Eating well during pregnancy doesn't mean following a perfect diet or eating for two. It's about enjoying a varied range of foods that provide the energy, vitamins and minerals you and your developing baby need.
Most vitamins and minerals can come from a healthy, balanced diet. There are, however, some important exceptions during pregnancy — particularly folic acid and vitamin D, which are specifically recommended as supplements.
Here are some of the nutrients worth knowing about, together with simple ways to include them in everyday meals.
Folate and Folic Acid
Folate is the naturally occurring form of vitamin B9 found in foods including green leafy vegetables, beans, peas and lentils.
Folic acid is particularly important during the earliest stages of pregnancy because it helps reduce the risk of neural tube defects, such as spina bifida.
The NHS recommends taking 400 micrograms of folic acid every day when trying to conceive — ideally beginning three months beforehand — and throughout the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
Some people need a higher prescribed dose of 5mg because of their individual circumstances, so follow the advice of your GP or midwife.
Food sources of folate are still valuable, but they don't replace the recommended folic acid supplement.
Simple meal ideas: spinach and chickpea salad; lentil and vegetable soup; or a black bean and avocado wholegrain wrap.
Calcium
Calcium is important for healthy bones and teeth.
Milk, cheese and yoghurt are useful sources, while those who don't eat dairy can choose alternatives such as unsweetened calcium-fortified soya drinks and yoghurts.
Remember that some cheeses need to be avoided or prepared differently during pregnancy, so follow current pregnancy food-safety guidance.
Simple meal ideas: yoghurt with fruit and oats; calcium-fortified yoghurt alternative with berries; or broccoli alongside a balanced main meal.
Iron
Iron is needed to make red blood cells, which carry oxygen around your body.
Your iron levels should be checked during routine pregnancy blood tests. If they're low, your GP or midwife may recommend an iron supplement.
Food sources include lean meat, beans, lentils, pulses, nuts, wholegrains and green leafy vegetables.
Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron from plant-based foods, so combining the two can be useful.
Simple meal ideas: lentil and vegetable curry; chickpea and pepper salad; or lean beef with thoroughly cooked vegetables.
Omega-3 and Fish
Fish can provide protein, vitamins and minerals, while oily fish such as salmon, sardines, trout, mackerel and herring also provides long-chain omega-3 fatty acids.
The NHS recommends trying to eat two portions of fish a week during pregnancy, including one portion of oily fish.
There are important limits, however. You should have no more than two portions of oily fish a week during pregnancy, and certain fish should be avoided altogether.
Shark, swordfish and marlin should be avoided during pregnancy, and there are separate recommendations concerning tuna.
Simple meal ideas: baked salmon with vegetables and potatoes; sardines on wholegrain toast; or salmon with broccoli and brown rice.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D helps regulate calcium and phosphate and is important for healthy bones, teeth and muscles. It also contributes to your baby's bone and tooth development.
Although vitamin D occurs in some foods, including oily fish, eggs and some fortified foods, it can be difficult to obtain enough from food alone.
The NHS recommends that pregnant women take 10 micrograms of vitamin D each day between early October and late March. Some people are advised to take it throughout the year, depending on factors such as skin tone and sun exposure.
Speak to your midwife or GP if you're unsure what applies to you.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C helps protect cells and supports healthy skin, blood vessels, bones and cartilage. It also helps with wound healing and improves the body's absorption of iron.
Good sources include oranges and other citrus fruits, peppers, strawberries, blackcurrants, broccoli and Brussels sprouts.
Most people can obtain the vitamin C they need through a varied diet rather than supplements.
Simple meal ideas: strawberries with yoghurt; peppers and hummus; broccoli alongside your evening meal; or fresh fruit as a snack.
You can read more in our Vitamin C During Pregnancy and Postpartum guide.
Fibre
Fibre contributes to healthy digestion, and eating plenty of fibre alongside sufficient fluids can help with constipation, which is common during pregnancy.
Wholegrain bread and cereals, oats, beans, lentils, fruit and vegetables are useful sources.
Simple meal ideas: porridge topped with fruit and nuts; wholegrain pasta with vegetables and beans; or apple with nut butter.
Protein
Protein provides building blocks needed for growth and repair and should form part of your everyday pregnancy diet.
Sources include beans, pulses, fish, eggs, lean meat, poultry and nuts.
If eating eggs, British Lion hen eggs and eggs produced under the Laid in Britain scheme are considered safe to eat raw or partially cooked during pregnancy. Other hen eggs should be thoroughly cooked, as should duck, goose and quail eggs.
Simple meal ideas: eggs on wholegrain toast; bean and vegetable chilli; chicken with brown rice and vegetables; or yoghurt with nuts and fruit.
Fruit and Vegetables
Rather than concentrating too heavily on individual vitamins, one of the simplest things you can do is eat a good variety of fruit and vegetables.
The NHS recommends aiming for at least five portions each day. Fresh, frozen, canned and dried varieties can all contribute.
Different colours and varieties provide different combinations of nutrients, so variety is more important than chasing particular pregnancy “superfoods”.
Pregnancy Supplements: What Do You Actually Need?
A balanced diet should provide most of the nutrients you need, but pregnancy is one occasion when specific supplementation is recommended.
The two particularly important supplements are folic acid and vitamin D.
Iron supplementation may be recommended if your blood tests show that your iron levels are low.
One supplement to be particularly careful about is vitamin A in the form of retinol. The NHS advises pregnant women not to take cod liver oil or supplements containing vitamin A (retinol), because too much can harm a baby's development.
Always check the label of supplements and pregnancy multivitamins.
If you're uncertain about what you're taking — particularly if you're combining several supplements — ask your midwife, GP or pharmacist.
Eating Well Without Trying to Eat Perfectly
Pregnancy nutrition can sometimes feel like an endless collection of things you should eat, shouldn't eat and ought to be doing better.
It doesn't need to be.
You don't need every nutrient at every meal, and you don't need expensive “superfoods”. Aim for balance across your day and week: fruit and vegetables, higher-fibre carbohydrates, sources of protein, dairy or fortified alternatives, and appropriately chosen fish.
Pregnancy can also bring nausea, food aversions, cravings and changes in appetite. Some days will inevitably be easier than others.
If you're struggling to eat, have a restricted diet or are concerned about whether you're getting enough of a particular nutrient, speak to your midwife, GP or dietitian for individual advice.
The goal isn't dietary perfection.
It's giving yourself and your developing baby a varied, nourishing diet while following the supplement and food-safety guidance appropriate to pregnancy.