Pregnancy is an incredible period of growth and change. While your baby is busy developing, your body is adapting too, and good nutrition plays an important role in supporting you both. As a Registered Nutritionist specialising in fertility, pregnancy and postnatal nutrition, I encourage women to focus on what they can add to their diet to support themselves and their growing baby throughout each stage of pregnancy.
First trimester: laying the foundations
During the first trimester, your baby’s brain, spinal cord and major organs begin to form, and several nutrients have particularly important roles during these early stages. Folate is perhaps one of the best-known pregnancy nutrients and is found naturally in dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale and broccoli. Less well known is choline, a nutrient that works alongside folate and plays an important role in your baby’s early development. Eggs are one of the richest pregnancy-friendly dietary sources of choline.
Iodine is also important because your baby relies on maternal thyroid hormones while their own thyroid is developing. Milk and other dairy products are good sources. Omega-3 fats are important too, particularly DHA, which plays an important role in the development of your baby’s brain and eyes. Oily fish such as salmon, sardines, trout and mackerel are especially rich in omega-3.
Of course, knowing which foods are nutritious and actually wanting to eat them can be two very different things during the first trimester. Nausea, tiredness and food aversions can make foods you usually enjoy suddenly unappealing - and the thought of oily fish or leafy greens may be the last thing you fancy.
If oily fish is off the menu, Proceive® Pregnancy Omega 3 provides EPA and DHA and can be taken throughout pregnancy to help support your intake. If vegetables are difficult to face, try blending a handful of spinach into a fruit smoothie with Greek yoghurt and oats. Sip it gradually throughout the morning if a full meal feels overwhelming or freeze your smoothie into ice-lolly moulds for a refreshing way to get some nourishment in when eating feels difficult.
During this trimester, Proceive® Pregnancy Trimester 1 can provide additional nutritional support, with a formulation specifically designed for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, including folate, choline and iodine.
Nutritionist tip: Proceive® capsules can be opened and the contents mixed into cold foods or drinks, such as a smoothie. Just avoid adding them to foods that will be heated.
Second trimester: supporting growth and development
By the second trimester, the foundations of your baby’s major organs and body systems are in place, with the focus shifting towards growth and maturation. For many women, nausea also begins to settle, energy levels improve and food starts to feel appealing again.
Good-quality protein provides the amino acids needed to support your baby’s growth. Aim to include a source at each meal, such as eggs, fish, poultry, lean meat, Greek yoghurt, cottage cheese, tofu or tempeh.
One amino acid you may be less familiar with is glycine. Glycine is considered conditionally essential during pregnancy, meaning your body’s requirements may exceed the amount it can make itself. It is used to make collagen, an important structural protein needed for growing tissues, including skin and the developing skeleton, as well as supporting the changes taking place in your own body. Glycine is particularly abundant in collagen-rich foods, such as slow-cooked meat on the bone and bone broth, which may not feature regularly in everyone’s diet. Calcium and vitamin D also support the developing skeleton. Dairy foods such as milk, yoghurt and cheese are excellent sources of calcium, while vitamin D is harder to obtain from food alone.
While a varied diet should always form the foundation of good nutrition during pregnancy, a comprehensive pregnancy supplement can provide additional support and help bridge nutritional gaps, particularly for nutrients like glycine that can be harder to obtain in sufficient amounts. Proceive® Pregnancy Trimester 2 is specifically formulated for weeks 13–27 with 31 vitamins, minerals and amino acids tailored to the nutritional demands of this stage, including glycine, calcium and vitamin D.
Third trimester: preparing for baby
During the third trimester, your baby gains a significant amount of weight, while their brain and other body systems continue to develop and mature. Iron is particularly important during this stage. Your blood volume increases substantially throughout pregnancy, increasing the demand for iron to support the normal formation of red blood cells and haemoglobin. Good dietary sources include lean red meat, while beans, lentils and dark green leafy vegetables provide plant sources.
Pairing plant sources with vitamin C-rich foods can help increase iron absorption. Magnesium contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism and muscle function, as well as helping to reduce tiredness and fatigue. Good dietary sources include green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds and wholegrains.
As your baby grows and space becomes more limited, large meals may become uncomfortable. Smaller, nutrient-dense meals eaten more frequently can be easier to manage, particularly if you’re experiencing heartburn. Staying well hydrated and including plenty of fibre-rich foods can also help if constipation becomes an issue.
To support the increased nutritional demands of these final weeks, Proceive® Pregnancy Trimester 3 is specifically formulated for weeks 28–birth, providing 28 vitamins, minerals and amino acids, including iron and magnesium.
Let go of perfection
Eating well throughout your pregnancy isn’t about getting everything right all of the time. There will be days when you feel sick, foods you usually love suddenly turn your stomach or you simply don’t fancy the ‘right’ things - and that’s OK. Approach your pregnancy nutrition with flexibility. Listen to your body, eat well when you can and remember that what you do most of the time matters far more than any individual meal or day.
