Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Flip

Original poster

Too much vitamin A?

17 replies

JonnyConcrete · 18/02/2015 15:06

My girlfriend is 8 weeks pregnant, it is our first child. She has been feeling sick a lot and has no appetite so I decided to buy a smoothie maker to try and get some nutrition into her that she can stomach easier than eating.

I'm trying to cram as much variety in there as possible but now I'm worried I'm putting to much vitamin A in it as I've read too much vitamin A can be harmful.

In the smoothie I'm putting...

A few spinach leaves
3 strawberrys
Half a kiwi
Half an orange
6 bluberrys
3 chunks of pineapple
5 grapes
1 medium carrot
1 medium bannana
1 tablespoon of almonds
1 tablespoon of pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon of sunflower seeds
3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons cold pressed virgin coconut oil

She sips this throughout the day.

She has branflakes or weetabix or toast for breakfast, 2 hard boiled eggs with tomatoes and bell peppers for lunch then I'll make either, chicken veg and rice, steak and sweet potato or chicken stir fry for tea but she usually eats very little at tea.

Is this a good diet to help the baby grow?

Any advice appreciated.

Thanks

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

happygojo · 18/02/2015 15:28

Please dump your girlfriend and come and live with me ..... when I was 8 weeks my bf inconsiderately got appendicitis and I had to do everything when I was feeling very rough for 2 weeks

The smoothie is fine I would guess. None of the food on that list is on the 'foods to avoid'. The only thing is that the NHS would recommend that the steak is fully cooked (no pink).

The NHS has a 'food to avoid' page that you can google if you are ever worried.....

your gf and baby are very lucky! lol!

Birdiegirl · 18/02/2015 15:39

OP you sound lovely, your partner is very lucky.

I think you only need worry about vitamin A from animal sources, like pate and liver etc. Fruit and veg won't do any harm as far as I know.

Hopefully someone will come along and confirm this.

Allstoppedup · 18/02/2015 15:44

Oh my...I'm 7 weeks here and swooning! You sound great and that sounds delicious.

All absolutely fine, for vitamin A she should avoid liver and only take vitamin supplements designed for pregnancy.

Congratulations! Keep doing what you're doing, you sound like a very thoughtful partner and dad to be!

LollieLoves · 18/02/2015 15:46

It's great you're taking care of them both. This looks really good. Don't worry about plant sources of vitamin A, as they come in the form of beta carotene, which can't cause harm - any excess is just excreted. It's only sources from animals, such as liver, that are a problem. One thing I personally avoid is pineapple, as it's said that too much can cause uterine contractions. That could be just an old wives tale, though, I haven't seen any scientific evidence to back it up. I am paranoid so would rather avoid it!

I would second happygojo to avoid pink steak, due to the risk of toxoplasmosis. Much as it pains me.....!

Allstoppedup · 18/02/2015 15:52

Just wanted to add after reading that last comment, 3 chunks of pineapple is absolutely fine!

I only speak as someone who went 14 days overdue with my DS and researched every way to get the blighter out, there is a chemical in pineapple that can cause uterine contractions (or give you a dodgy tum!) To get a significant amount to do so you would need to eat about 6-7 whole pineapples.

I had to stop at 5 due to a sudden and severe aversion to anymore pineapple- either way it didn't work! I still had to send in the induction team to evict him!

LollieLoves · 18/02/2015 16:27

Ah, that's interesting Allstoppedup. I did wonder if it was an old wives tale/exaggerated, but too paranoid to put it to the test. I am older and it took some assistance to conceive, so not willing to risk ANYTHING! Aware I'm being neurotic tho!

Op, you do sound lovely! My oh has been supportive and helpful! but sorting all her food like this is just ace. I'd love one of your smoothies!

Allstoppedup · 18/02/2015 16:41

Oh, lollies So sorry if I came across as knowitally (?!), I didn't mean to imply that you were being silly not to eat pineapple!

I'm exclusively on decaffeinated coffee at the moment despite being totally exhausted due to none sleeping DS- logically I know one coffee a day won't do any harm but I can't bring myself to do it! I also panicked this morning as I was sick just after taking my prenatal vitamins and now I'm worried my folic acid will be too low!

Pregnancy MAKES you crazy paranoid!

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

LollieLoves · 18/02/2015 16:59

Oh no, Allstoppedup I didn't think you were being a know it all! Not at all :-) I was actually just really interested to hear pineapple in normal quantities is ok - have really been fancying it!

I'm sorry to hear you're exhausted - it's bad enough when it's your first, so I dread to think what it's like if you've already got one, and they're a non-sleeper to boot! Don't know how you do it!

I've been quite strict about caffeine too -just have one normal cup of tea in the morning (would be non-functioning without it!) and then nothing else. When I had ms I didn't fancy chocolate, but now I do and it's hard not to indulge. My consultant has been really strict about it too -if I have the cuppa in the morning I'm not supposed to have say a hot chocolate in the afternoon.... Having kept myself going with caffeine for most of my life, this is v hard!

Congratulations on your pregnancy too!

LollieLoves · 18/02/2015 17:00

Oh, and yes, pregnancy makes you super paranoid! I dread to think what I'll be like once the baby's here!

Boosiehs · 18/02/2015 17:03

I disagree with he steak advice up there. I spoke to my doctor about this, and she said so long as its cooked ont he outside it should be fine.

Burgers (or other processed meat), should be cooked throughout.

I ate relatively rare steak throuout pregancy. Wine i could do without, but brown steak was just a no no!

dementedpixie · 18/02/2015 17:13

nhs says steaks should also be cooked through due to risk of toxoplasmosis.

dementedpixie · 18/02/2015 17:14

www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/foods-to-avoid-pregnant.aspx#Raw

GotToBeInItToWinIt · 18/02/2015 17:28

happygojo my DH broke his right hand (he is right handed!) at 6 weeks and was in plaster for 8 weeks! At 20 weeks he is just about able to use it enough to help me with 15 month old DD etc. Had the most horrific morning sickness too! So you have my sympathies.

OP it sounds like a fab diet. Pretty much all I are for the first 12 weeks was cheese, bread and pasta.

Jackieharris · 18/02/2015 17:30

It's the animal vitamin a that's found in liver that you should avoid in pregnancy. This is often in non pregnancy multi vitamins so only take ones designed for pregnancy.

The vegetable version of vitamin a (beta carotene) which is found in carrots etc is perfectly safe.

geekymommy · 18/02/2015 21:04

You don't have to worry about too much vitamin A from plant sources. The problem is vitamin A from animal sources, so pregnant women are not supposed to eat liver.

geekymommy · 18/02/2015 21:06

If she starts turning orange, then she's probably getting too much beta carotene.

Original poster

JonnyConcrete · 19/02/2015 17:18

Well tyvm for all the replies, it's reassuring to know the smoothie is all good to keep having. Thanks for the ego boost as well I suppose I am a bit lovely haha, but I'm sure you would all Soon get fed up of me pestering you about how much you have ate throughout the day.

We both like our steaks well done so that isn't an issue anyway.

Thanks again for the advice, much appreciated.

OP posts:

Flip