Nutrition and lifestyle

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

Your body is now going through many changes, which can affect your energy and fitness. Your baby needs lots of nutrients, such as vitamins and iron, to grow well. It is important to top up these stores.

A healthy and varied diet is always important, and that is no different during your pregnancy. If you normally eat healthily, you do not suddenly need to eat for two – that is a stubborn myth! Good nutrition makes sure that both you and your baby get all the nutrients you need.

Nutrition advice

For the most up-to-date and detailed nutrition advice, we refer you to the website of the Voedingscentrum (the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, in Dutch). They offer guidelines specifically for pregnant women, including a handy app (iOS/Android). In this app you can also look up whether something is safe to eat during your pregnancy.

Below we explain the most important points:

Vitamins and supplements

In general, vitamin supplements offer no extra benefit if you already eat a healthy and varied diet. If you do choose a supplement, take one that has been specially developed for pregnant women, because it contains a safe, lower dose of vitamin A.

Two vitamins are essential to take extra:

Folic acid (vitamin B11): This B vitamin plays a crucial role in the development of your baby’s neural tube, from which the brain and spinal cord later develop.
- Advice: Take folic acid from 4 weeks before conception up to and including 10 weeks of pregnancy.
Vitamin D:
- Advice: Take an extra 10 micrograms of vitamin D every day throughout your pregnancy.

Foods to watch out for

Some foods can carry risks during pregnancy. It is important to pay close attention to these:

Raw meat and unwashed vegetables/fruit (toxoplasmosis): Raw meat and unwashed vegetables and fruit can contain the toxoplasmosis parasite. This infection can cause birth defects in your baby. The parasite is also found in cat faeces, so be careful when cleaning the litter tray and wear gloves when gardening.
- Advice: Avoid raw or undercooked meat (such as steak, rare roast beef, tartare, filet américain, salami, raw ham, ossenworst). Always wash vegetables and fruit thoroughly, including pre-cut products from the supermarket. Wash your hands well.
Soft cheeses made from raw milk (listeria): Soft cheeses such as brie, camembert and roquefort made from raw (unpasteurised) milk can contain the listeria bacterium. This infection can also be harmful to your unborn baby. The packaging then often says “au lait cru”.
- Advice: Do not eat cheese made from raw milk. If you do want to eat it, heat it thoroughly.
Liver and liver products (vitamin A): Liver contains a lot of vitamin A. Too much vitamin A can be harmful to your unborn baby.
- Advice: It is best not to eat liver during your pregnancy. Limit liver products such as liver sausage, liver pâté, hausmacher or berliner to no more than once a day.
Raw fish and certain predatory fish: Fish is healthy, but be careful with raw fish or pre-packed smoked fish.
- Advice: Avoid raw fish, shellfish (such as oysters) and pre-packed chilled smoked fish (such as smoked salmon, eel, mussels), unless they have been thoroughly heated. Do not eat predatory fish such as swordfish, (fresh) tuna, shark and king mackerel, as these can contain mercury.
Sugar and sweets: Go easy on sugar and sweets.
- Advice: Losing weight is not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Harmful substances stored in fatty tissue can be released when you lose a lot of weight, which can lead to deficiencies for both you and your baby.

Lifestyle during your pregnancy

Smoking, alcohol and drugs

Smoking, alcohol and drugs are strongly discouraged before, during and after pregnancy. As well as the health risks for your own body, they carry considerable risks for the health and development of your unborn baby.

Medicines

During pregnancy and breastfeeding, only use medicines that have been thoroughly tested and found to be safe. Always discuss any use of medicines with us. For the most common complaints we will advise you on which medicines you can safely use.

Exercise and sport

Exercise is good for your body, also when you are pregnant. In a normal pregnancy you can continue most sports. Exercise improves blood flow, which increases the blood supply to your baby and so delivers more nutrients. Regular exercise strengthens your muscles and keeps you fit, which can be helpful during the birth.

Some sports are not recommended, however:

Sports with a higher risk of falls or injury (e.g. skiing, basketball).
Sports with a risk of decompression sickness (e.g. diving).
Sports at high altitude (e.g. mountaineering), because of the reduced oxygen in the air.
Activities with sudden jolts (e.g. parachuting).

Sex

Having sex during your pregnancy does no harm. Your baby is well protected in the womb and is not affected by it. It is very normal to feel less like having sex in the first trimester because of pregnancy complaints such as nausea, tiredness or mood swings. Do not worry about this.

However, it is not advisable to have sex if:

Your waters have broken.
You have contractions before 37 weeks of pregnancy.
You are losing blood vaginally.
We advise you to avoid it for medical reasons, to reduce the risk of infection.