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**Pregnancy nutrition webchat**

Welcome to today's webchat. Midwife Maggie Evans will be here from 12pm for one hour to answer your nutrition related questions.

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  • Hello everyone it's midwife Maggie Evans here and I am ready to take your questions.
  • Hi Maggie

    I'm not pregnant yet but am about to start trying. What are the main nutrients I should be taking to make sure my body is prepared. I know I should take folic acid but are there any others that are just as important?
    Thanks in advance, Ruby

  • hi maggie, i am 24 weeks pregnant with a and 18 month old to chase around my energy levels are so low. is there anything i can take/eat thats good for me for extra energy? obv choc olate and sugar isnt good for me or the baby! lol. thanks
  • Hello RubeyToo - thankyou for your question regarding the most important nutrients to take when planning for a pregnancy. As you rightly say folic acid is a very important nutrient. However, the main source of nutrition is your diet. A good wholesome diet will provide all the nourishment you require. Quality not quantity is key. Calcium, Iron, Zinc and the B vitamins are all important when preparing for pregnancy. You may like to try one of the specially prepared vitamin/mineral supplements for pregnancy that will complement your diet.
  • Hi im 33weeks pregnant and im a vegetarian is there anything i should make sure im eating most days?thanks
  • Hi Maggie, I'm 9 weeks pregnant and whilst I'm lucky that my morning sickness has not meant vomitting, I have terrible nausea which causes dry heaves and tons of burping!! What can I eat to keep the nausea to a minimum? I didn't like ginger before I was pregnant so it doesn't help me now.
    Thanks,
    Andi
  • Hi Maggie

    I'm 6 months pregnant and everything is going well. I am very keen to breastfeed when my baby is born. Are there any foods that I should avoid while producing milk is it basically the same rules as when you're preg? Plus what can I do to improve my milks quality?

    thanks

  • Hello ups_daisy+bump - thankyou for your question on healthy snacks when your energy levels are low. The occasional bar of chocolate is of course ok, particularly if it is dark chocolate as it is rich in iron. Obviously it would be wise to try healthier snacks like fruit, nuts and seeds or perhaps savoury crispbread with cheese or hoummous. It may be possible that your energy levels are low due to your iron levels decreasing. You will be due for a blood check at around 28 weeks, in the meantime should you feel worse it may be wise to speak to your midwife. You may also like to try Spatone water based iron supplement that will give you an energy boost.
  • Hello Lin&Lexie&bump - congratulations and thankyou for your question on vegetarian diet essentials. It is essential that you eat a well balanced diet which should consist of the following foods to ensure that you get the full complement of protein factors in your diet(amino acids) and all the essential nutrients such as Calcium, Iron, Zinc and the B vitamins. Lentils/pulses, nuts/seeds, plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, wholegrain rice/cereals. A particularly wholesome food for veggie's is quinoa which looks like a grain, but is actually a seed and contains all the amino acids.
  • Hello Andipink - many thanks for your question on nausea. Ginger is certainly not a universal remedy for nausea. It is best to keep your meals light, small and frequent. If you are nauseous in the morning have a dry biscuit (not a sweet one as the the sugar content may raise your blood sugar levels and make you feel worse). You may like to try peppermint or chamomile tea to relieve some of your symptoms. Avoid rich or spicy food. Nausea usually subsides by about 14 weeks, so hopefully you will feel much better soon.
  • Hello little_el - thankyou for your question on breastfeeding and things to avoid. As always the most important factor for breastfeeding is to continue eating a well balanced healthy diet. You will need a few extra calories and you will also experience increased thirst, this is just your bodies way of letting you know it's needs - so obey your thirst and your appetite. The most important issue to remember is probably not to eat anything in excess e.g. curry every day or a plate of cabbage etc, other than that just eat normally, your baby is already adjusted to your diet in utero. Obviously avoid alcohol and if there is history of allergies you may need to avoid peanuts for instance.
  • Hello little_el - thankyou for your question on breastfeeding and things to avoid. As always the most important factor for breastfeeding is to continue eating a well balanced healthy diet. You will need a few extra calories and you will also experience increased thirst, this is just your bodies way of letting you know it's needs - so obey your thirst and your appetite. The most important issue to remember is probably not to eat anything in excess e.g. curry every day or a plate of cabbage etc, other than that just eat normally, your baby is already adjusted to your diet in utero. Obviously avoid alcohol and if there is history of allergies you may need to avoid peanuts for instance.
  • Hello Cornetto - thankyou for your question on sources of iron in a vegetarian diet particularly when you are not keen on green veg. Carrots are a good vegetable to eat as they help to absorb the iron content of the whole meal. As in the previous question from Lin&Lexie I mentioned lentils and pulses are a good source of iron as also is soya. If you sprout your pulses and seeds this will allow the vitamins and minerals to be more easily absorbed and in greater quantities. Quinoa is also a good all round protein source for veggie's.
  • Thankyou everyone for your questions - you may like to download a useful leaflet from the Spatone website "Guide to Healthy Eating in Pregnancy" just click on the tab 'leaflets' at Spatone.com
    Spatone is a 100% natural water based iron supplement that is safe to take through the whole of pregnancy and does not have the nasty side effects such as constipation. Spatone is available at leading pharmacies and helath food shops.
  • Unfortunately our webchat has now finished. Please do not post any more questions.

    Babyexpert would like to thank Maggie for all her fantastic, informative advice.
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