Eating well when you’re pregnant helps you to:
Making healthy food choices can help you have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.
Include a variety of foods in your diet by eating foods from the following 4 food groups.
Choose dark green, orange, red and yellow varieties to get the best sources of vitamin A, folate and vitamin C.
Choose products made from whole grains that are less processed. Try whole wheat breads, pastas or cereals, oats, quinoa, bulgur or brown rice. Whole grains are higher in fibre and B vitamins.
Choose lower fat milk, yogurt, or cheese or non-dairy sources of calcium and vitamin D such as soy drinks, tofu or canned salmon.
Include eggs, beans, lentils, tofu, nuts and seeds often. Choose lean cuts of meat and poultry as well as a variety of fish in your diet to get the protein, iron and vitamin B12 you need. Avoid high mercury fish and shellfish which can be harmful. Get clear advice about eating fish in the Guide to Eating Fish.
Alcohol passes from mother to baby during pregnancy and breastfeeding. There is no known safe amount of alcohol in pregnancy. Alcohol can cause birth defects and brain damage to your baby.
Caffeine is found in coffee, tea, energy drinks, chocolate, cola and some medications. Caffeine passes from mother to baby. High amounts of caffeine in the diet can lead to a low birth weight baby or even miscarriage.
Caffeine also passes to baby through breast milk. This can make it hard for mom or baby to fall asleep, and baby can be fussy and very alert.
Most herbal teas are not recommended during pregnancy and breastfeeding. There are not enough studies to prove that they do not harm the baby.
Avoid any herbal teas and supplements that are not safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
When used in moderation, the following herbal teas are considered safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding:
Please note that supplements of the above herbs (tablets, capsules or extracts) should be avoided.
Fish is an excellent source of protein, vitamin D and healthy fats. However, some fish and seafood have a high amount of mercury, a toxin that can harm you and the baby. You can still enjoy the benefits of fish by limiting fish that is high in mercury and by choosing a variety.
Liver and fish liver oil have high amounts of Vitamin A. Getting too much Vitamin A in pregnancy may cause birth defects.
Consider registering for one of our free individual and/or group based Prenatal Programs to support you during your pregnancy.