Healthy eating in pregnancy
Eating well during pregnancy supports your health and wellbeing, and gives your baby the nutrients they need to grow and develop.
Guidelines for healthy eating during pregnancy
When you’re pregnant, it can feel like you’re surrounded by advice and information about what to do. A great place to start is by following the Eat for Health guidelines for healthy eating when you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. These evidence-based guidelines provide advice about the amount and types of foods you should try to eat every day to support good health and wellbeing.
When you’re pregnant there are some nutrients you’ll need more of, and some foods that are not safe to eat. Here are some tips to get you started.
Try to eat different types of foods from the 5 food groups every day including:
- Vegetables and legumes or beans
- Fruit
- Grain(cereal) foods, mostly wholegrain and/or high-fibre varieties
- Lean meat, chicken, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts, seeds and legumes or beans.
- Milk, yoghurt, cheese (and plant based alternatives with added calcium).
Include foods rich in folate, iodine, iron and calcium as they play a big part in your baby’s growth and development. Talk to your general practitioner (GP) about taking pre-conception or pregnancy supplements to ensure you get enough of these nutrients.
Aim to drink 8 to 10 cups of fluids per day such as water, milk, smoothies or soup. When you’re pregnant your body needs extra fluids to make more blood and the fluid that surrounds your baby. Drinking plenty of fluids can also help prevent constipation, which is common in pregnancy, especially if taking iron supplements.
Try the Eat for Health food calculator to see how much you should try and eat from each food group each day (make sure you select ‘pregnant’ or ‘breastfeeding’).
‘Sometimes’ food and drinks
Try to limit ‘Sometimes’ food and drinks. ‘Sometimes’ food and drinks (also known as ‘discretionary’ or ‘occasional’ food and drinks) aren’t part of the 5 food groups because our bodies don’t need them. They are mostly low in nutrients and high in added salt (sodium), added sugars and saturated fats.
Caffeine
Recommendations for caffeine are different when you are pregnant. Try to limit foods and drinks that contain caffeine. Caffeine is found in tea, coffee, chocolate, cola drinks and energy drinks. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, it’s safe to consume less than 200mg of caffeine each day. As a guide, this is about:
- 1 to 2 cups of espresso coffee
- 2 to 3 cups of instant coffee
- 3 to 5 cups of tea, hot chocolate or cola drinks.
It is always best to check product labels for exact caffeine amounts.
Avoid foods that could lead to illness from salmonella (which can make you sick with food poisoning) and listeria (a type of bacteria that can harm your unborn baby).
Limit or avoid eating types of fish that contain too much mercury. High levels of mercury can affect your baby's developing nervous system.
Learn more about foods to avoid when you’re pregnant.
For more information about food safety in pregnancy visit the NSW Food Authority.
Alcohol
Alcohol is not recommended if you’re planning a pregnancy, pregnant or breastfeeding. This is because it can harm your baby’s development. Not drinking alcohol is the safest option.
If not drinking alcohol is difficult for you, it can help to have support from someone without judgement. Get Healthy in Pregnancy health coaches can provide confidential support to help you stop drinking alcohol, eat more foods from the 5 food groups and be active during and after your pregnancy.
Find ways to manage morning sickness or a strong dislike of some foods (known as food aversions) which may make it hard for you to enjoy healthy foods and drinks.
If you have any questions about eating during pregnancy, ask your doctor, midwife or dietitian.
Eating for healthy weight gain in pregnancy
Your midwife or doctor might talk to you about ways to stay within a healthy weight gain range while you’re pregnant. This range is different for everyone, and some women may be at risk of gaining too much or too little weight.
Gaining a healthy amount of weight helps keep you and your baby healthy and lowers your risk of some pregnancy, labour and birth complications. It can also support your baby’s lifelong health and wellbeing.
How much to eat while you’re pregnant
- During the first trimester, you don’t need to eat any more than before you were pregnant.
- After the first trimester, you may need to change this depending on your weight gain range. Ask your midwife or doctor about what’s right for you.
- Later in the pregnancy, you may prefer smaller meals because the baby is taking up more space. Eating small portions more often can help.
Find more advice for healthy eating when you’re pregnant from pregnancy, birth and baby.
For more information on pregnancy or planning a pregnancy visit pregnancy and the first 5 years.
Healthy eating while you’re breastfeeding
Breastfeeding can help you bond with your baby. Breastmilk gives your baby nutrients for healthy growth and development as well as support for their immune system.
Drinking enough fluids and eating foods from the 5 food groups while you’re breastfeeding can help your body make enough breastmilk.
The Australian Dietary Guidelines for pregnancy and breastfeeding recommend that you:
- try to eat different types of foods from the 5 food groups
- try to limit ‘sometimes’ food and drinks
- drink plenty of fluids
- avoid alcohol (not drinking alcohol is the safest option).
Aim to include plenty of protein, calcium and iron in your diet. You might also need a folate and iodine supplement.
Making breastmilk uses extra fluid, so breastfeeding mums are often more thirsty than usual. Aim to drink 9 cups of fluids per day when you’re breastfeeding. To drink more water you could try to:
- drink some water each time you feed your baby
- carry a water bottle with you or keep one where you like to feed
- choose water when you’re thirsty over other drinks that may dehydrate you.
Try to limit food and drinks that contain caffeine as it can pass into your breastmilk and make your baby restless. This includes tea, coffee, cola drinks and energy drinks.
Moving your body in any way you can supports your health and wellbeing. Speak to your healthcare provider about when and what is right for you while breastfeeding.