Growing a whole new human being in just nine months takes a lot of resources!  Good nutrition is important for growing healthy babies and healthy mothers.

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The advice in pregnancy is always to eat a healthy, varied diet.  However, modern farming methods are leaving us with depleted soil, so there are less nutrients in the food grown in them.  To ensure that fruit and vegetables last longer in the shops, many are picked before they are completely ripe and so they may not reach their full nutrient possibility before being harvested.  For this reason, even the best diets benefit from some vitamin supplementation during pregnancy, preferably starting before conception, though it is never too late to start.

The best way to ensure that you and your baby are getting everything needed is to buy a good pregnancy multivitamin.  If you are on a low income or in receipt of certain benefits, you may qualify for free vitamins through the Healthy start scheme    (Best Start if you are in Scotland). 

A chemist can help you choose a good supplement if you are still unsure.  Always choose products labelled “suitable for pregnancy” and check that they contain 400 mcg folic acid and 10 mcg of vitamin D.  Avoid buying unknown supplements online or through social media.

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Folic Acid (Vitamin B9)
Folic acid helps prevent neural tube defects.  These are problems with the baby’s brain and spine that develop very early in pregnancy, such as spina bifida. It also helps to form healthy red blood cells.

 

Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate or methylfolate.  Folic acid is more common because it stores for longer, and so is cheaper.  The dose is the same for both versions.  Folate is also found in leafy greens, beans, oranges, and fortified cereals

Recommended dose:  400 micrograms a day before pregnancy and until 12 weeks, although some women may be asked to take a higher dose by their midwife or GP.

 

Iron
Iron helps your blood cells make a protein called haemoglobin.  This helps your blood carry oxygen to your baby. Low iron can lead to anemia, which can make you feel exhausted, dizzy and increases the risk of your baby being born prematurely. risk of premature birth.  If you are following a vegetarian or vegan diet you and your baby may be more at risk of iron deficiency anaemia.  Iron is found in lean meat, beans, lentils, spinach, nuts and fortified foods.

Recommended dose: 27 milligrams per day throughout pregnancy.  Taking iron with vitamin C helps your body to absorb it better.

 

Calcium
Calcium helps your baby develop strong bones and teeth, and protects your teeth and bones.  Babies are born with a full set of teeth under their gums.  Calcium is found in dairy products, fortified plant milks, sardines, pilchards and whitebait, almonds, and leafy greens.

Recommended dose:  1000 milligrams per day.

 

Vitamin D
Vitamin D helps calcium to build strong bones and teeth. It also helps you fight off illnesses and infections, and reduces the chance of you developing pre-eclampsia or having your baby prematurely.

We can make our own vitamin D from sunlight, but getting enough is difficult in the UK and even harder if you have darker skin.  It is also found in oily fish, red meat, eggs and fortified cereal.

Recommended dose:  10 micrograms a day.

 

Iodine
Iodine helps your baby’s brain develop and supports your and your baby’s thyroid which supports cell growth and development.  Iodine is found in iodized salt, seafood, dairy and eggs.

Recommended dose: 220 micrograms per day

 

Vitamin B12
B12 and folic acid/folate support your baby’s brain and nervous system development. If you are deficient in B12 it can mean your baby is more likely to have developmental disorders and anemia.  Women and their babies following a vegetarian or vegan diet are the most likely to be at risk of B12 deficiency.  B12 can be found in Meat, eggs and dairy, Marmite, and nutritional yeast.

Recommended dose: 2.6 micrograms per day

 

Omega-3 Fatty Acids (DHA and EPA)

These are essential fatty acids that we can only get from our diet.  Omega-3s help your baby develop a healthy brain, eyes, and nervous system. It can also help reduce the risk of your baby being born too early.  These can be found in oily fish, fish oils, algae supplements, flaxseed, nuts,

Recommended dose:  200–300 milligrams of DHA daily.