"Healthy Eating" in Pregnancy - what exactly do you mean??

[BebeBelge]

hello All! THis might be a really stupid question but, here goes anyway...

I am 36 weeks pregnant with my second. i didn't quite lose all my baby weight from no. 1 before getting pregnant again, and I'm kind of worried that if this happens every time I get preggers, I'll be huge at the end of it all (I'd like 3 or 4 kids ultimately), so I'm trying to eat healthily and not put on too much weight.

I've read alot about people eating healthily while they are pregnant but what do you mean?? What's a typical day? I am not a calorie counter so have no idea how many calories I get through, but, for example, somedays, I might have pizza for dinner, then the next homemade soup for lunch, then the next a curry, and then noodles and a fizzy drink or a bar of choccie. So I reckon I am not perfect.I don't buy organic but I cook all sauces from scratch. About 60%-70% of the time, I think I eat sensibly. Are all the so-called 'healthy eaters' eating salads and steamed fish all the time?? Has anyone completely changed their diet since being pregnant? I'm just being nosy...

Hi BB! I am trying to eat healthily but like you, having the occasional treat. My hubby loves to cook so we have a healthy, made-from-scratch meal every night, and I try to eat sandwiches or salads for lunch and cereal for breakfast.

My issue is with snacks - as I am constantly hungry! I have bought lots of fruit and keep it on my desk, as well as some wholegrain snacks, dried fruit and basic biscuits (such as gingernuts). If I do go for the biscuits, I limit myself to 2. I also try to go 2 hours between eating... sometimes possible, sometimes not! Drinking lots of water helps as well.

I think as long as you're basically sensible, you'll be fine. The other thing is to keep up your exercise - even if it's only a walk each day. I walk to and from work which totals about half an hour each day, and run or swim a couple of times a week. So far I've put on no weight (currently 14 weeks) but that is obviously going to change soon!

Good luck!! xx

I don't count calories either and take healthy eating to mean lots of fruit, vegetables and salad, wholemeal bread and pasta and wholegrain rice and not too many fatty and processed foods, but that doesn't mean you can't have any treats. I'm quite partial to making cakes and other puddings, and have ice cream and crisps occasionally. Mostly I cook from scratch though we do have some sauces (stir-fry, pasta or curry) from jars. I haven't really changed my diet since getting pregnant other than starting to eat oily fish occasionally. I've put on about 3.6kg so far (am 19 weeks) and am walking, swimming and cycling each week.

I just try to have at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day (although I don't always make that!).

Healthy=
carbs component, as much of it whole grain/whole meal as possible. Pasta rather than white rice.

Protien - plenty of it, try to include some at every meal (lean meat, fish, pulses, eggs, nuts, cheese/cottage cheese -there's plenty to choose from).

Fats - very important to eat ENOUGH fat (the right kind of course), the fat that comes naturally with your milk and meat and fish is full of fat soluable vitamins - processed, heat-treated fat added to ready made stuff is not good at all. Nuts, seeds, fish and avacados for example, have good healthy fats, eggs, meat and cheese are good too - in moderation. Cold pressed oils are best for cooking/salad dressings.

Plenty of fruit and veg, in different colours to give a variety of nutrients.

I'm sure I've missed out entire food groups (chocolate and pizza for a start!), but you get the idea, fresh, whole meal, unproccesed and good variety should form the basis, with just a few treats when you need them (I'm mostly good but can't do without my daily chocolate!)

The advice I was given was to just eat a good balance. Plenty of fruit and veg, pasta, bread etc. I was told to have treats if I wanted them. For example if I want a bag of crisps don't deny yourself. You just need to ensure that the baby is getting all the nutrition it needs.

I think of healthy eating in pregnancy as being more about good nutrition than calorie counting, if that helps. Oldmum42's checklist is good, IMO.

I've made an effort to eat more protein, esp lowfat dairy (yoghurt, cottage cheese etc), which is also good for calcium intake - personally I've enjoyed eating a lot of lean red meat, and have (so far) fab iron levels throughout pregnancy -

Lots of steamed/oven roasted veg, lots of fruit (fruit with yoghurt and a little bit of muesli is a great quick snack) -

And actually, I've not avoided chocolate/icecream etc. I've eaten a fair bit of it, in fact... I just try to make sure I've eaten the healthy stuff first, IYSWIM. So I'm not eating chocolate instead of fruit, but on top of it, if I want it! So I think it might help restrict excessive calorie intake - but even if it doesn't, it means I'm not eating that many 'empty' calories.

The only things I've really avoided are things with a lot of salt - crisps, tinned soup, high salt ready meals like pizza etc. And that's cos I'm very keen to avoid water retention and puffiness, and to keep blood pressure down.