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Eating well and doing moderate exercise during pregnancy is important for you and your baby.
Seek antenatal care as soon as you suspect you are pregnant.
Some pregnant women will have special nutritional needs. Ask your doctor or midwife to arrange for you to see a dietician.
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It is best to seek advice if you:
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are an adolescent (18 years or younger)
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have a medical condition affecting your eating, such as diabetes
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are having more than one baby, e.g. twins or triplets
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are a vegetarian or vegan
You need a variety of foods from the four food groups every day to provide for your growing baby as well as to maintain your own health.
Vegetables and Fruit
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Eat plenty of vegetables and fruit.
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Vegetables and fruit provide carbohydrates (sugar and starch), fibre, vitamins and minerals, and are low in fat.
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Enjoy well washed, fresh, frozen or canned vegetables, and fruits which are raw or lightly cooked.
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Limit juice and dried fruit intake because these foods have a high sugar content.
Eat at least five servings per day, at least three servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit. Only one serving of fruit or vegetable juice or one serving of dried fruit counts towards your total number of servings for the day.
SERVING SIZE SAMPLES:
Vegetables
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1 medium potato, kumara or similar sized root vegetables such as yam or taro (135g)
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1/2 cup cooked vegetables, e.g. puha, watercress, parengo (go easy on butter and margarine), or corn (50-80g)
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1/2 cup salad (60g)
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1 tomato (80g)
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Fruits
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1 apple, pear, banana or orange (130g)
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2 small apricots or plums (100g)
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1/2 cup fresh fruit salad (120g)
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1/2 cup stewed fruit (135g)
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1 cup fruit juice (250ml)
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25g dried fruit, e.g. 2 tablespoons of raisins or 3 dates
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Breads and Cereals
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Eat plenty of breads and cereals - including rice, pasta, breakfast cereals and other grain products.
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These provide carbohydrates, fibre and other nutrients.
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Choose wholemeal and wholegrain varieties which provide extra fibre (to help prevent constipation), B vitamins and minerals.
Choose at least six servings of breads and cereals each day; preferably wholegrain.
SERVING SIZE SAMPLES:
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1/2 cup cooked cereal (130g)
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1 cup cooked pasta (150g)
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1 cup cooked rice (150g)
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1 cup cassava or tapioca (150g)
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2 plain sweet biscuits (14g)
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Milk and Milk Products
Pregnant women need milk and milk products for protein and calcium. You need extra calcium for your baby's growing bones and teeth, as well as your own.
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Choose reduced or low fat milk, yoghurt and cheese.
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If you are drinking soy milk, choose one which is calcium fortified (check the label)
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Other foods such as wholemeal bread, peanuts, broccoli, canned salmon, sardines, spinach, baked beans and tofu contain calcium, but in lower amounts.
Choose at least three servings of milk and milk products, preferably reduced or low fat, each day.
SERVING SIZE SAMPLES:
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1 glass milk (250ml)
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1 pottle yoghurt (150g)
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Lean Meats, Chicken, Seafood, Eggs, Cooked Dried Beans, Peas and Lentils
These give you protein, iron, zinc and other nutrients.
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Your body needs more iron and zinc during pregnancy.
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Care must be taken with these foods. lean meats, chicken and seafood need to be fresh and well cooked.
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Choose lean meats, chicken and seafood.
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Iron in lean meats, chicken and seafood is well absorbed. Cooked dried beans, peas and lentils also contain iron but this is not so well used.
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Include foods rich in Vitamin C with your meals to help absorb iron. Fresh vegetables and fruit, tomatoes and broccoli are rich sources of Vitamin C.
Choose at least two servings from this group each day.
SERVING SIZE SAMPLES:
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2 slices cooked meat (approx 100g)
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3/4 cup mince or casserole (195g)
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1 egg (50g)
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1 medium fillet of fish - cooked (100g)
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