Tips for nurturing and nourishing your bump with a well-balanced diet

Mummies to-be who eat a balanced and varied diet can really have a positive impact on their baby’s future health and eating habits. This can be a daunting thought, but Organix, a brand dedicated to making tasty and nutritious organic baby and toddler food pulled together some top tips and advice, so you can enjoy nurturing and nourishing your growing bump!

Good nutrients

From Vitamin A to zinc; a healthy balanced diet made up of fruit, veggies, dairy, unrefined carbs (like whole grains) as well as protein rich foods will provide all the nutrients your growing bump needs.

Vitamin D: Keeps bones, teeth and muscles healthy and can be found in oily fish, eggs as well as red meat.

Iron: Found in red meat, beans, nuts, dried fruit and most dark-leafy green veggies to help make healthy red blood cells.

Calcium: Helps build strong bones and teeth. You can find it in milk and dairy foods like cheese and yoghurt. Also build up your plate with veggies like kale and broccoli as these contain a significant amount too.

Omega 3s: Are fatty acids that are needed for your babies’ brain and eye development. Eating oily fish like salmon, mackerel and sardines once or twice a week will provide both you and your bump with all you need.

Folic acid: Can help reduce birth defects. You can find this in broccoli, oranges as well as some cereals which are fortified with it. It’s important to take as a supplement especially in your first trimester.

Watch outs

There are also some foods you should avoid or be extra careful with during pregnancy. These include:

Alcohol: There’s still no consensus among experts as to how much if any alcohol is safe whilst pregnant, so the safest things to do is not to drink at all while you’re expecting.

Dairy: Raw (unpasteurised) milk or dairy products made from raw milk. Avoid eating uncooked mould-ripened soft cheeses or uncooked soft blue cheeses. Hard cheese is usually fine.

Meat and fish: Don’t eat liver, liver products or any type of pate during your pregnancy as these foods can harm your baby. Also, be cautious with cold cured meats such as salami and pepperoni. Shark, swordfish or marlin, along with raw shellfish, shouldn’t be eaten when you’re pregnant or planning to get pregnant.

Cravings

While it’s true mums to be often develop a sweet tooth or crave salty snacks during pregnancy there is no evidence that your body needs what you crave. Take a peek at our junk foods swaps – these are also handy snacks to pack in your labour bag.

• Fresh strawberries coated with dark chocolate
• Lightly salted popcorn
• Dried fruit
• Natural yoghurt topped with banana, honey and flaked almonds
• Bagel with mashed banana and a sprinkle of cinnamon
• Flapjacks or oatie bars

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.