Dr Penelope Law, Consultant Obstetrician and
Gynaecologist, The Portland Hospital
Q. What is the ideal diet in pregnancy?
A. Despite the almost
constant stream of tips and advice on the latest ‘superfoods’ for the growing foetus,
the real truth is that eating whole fresh food rather than refined and
processed meals will be beneficial to your baby but also to you. There really
isn’t a magic recipe for this, and in fact we all know which foods are healthy;
it’s just that now you have that extra reason to eat essentially more protein
and vegetables and less refined carbs such as pasta and biscuits. Initially you
may feel nauseous and only able to eat small amounts. At this stage do not
worry about your food intake, eat what you can and don’t feel guilty; your baby
will be fine and there is plenty of time to eat well once this phase has
passed. Fruit in the early days can actually make you feel worse as the acid
content annoys the stomach lining. Later on, eating fruit and vegetables at
lunch and dinner will be good for baby and you. Fruit and fruit juice do though
have quite a lot of sugar so more than a few portions a day can increase your
chances of developing diabetes in pregnancy. How much should you eat? Until
your last 8-10 weeks of pregnancy you do not need to eat more than you were
doing when you conceived. After 30 weeks your body only requires the equivalent
of one banana or half a sandwich a day extra. Most women do eat well during
their pregnancies. You do not need to radically change your diet, even the odd
glass of wine has not been found to be harmful, and you definitely do not need
to feel guilty – you are already doing a wonderful
job.
For further information or to book an appointment
please contact Dr Law’s secretary.
Telephone: 020 7637 0357
Fax: 020 7637 0357
drpennylaw@tiscali.co.uk
Private maternity news : 6 March 2013
