Eating well when pregnant Ngā kai ora me ngā wai ora mō te hapūtanga
Eating well when you are pregnant is important for you and your baby's health. Your nutritional needs are higher when you are pregnant.
When to get advice
Ask your lead maternity carer for special advice on what to eat during pregnancy if you are:
- aged 18 or younger
- have a medical condition such as diabetes
- eat very little or have eating problems
- are vegan or vegetarian
- are very below or above a healthy weight range.
Eat a variety of foods every day
To keep you and your growing pēpi healthy, you need to eat a range of healthy foods from the 4 main food groups every day.
Vegetables and fruit
- If you are pregnant with one pēpi, choose at least 5 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruit every day.
- If you are pregnant with twins, choose at least 7 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruit every day.
A serving is the size of the palm of your hand. Try to have many different colours of vegetables and fruit, as they all have different antioxidants and vitamins.
Grain foods
- Choose mostly wholegrain foods that are naturally high in fibre. Wholegrain foods help to reduce constipation in pregnancy.
- If you are pregnant with one pēpi, choose at least 8 servings every day.
- If you are pregnant with twins, choose at least 10 servings every day.
Serving size examples:
- one medium slice of wholegrain bread
- half a cup of porridge
- quarter of a cup of muesli
- half a cup of cooked brown rice, pasta or noodles.
Milk and milk products
You need milk and milk products for protein, vitamins and minerals — especially calcium.
If you do not eat these foods or eat very little, ask your midwife about other sources of calcium.
If you follow a vegan diet, you will need to check that your plant milk has vitamin B12 added to it.
- If you are pregnant with one pēpi, choose at least 2 servings every day.
- If you are pregnant with twins, choose at least 3 servings every day.
Serving size examples:
- 1 large glass (250 ml) of cow's milk or a calcium-enriched plant milk
- three quarters of a cup (200 ml) or one pottle of yoghurt
- 2 slices (40 g) of cheese.
Legumes, nuts, seeds, fish, seafood, eggs, chicken and lean meat
These foods give you protein, iron, zinc and other nutrients.
Many women become low in iron during pregnancy. Iron helps support you and your growing baby, and helps you feel less tired.
How to get enough iron in your diet
- If you are pregnant with one pēpi, choose at least 3 servings from this group every day, including 1 of nuts and seeds.
- If you are pregnant with twins, choose at least 4 servings every day.
Serving size examples:
- 1 cup of cooked dried beans, split peas or lentils
- three quarters of a cup of tofu
- 2 large eggs
- a small handful (30 g) of nuts or seeds
- 1 small can of fish such as tuna, sardines, salmon or mackerel
- a piece of meat, chicken or fish the size and thickness of the palm of your hand.
Safe and healthy eating in pregnancy — HealthEdexternal link
Eat regularly
The easiest way to get all the nutrition you need is to have regular meals and snacks. Eat at regular mealtimes and have 2 to 3 small healthy snacks between meals. This will help keep your energy levels up.
If you are having trouble eating well because of morning sickness, there are some things you can try to help.
If you are throwing up (vomiting) a lot and you are unable to keep any food or fluids down, talk to your midwife or doctor.
Drink plenty of fluid
Drink when you are thirsty. Try to drink at least 9 cups of fluid each day. Water or reduced or milk are the best choices.
You may need more fluid:
- when it is hot
- after you have exercised
- if you are throwing up
- if you are constipated (have hard poos) or runny poos (diarrhoea)
If you are throwing up, it may be easier to get fluid by sucking on ice blocks or having clear soups.
Cups of tea or coffee count towards your 9 cups. But having too much caffeine can affect your baby's growth. Have no more than 4 cups of tea or instant coffee (or 3 cups of plunger coffee) each day
Avoid energy drinks, as these are high in sugar as well as caffeine.
Some herbal teas may be harmful in pregnancy. Avoid these teas:
- aloe
- buckthorn bark
- chamomile
- coltsfoot
- comfrey
- juniper berries
- Labrador tea
- lobelia
- pennyroyal
- sassafras
- senna leaves (alpine tea).
Nutrients and supplements
A healthy diet is important during pregnancy. But you cannot always get everything that you and your pēpi need from food.
Healthy weight gain
Pregnancy is a time of changes in your body. It is normal to gain weight during pregnancy due to:
- your growing pēpi and the fluid around them
- the whenua (placenta or afterbirth).
A healthy weight gain during your pregnancy is one of the most important things you can do to support your health and the health of your pēpi. Talk to your midwife about what a healthy weight gain during pregnancy is for you.
It is not necessary to 'eat for 2' when you are pregnant. The hormones produced in pregnancy can make some women feel hungrier. So it is important to keep an eye on the size of the portions you are eating.
In your first 12 weeks, you do not need to eat any more food than usual, but it is important to eat a variety of foods from the 4 food groups. After 12 weeks, you will need to eat a little more than usual.
- If you are a healthy weight, you need to add about the same as a wholegrain cheese and tomato sandwich or a wholegrain peanut butter sandwich and a banana.
- If you were overweight before pregnancy, you need to add about the same as one slice of wholegrain bread or two pieces of fruit per day.
Dieting is not recommended because:
- you may have a smaller and less healthy baby
- it could affect your health.
How much weight you should gain
To work out how much weight you should gain, you need to know what your body mass index (BMI) was at the start of your pregnancy.
If your weight at the start of your pregnancy was:
- underweight (BMI less than 18.5) — you should gain 13 to 18 kg
- a healthy weight (BMI 18.5 to 24.9) — you should gain 11 to 16 kg
- overweight (BMI 25 to 29.9) — you should gain 7 to 11 kg
- very overweight (BMI 30 and over) — you should gain 5 to 9 kg.
If your weight at the start of your pregnancy was:
- underweight (BMI less than 18.5) — you should gain at least 17 kg
- a healthy weight (BMI 18.5 to 24.9) — you should gain 17 to 25 kg
- overweight (BMI 25 to 29.9) — you should gain 14 to 23 kg
- very overweight (BMI 30 and over) — you should gain 9 to 11 kg.
There are no recommendations for how much weight you should gain if you are having triplets, but it is suggested you gain at least 23 kg.
Risks of gaining too much weight
Gaining too much weight in pregnancy increases your risk of:
- having a large pēpi
- developing high blood pressure (preeclampsia)
- needing a caesarean section
- diabetes in pregnancy (gestational diabetes)
It can also make it harder for you to get back to your pre-pregnancy weight following the birth of your pēpi.
Talk to your midwife or doctor if you are concerned about your weight gain.
Food safety
In pregnancy your immunity is lower than usual, so you and your pēpi are more at risk of foodborne illnesses. Some foodborne illnesses, like listeriosis and toxoplasmosis, can be particularly dangerous for both you and your pēpi.
To reduce your risk of foodborne illnesses:
- wash and dry your hands thoroughly before and after handling food
- be food smart — clean, cook and chill
- store leftover cooked or canned foods in the fridge and use within 2 days
- avoid high-risk foods.
For more information about safe food handling and the latest list of high-risk foods to avoid in pregnancy, visit the Ministry for Primary Industries website.
Food and pregnancy — Ministry for Primary Industriesexternal link