So what’s a nutritious pregnancy diet for my partner?
Being pregnant can be hard work for both your partner and your baby, so their bodies need all the help they can get! Eating a well-balanced and nutritious diet during pregnancy will keep her energy levels up and help prepare her body for your baby’s birth.
Her daily diet should include:
- A wide range of fresh fruit and vegetables
- Foods rich in complex carbohydrate – such as whole grain bread and cereals, pasta, potatoes
- Dairy – milk, yoghurt and cheese (low fat alternatives)
- Lean meat, chicken, fish, or legumes – especially fresh tuna, mackerel, sardines, and trout
- Limited amounts of high fat and sugary foods – encourage your partner to save sweets and cakes for the odd treat
Click on this link for more information on Eating well in pregnancy
What’s so good about fish?
Eating fish once a week is very good for your partner and your baby. White fish such as cod and flat fish (eg. flounder) are great sources of protein and low in fat. Oily fish such as tuna, salmon, sardines and mackerel can also help the development of your baby’s brain and eyesight. However, be careful to ensure your partner doesn’t have more than three portions of oily fish a week, and stays clear of shark (flake), swordfish, marlin and trout caught in geothermal regions as these can contain high levels of mercury which will affect your unborn baby.
Staying hydrated
Staying well-hydrated can help keep tiredness, headaches and bladder and kidney problems at bay. So encourage your partner to drink plenty of water or diluted juice throughout the day.
Foods your partner should avoid during pregnancy
- Raw or undercooked meat, fish or seafood
- Soft pasteurised cheeses (e.g. brie, camembert blue, ricotta, mozzarella, feta etc) unless heated until steaming hot.
- Unpasteurised dairy products, including milk
- Raw shellfish, such as oysters
- Swordfish, marlin or shark (flake)
- Raw or partly-cooked eggs
- Ready-made salads and coleslaw from delis or salad bars
- Alcohol
If you're heating or re-heating meals make sure they are piping hot all the way through before eating. For a more detailed list, take a look at our Foods to avoid during pregnancy article
The importance of folic acid
Folate (or folic acid) is very important for your baby’s development. Your partner can boost her folate intake by eating certain foods, but doctors also recommend that women who are pregnant or trying for a baby take a folic acid supplement until their 12th week of pregnancy.
Foods high in folic acid
- Dark green, leafy vegetables, such as spinach and broccoli
- Wholegrain cereals
- Citrus fruit
- Beans and legumes
- Folic acid fortified foods such as breakfast cereals
Getting enough iron
A balanced diet usually provides most of us with all the iron we need. But iron is especially important during pregnancy, so take care to ensure that your partner is getting enough. To help your partner keep her iron levels up, there are some foods she can include in her pregnancy diet:
- Lean red meat and poultry
- Eggs (hard-boiled)
- Almonds and brazil nuts
- Dark green vegetables such as broccoli, watercress, and spinach
- Wholegrain bread, brown rice and cereals
- Dried fruit
Preparing food for your partner
It’s a great, loving thing to do to take care of your pregnant partner by cooking for her. But there are a couple of key precautions you should take when doing so. If you’re cooking any meat, make sure you cook it through thoroughly, and wash fruit and vegetables carefully.
Is coffee safe?
The good news for your partner is that she doesn’t need to give up caffeine entirely! Pregnant women should limit their caffeine intake to no more than 300mg of caffeine a day – that’s about three cups of coffee or six cups of tea. And don’t forget that many soft drinks contain caffeine too, and not just the colas, so it’s a good idea to switch to caffeine-free versions to avoid overdoing it.
More information about healthy eating during pregnancy
For more advice about your partner’s pregnancy diet, why not visit our Pregnancy Nutrition & Health section or call our Kariclub Advisory Service on 0800 256 268.