Pregnancy is an exciting time full of ups and downs that you might, at times, find overwhelming. This is largely due to the hormonal rollercoaster you will be experiencing over the next 9 months, but rest assured, it’s a completely normal part of your journey to motherhood. Other aspects of overwhelm can be due to the vast amounts of information out there on healthy conception and pregnancy!

Preconception care and pregnancy

Nutrition plays a very important role during both of these periods. Women (and men) who live a conscious, healthy lifestyle tend to have larger, healthier babies with fewer complications. On the contrary, a diet lacking in nutrients can lead to lower birth weight, learning disabilities and a higher risk of certain diseases. Preconception care ideally lasts between 4-6 months before pregnancy; this allows time for development of healthy eggs and sperm. Preconception care involves both partners living a healthy lifestyle and minimising or avoiding:

• Alcohol, drugs and caffeine (it’s okay to party sober!)
• Processed and refined foods (ditch junk food and anything packaged)
• Allergens
• Artificial sweeteners (yes, this includes your diet Coke and ‘sugar-free’ yogurt… always read labels!)
• Household and environmental toxins (cleaning chemicals, room sprays, pollutants)

Your bowels and liver should be functioning well, so if there are any digestive issues be sure to see one of our in-store naturopaths. It is important you are able to absorb the essential nutrients required to conceive and carry a healthy baby!

Requirements for foetal growth

During pregnancy your body experiences many changes. Some nutrients are needed in greater amounts as your metabolic rate increases:

• Calcium and magnesium - are especially important in the second trimester, for the formation of your baby’s skeleton and tooth enamel. Calcium and magnesium are important throughout pregnancy for you too, affecting your muscles (preventing cramps), nerves, hormones, blood, energy, immune function and more!
• Vitamin D – is required for calcium absorption and your muscle and bone strength. Vitamin D also helps develop your baby’s bones. Many studies now show that deficiency is alarmingly common (even in Australia).
• Essential fatty acids- essential for a reason! They are crucial for your baby’s brain and nervous system development. Odourless fish oil is the easiest way to get a therapeutic amount; perfect for the hypersensitivity that often accompanies pregnancy.
• Iodine - deficiency is the most common correctable cause of brain damage in the world! Particularly important in the first trimester during the formation of your baby’s brain, spinal cord and nerves.
• Folic acid - deficiency is associated with spine and neural tube defects, known as Spina bifida. Adequate levels are important in preconception.
• B vitamins - aside from Folic Acid (B9), all of the B vitamins play an important role in energy and neurotransmitter production (the special chemicals your body produces that govern your mood, sleep, hormones).
• Iron - your requirements double during pregnancy because of increased blood volume and the needs of your baby.
• Zinc - another important mineral for normal growth and development of your baby; zinc helps provide you with antioxidant support, strong cells, and basic metabolic processes.

How do you make sure you are getting all the nutrients you need?

Ideally all of your nutrients should come through a balanced, varied, nutrient-rich diet. However you may find this difficult to achieve at times from the stress of work, living a busy life, and the unfortunate reality that soils are no longer as nutrient dense. It’s important you cover all the bases; supplementation is often the best option!

Mr Vitamins recommends

Blackmores Pregnancy Nutrients:

• Pregnancy & Breast Feeding Gold
• Total Calcium + Magnesium + D3

See also our Pregnancy Basics Fact Sheet