Nutrition
It is important to have a healthy and balanced diet. You do not have to eat extra but avoid losing weight during pregnancy. You can lose a few kilos because of the nausea at the beginning of the pregnancy, which is a common symptom. On average, women gain 12 kg during pregnancy.
The nutrition centre gives important advice about nutrition. They provide information about which foods you should and should not eat during your pregnancy. You can find all important nutrition advice in this brochure. Please read!
They have also developed a handy and free app that will tell you which foods are suitable during the pregnancy and which are not. Download this app so you can always check which foods/drinks you can have and which not.
If you are unsure if a certain product is allowed, please check with us. As midwives we always follow the advice of the nutrition centre. You can always consult with us, by either phone during office hours or by e-mail.
Vegetarian/vegan
If you are a vegetarian or vegan, the following advice is important:
- Take an omega 3 supplement (with DHA and EPA, 250-450mg DHA)
- Take a vitamin B12 supplement if you do not get enough of this. You get enough if, for example, you take 2 slices of cheese, 1 egg and 400ml of milk a day. Vitamin B12 is only found in animal products.
- Make sure you get enough protein (through plant-based foods, that’s tofu, whole grain products, beans and lentils, oatmeal, nuts, kernels and peanuts)
- Make sure you eat enough foods with calcium. Calcium is mainly found in milk and dairy products such as cheese, but also in cereal products such as bread and certain vegetables. The recommendation is to get 1000 mg per day, which is equivalent to 4-5 servings of milk products per day. If this does not work, take a supplement.
- Make sure to eat enough foods with zinc. Zinc is found in meat, cheese, cereals, nuts and seafood such as shrimps and mussels. Supplement up to 9 mg a day.
- You can keep a food diary through the nutrition centre with that you can see if you are getting enough nutrients.
Low-carb diet
It is not recommended to follow a completely low-carb diet during pregnancy. Carbohydrates are an important form of energy for you and for the baby. Make sure you get a small amount of (slow) carbohydrates at each meal, such as wholemeal bread or oatmeal.
Iron-rich food
Below is advice to prevent or remedy an iron deficiency:
- Eat meat(s) regularly. Especially beef or lamb contain a lot of iron.
- Preferably choose meat substitutes that contain iron, such as egg, legumes (like brown beans and lentils), tofu, tempeh, nuts, peanuts, kernels or choose ready-to-eat meat substitutes.
- Use wholemeal bread, wholemeal pasta.
- With every meal, consume vegetables or fruits/juices rich in vitamin C. Vitamin C improves the absorption of iron from plant sources such as bread, cereals and legumes.
Vitamins
There are a number of vitamins (supplements) we recommend you take during your pregnancy.
- Folic acid: Take during the first 10 weeks of your pregnancy, 400-500 micrograms daily
- Vitamin D: take 10 micrograms of vitamin D daily throughout pregnancy
- Omega 3: eat fish twice a week (1x oily and 1x reduced fat fish) or take omega 3 supplements
- Calcium: we recommend consuming 1000 micrograms of calcium daily. This is the equivalent of 4-5 portions of dairy products (yogurt, milk, cheese, etc.). If you don’t get enough through your regular diet, use supplements.
All these vitamins are available at pharmacies or drug stores.
Infectious diseases
During your pregnancy it is important to avoid contracting any infectious diseases. Much advice on avoiding certain foods has been designed for this reason, therefore reducing the chances of infection from Toxoplasmosis or Listeriosis.
Infection prevention advice also includes:
- Avoid contact with saliva, urine or blood from small children. The aim is to prevent a CMV CMV can harm your unborn baby.
- Do not clean out the cat litter tray yourself and wear gloves when working in the garden. This will reduce the chances of contact with Toxoplasmosis.
- Take care with hygiene while visiting an animal petting zoo. Wash your hands, do not touch sheep or goats and do not enter stables while animals are giving birth.
- Are you going travelling? Contact the GGD for advice on preventing tropical diseases at your holiday destination.
Also please read this information about pregnancy and infectious diseases.
Alcohol, smoking and drugs
Do not drink alcohol when you are pregnant, as this is bad for your baby. Even the occasional glass can be harmful. The alcohol affects the formation of organs; sometimes it restricts the growth of the baby or causes a premature birth. It can also cause your child to develop learning difficulties and have trouble with concentration.
More information can be found at: FAS and alcohol and pregnancy.
Smoking is bad for your baby as the toxins from the cigarette in your blood will reach the blood of your baby. This will limit the nutrients and oxygen needed for your baby’s development. It may also cause other (for the baby life-threatening) complications in pregnancy. Cot deaths are more common if pregnant women smoke, or if smoking takes place near the baby. Even passive smoking is unhealthy. Ask smokers near you to go outside.
More information can be found on the Trimbos website. Always tell us if you are a smoker, we can try to help you quit or perform additional checks during your pregnancy.
Never use drugs during pregnancy. The use of drugs (even marijuana) is very dangerous for your child. Please tell us if you use drugs, we can try to help you quit. It is very important that you tell us if you use drugs, we will then perform additional checks during your pregnancy. In case of hard drugs, the baby should be weaned off after birth.
Medication
If you are pregnant and use medication, check with your doctor or pharmacist if you can continue to use these. Always tell your doctor or pharmacist that you are pregnant; they can then recommend which drugs are most appropriate.
Paracetamol can be taken during pregnancy. But do not increase the dose as stated in the patient information leaflet. Which means no more than 500-1000 mg each time, if necessary every 4 or 6 hours, but no more than 4000 mg per day. Aspirin and ibuprofen cannot be used during pregnancy.
Do you have questions about over-the-counter medications? Then check out this site. Here you can find information on the safety of self-care drugs during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Dentist
It is very important to look after your teeth and gums when you are pregnant. Visits to the dentist are allowed during pregnancy; just tell the dentist that you are pregnant. Local anaesthetics are not harmful either. Dentists don’t usually take x-rays during pregnancy unless there is no other option.