What Not To Eat During Pregnancy First Trimester

October 18, 2021

Why Dont You Feel Like Eating During Your Pregnancy

Guide to Pregnancy First Trimester Diet: Foods to Eat and Avoid

Loss of appetite and nausea are very common during the first trimester of any pregnancy.The reasons can be multiple. It can be-

Your bodys way of ensuring no harmful food reaches the fetus

Your bodys response to all the hormonal play that happens in your body during pregnancy

An aftermath of your hypersensitivity to smell and taste

Loss of appetite because of frequent and all day morning sickness

The metallic taste that seems to be sticking to your palate

Ideal Foods To Eat During Pregnancy

The following foods are beneficial to your health and fetal development during pregnancy:

Vegetables: carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, spinach, cooked greens, tomatoes and red sweet peppers
Fruits: cantaloupe, honeydew, mangoes, prunes, bananas, apricots, oranges, and red or pink grapefruit

Dairy: fat-free or low-fat yogurt, skim or 1% milk, soymilk
Grains: ready-to-eat cereals/cooked cereals
Proteins: beans and peas nuts and seeds lean beef, lamb and pork salmon, trout, herring, sardines and pollock

Raw Or Undercooked Meat

Cook all meat and poultry thoroughly so it is steaming hot and there is no trace of pink or blood. Take particular care with poultry, pork, sausages and minced meat, including burgers.

Don’t eat rare meat. Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by a parasite that can be found in meat, soil, cat faeces and untreated water. If you are pregnant the infection can damage your baby, but it’s important to remember that toxoplasmosis in pregnancy is very rare.

If you feel you may have been at risk, discuss it with your doctor, midwife or obstetrician. If you are infected while you’re pregnant, treatment for toxoplasmosis is available.

Wash all surfaces and utensils thoroughly after preparing raw meat. It’s also important to remember to wash and dry your hands after touching or handling raw meat. This will help to avoid the spread of harmful bugs such as salmonella, campylobacter and E. coli that can cause food poisoning.

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What To Eat During Your First Trimester

While we are about to talk about some specifics that are great for you during your first trimester the most important thing is to eat what you can and what gets you through. If all you can tolerate is crackers and toast girl, go for it. If baked potatoes and peanut butter sandwiches is what you live on- that is great! Eating what YOU can tolerate is key. Eat what you can and whenever you need to. This is not the time to worry about the what or the when listen to your body, and do what it needs. Our bodies are so smart that they will use stored nutrients from pre-pregnancy to help grow that baby, so do not stress about foods you can or cannot tolerate during the first trimester. Survival is the goal here!

However, for some women, first trimester symptoms can be pretty mild with very few food aversions or nausea and vomiting. If thats the case, woo hoo! Enjoy it and if you have the freedom to eat a wide variety of foods lets talk about some specifics to consider.

Guidelines For Safe Food Handling

Follow these general food safety guidelines when handling and cooking food:

Wash. Rinse all raw produce thoroughly under running tap water before eating, cutting or cooking.
Clean. Wash your hands, knives, countertops and cutting boards after handling and preparing uncooked foods.

Cook. Cook beef, pork or poultry to a safe internal temperature verified by a food thermometer.
Chill. Promptly refrigerate all perishable food.

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Healthy Diet Tips To Follow In Early Pregnancy

Maintaining a healthy diet during early pregnancy involves getting the right balance of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. You can ensure this by:

Choose healthy food options such as salads, soups, fruits, and steamed veggies whenever you feel hungry in between meals or at snack time, instead of quick solutions like packaged products.
Drink lots of water and other fluids to stay hydrated
Dont forget to take your prenatal vitamins and folic acid supplements every day.

Avoid alcohol and cut down caffeine intake.
Stay active and exercise moderately, depending on your health conditions
Dont miss any doctor appointments or scheduled checkups.

Foods To Avoid While Pregnant

Raw Meat: Uncooked seafood and rare or undercooked beef or poultry should be avoided during pregnancy because of the risk of contamination with coliform bacteria, toxoplasmosis, and salmonella. At home, the temperature should reach at least 145 F for whole cuts, 160 F for ground meats like hamburger, and 165 F for chicken breasts.

