Eating well in pregnancy
My diet
Aim to eat twice as well, rather than twice as much, based on a balanced diet involving variety and nothing excessive. Your baby will draw on your body throughout her accelerated 9 months of growing. Your intake must be enough to cover her needs in addition to yours, and to prepare your body for breastfeeding.
Eat a varied diet
In the 1st trimester of pregnancy, you should eat a varied diet to make sure that you are getting all the nutrients that are required for your child's healthy development: protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals.
In the next two trimesters, your appetite will progressively increase to meet your child's needs.
Know that your body is adapting in order to use every nutrient you eat in the most effective way possible.
How much?
Outside of pregnancy, a woman’s recommended energy intake is on average between 1,800 and 2,400kcal/day, depending on her physical activity.
In the 1st trimester of pregnancy, you will only need 150kcal more per day.
In the 2nd and 3rd trimesters, you will need an additional 250kcal a day, for example as an extra snack.
This increase both serves the foetus and changes in your body: storing fat, larger breasts, growing uterus, higher blood volume, and amniotic fluid.
Beware of: Alcohol, even in small amounts, to avoid any risk of malformation, growth delays, and premature birth.
Snack ideas:
- bread (about 35 g) and 1 portion of cheese (about 30–40 g)
- 1 yoghurt or cottage cheese + 1 fruit
- 1 glass of milk, bread (about 50 g) with butter (10 g)
Don’t forget to drink water throughout the day.
During pregnancy, the quality of your intake is essential.
Make sure your diet is rich in certain nutrients such as iron, folates, iodine, calcium and vitamin D.
Folates or vitamin B9
These are essential for the formation of your baby’s nervous system. They can be found in fruits and vegetables—particularly in green vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, and lettuce.
Other interesting folate sources are walnuts, chestnuts, hazelnuts, and chickpeas. Supplementation may be considered if your diet is imbalanced, and always in line with your doctor’s advice.
Good to know: Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables have the same folate content as fresh vegetables. Eating at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day is still advised.
How can I control my weight?
Your doctor’s advice will help you adjust your intake based on what you burn.
It is not only normal, but important to gain weight in pregnancy. How much weight you gain will depend on your body type. As a rule, gaining around 12 kg on average will make it easier to go back to your initial weight.
Expecting twins? Add 3 to 4 more kilos.
The illusory weight gain
In the first 3 months of pregnancy, you may not gain any weight at all. Women who suffer a lot from morning sickness may even lose a kilo or two in the first trimester. After that, your weight gain will accelerate as your due date approaches.
What about cravings?
Cravings are normal; they tend to target specific foods and flavours (pastries or chocolate, for example).
75% of women will experience them at some point in their pregnancy. They can sometimes be a sign of fatigue. Cravings are more frequent and less focused in the 2nd trimester.
Knowing how to respond is useful: prefer fresh and varied foods.
Good to know: Contrary to popular belief, not indulging in your cravings will not harm your baby.
Managing your cravings:
- Watch your portion sizes.
- Swap them for a piece of fruit you really enjoy, for bread, or for a dairy product.
What if I’m still hungry?
Hunger pangs are frequent in early pregnancy. Do not eat twice as much, but do make changes to your diet.
For example, you might have larger meals and plan on adding a snack later, when you are hungry again.
Taking a few precautions:
Beware of:
- Dairy products from raw milk (raw milk cheeses, unpasteurised milk, etc.), as they can harbour listeria. They carry a real risk of miscarriage if they have been contaminated.
- Raw seafood (such as oysters)
- Raw or lightly cooked meat (steak tartare, rare beef, carpaccio, etc.), fish, or eggs, to eliminate the risk of toxoplasmosis, especially if you are not naturally immune to it.
- Soy‑based foods and food supplements. Phytoestrogens (hormones) can have adverse effects on you and your child.
Reduce:
- Stimulants: tea, coffee, energy drinks and sodas that contain too much caffeine. Excessive consumption can accelerate your baby’s heart rate.
- Salt: reduce your intake of salt and salty foods (crisps, cured meats, etc.), which tend to increase blood pressure. Lose the habit of systematically adding salt to what you are eating.
The right approach:
- Wash your hands thoroughly and often, especially before handling food that you are about to cook.
- Separate raw foods from cooked ones in the fridge, and wrap more fragile foods (meat, fish, ready meals) in the coldest part.
- Clean your fridge regularly using detergent, disinfecting it with bleach and water.
- Defrost food in the fridge, then eat it within 24 to 48 hours.
- Don’t generate leftovers, to avoid contamination risks.
- Thoroughly cook fresh ingredients and food that you reheat to destroy any bacteria.
It’s important for you to be healthy and to stay healthy throughout your pregnancy. Come what may, the midwife or doctor who is monitoring your health will ensure that your pregnancy is going well and will answer your questions and concerns over the months. Don’t hesitate to seek their advice!
Our recipes
France Lait Laboratory has selected delicious, balanced recipes to support you throughout your pregnancy, along with a collection of tasty little meals you can cook for your baby.
