Eating well for a healthy pregnancy: A practical guide by Dr Helen Crawley pdf

With so much information available advising people what to eat, it can be
difficult to work out what eating well really means. This practical guide shows the sorts of foods, and amounts of foods, that will meet the nutritional needs of women in pregnancy and give the best start to the baby.

Why have we produced this guide?

The aim of this practical guide is to illustrate what a good diet looks like for women in pregnancy. The advice is suitable for all women.

Everyone wants the best for their baby and yet many people overlook the importance of eating the sorts of foods and drinks that mean both mum and baby will have a healthy pregnancy. It is well known that, without the right sorts of foods and nutrients, women may deliver babies who will not achieve their full potential in life.

We believe that eating well matters – but enjoyable and delicious food matters too. so this guide is all about easy, tasty meals and snacks that don’t break the bank and that women can fit into their day whatever their circumstances. The ideas in this guide have been put together by experts in food and nutrition and are based on government guidelines for healthy eating.

Having a good diet in pregnancy and entering parenthood with an understanding of the importance of eating well for their new family are essential for ensuring current and future health for all. Some women don’t eat enough different types of foods, and the foods they do choose tend to be high in fat, salt and sugar and low in the kinds of nutrients that are important for the baby’s growth and development. Some women may restrict their food intakes to stay slim, but choose A foods that don’t provide the important I nutrients they need in pregnancy. This practical guide is all about shifting the balance towards better food choices and making it dear what eating well really looks like – and how to do it both now and in the future.

Why does eating well in pregnancy matter?

There is a complex inter-generational relationship between the nutritional status of a mother and her newborn baby and the subsequent health and wellbeing of that child and the children they go on to have themselves. Evidence suggests that the root of many diseases of adulthood lies in the nutrient supply from conception through the first two crucial years. Everyone who has contact with women in pregnancy should be able to offer clear, consistent, evidence-based and practical advice on what a good diet looks like. Supporting women to take their food choices seriously, to spend their money wisely on food and to learn skills in food preparation has to be a priority if we are to reverse current trends in poor nutritional health and tackle health inequalities.

Contents

About this guide  Eating well for a healthy pregnancy: A practical guide pdf

PART 1 Advice on eating well in pregnancy

• Why does eating well in pregnancy matter?
• Talking to women about eating well in pregnancy
• Eating well in pregnancy – the most important points
• Which important nutrients do women need in pregnancy, and why?
• Important vitamins that all pregnant women should take as a supplement
• Which vitamin supplements are suitable for pregnant women?
• General eating well advice
• Cutting down on saturated fat, sugar and salt
• Weight and activity
• Looking after bones and teeth – for both baby and mum
• Top tips for meal planning in pregnancy
• Foods and drinks to limit or avoid during pregnancy
• Managing food and eating during pregnancy
• Questions and answers
• Preparing to breastfeed

PART 2 Putting the eating well advice into practice

• How much do pregnant women need to eat?
• Example meals and snacks
• Flexible eating patterns
• Eating well on a budget
• Eating well for £4 a day
• Ideas for meals and snacks

Language: English
Format: PDF
Pages: 94