Nutricion during pregnancy is a vital factor, not only in maintaining a healthy pregnancy, but also in fostering optimal fetal development.

• Pregnancy is not the right time to follow a weight-loss diet; however it’s vital to eat well but not for 2
• Eat small meals frequently which also help nausea, heartburn and indigestion

Tips

Chew longer your meals making digestion easier.

Prefer organic fruits and veggies. Avoid frozen or canned foods.

Wash the vegetables and fruits well and avoid raw meat.

Avoid soft cheese, oysters, unpasteurized milk.

Prefer unprocessed foods such as whole grain bread, rice and sugar that contains molasses.

Your diet should provide you enough folic acid (essential for the functioning of DNA), iron, calcium, vitamins C and E.

Avoid red meat and prefer white such as sardines and mackerel which contain omega-3 fatty acids which are crucial for the developing baby.

Could I drink alcohol or caffeine during pregnancy?

There are many products contain caffeine except for coffee. To be more specific chocolate, tea, beverages and energy drinks are some of them.

A recommended consumption is less than 200 milligrams (mg) caffeine per day. Caffeine passes the placenta barrier and may affect baby due to recent data which show that caffeine increase the risk of miscarriages.

What about alcohol?

It is recommended that pregnant women should avoid alcohol consumption especially during the first trimester because it may affect the fetal organogenesis.

Are you vegetarian?

If you are vegetarian, you could cover your nutritional needs eating vegetables, nuts and legumes without taking supplements. However, women who avoid also animal by-products, it is recommended to take B12 supplements.

Weight gain

Every woman is a different person and her nutritional needs differ from the other mothers. The ideal weight gain depends on the woman’s weight before pregnancy (more specifically the pre-pregnancy BMI of the woman).

Dr. Marinakis has been trained and worked in the UK for 12 concecutive years. He has been qualified and certified by the London (Deanery) School of Obstetrics and Gynacology and Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologist. He has a vast experience managing low and high risks pregnancies as he has worked in the biggests materity units in London. Over the last years he is based in Athens providing high standards of maternity care.