sugary foods – as always, pregnant or not, best limited and replaced with fruit or other snacks, like humus and pitta bread perhaps….

You can find out more information about preparing food safely on the NHS link above.

If you are trying for a baby or in the first 12 weeks of your pregnancy, the Real Birth Studio has a NEW Early Pregnancy Class starting in the New Year, here you can chat to health professionals and find out more about all these things plus lots lots more, including exercise, emotional changes, the changes to your body in early pregnancy and your growing baby.

Look forward to seeing you in 2019!