Healthy eating
The theory
We’re all encouraged to eat our five-a-day, but experts say a healthy diet is vital when you’re pregnant. “Women with raised BMI (body mass index) face higher risks in pregnancy, including a higher risk of infection, gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia,” says Erika Thompson, midwife and founder of Beautiful Births (beautifulbirths.org)
Your reaction
You know you should be snacking on fruit – but somehow chocolate keeps falling into your mouth. “I tried really hard to eat healthily during my pregnancies,” says mum-of-two Paula Fazekas, 26, from Bedfordshire. “But after three days of being good I’d just pig-out.”
Why it matters
Try and include something from each of the food groups every day: fruit and vegetables, dairy (milk, yogurt), protein (chicken, fish, pulses, beans) and starchy foods (bread, pasta). “No one’s perfect, just try and be healthy,” says Erika. “It’s better for the baby and you’ll feel better after giving birth.”