Deli Meat: Deli meats have been known to be contaminated with listeria, which can cause miscarriage. Listeria has the ability to cross the placenta and may infect the baby, which could lead to infection or blood poisoning and may be life-threatening. If you are pregnant and you are considering eating deli meats, make certain that you reheat the meat until it is steaming.

Fish with Mercury: Fish that contain high levels of mercury should be avoided. Mercury consumed during pregnancy has been linked to developmental delays and brain damage. A sample of these types of fish includes shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish. Canned, chunk light tuna generally has a lower amount of mercury than other tuna, but still should only be eaten in moderation. The American Pregnancy Association recommends Safe Catch Tuna because their testing technology ensures each can of tuna is as pure as wild salmon or wild sardines.

Certain types of fish used in sushi should also be avoided due to high levels of mercury. Please see Mercury in Fish for specific types of fish and further information on how to calculate mercury levels.

Each Pregnancy Is Unique

The trick to managing morning sickness is to figure out what works for YOU! Every woman is different, which means that some diets and home remedies might be more or less effective, depending on the person. Women who have had multiple pregnancies also find that their morning sickness changes from one pregnancy to the next.

As a result, there isnt a one-size-fits-all approach for the management of morning sickness. The key is to pay attention to what triggers your nausea and what seems to help. Identifying the pattern can be an important step in helping you feel better throughout the day.

Pay attention to what your body is telling you about the best foods for nausea during pregnancy. This process will help you in determining a morning sickness diet plan that will be optimal for your needs.

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What You Can Eat

BEST FOODS to Eat During your FIRST TRIMESTER

all hard pasteurised cheeses such as cheddar, Stilton and parmesan
soft pasteurised cheeses such as cottage cheese, mozzarella, feta, cream cheese, paneer, ricotta, halloumi, goats’ cheese without a white coating on the outside and processed cheese spreads
thoroughly cooked soft unpasteurised cheeses, until steaming hot

thoroughly cooked soft cheeses with a white coating on the outside, until steaming hot
thoroughly cooked soft blue cheeses, until steaming hot
pasteurised milk, yoghurt, cream and ice cream

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Nutritional Needs During Pregnancy

As you probably know, your body goes through lots of physical and hormonal changes during pregnancy. To fuel yourself and your growing baby, youll need to make great food choices from a variety of sources.

Eating a healthy, balanced diet will help you feel good and provide everything you and your baby need. The food you eat is your babys main source of nourishment, so its critical to get all of the nutrients you need.

The good thing? All of these nutrition guidelines arent that hard to follow and provide some delicious options. Even with cravings you can craft up a healthy menu in no time.

What Are The Fruits To Avoid Early In Pregnancy

You might think fruit is a healthy food choice, but you should know what to avoid during the first trimester, including these fruits:

Tamarinds. They are high in vitamin C an excess can suppress progesterone, increasing the risk of miscarriage, premature birth, and damage to your baby

Papayas. The latex content can start contractions, increase bleeding, and cause miscarriage
Bananas and peaches. Their high sugar content increases the chance of gestational diabetes
Watermelons. They are high in sugars, low in fiber, and can cause blood sugar spikes

Grapes. They are high in pesticides always choose organic varieties
Melons. They could contain bacteria this increases the risk of listeria or salmonella
Pineapples. They contain an enzyme called bromelain. Tablets with bromelain should be avoided during pregnancy, as this enzyme can break down protein in your body and cause bleeding. Pineapple is unlikely to have this effect as the bromelain is found in the core, not the flesh of the fruit.

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No Need For Extra Calcium During Pregnancy

Until 2006, Australian dietary recommendations advised increased calcium intake during pregnancy and breastfeeding. This advice has since been revised. Although the baby has a high requirement for calcium during the third trimester of pregnancy , the mothers increased capacity to absorb dietary calcium means that there is no need for extra intake.The recommended dietary intake for non-pregnant women remains unchanged during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Dairy foods and calcium-fortified soy milk are excellent dietary sources of calcium.

Foods To Eat In The First Trimester Of Pregnancy

During pregnancy, you should eat well-balanced, healthy meals that are rich in carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals, fluids, and fiber. Add the following to your diet to ensure that you and your baby remain healthy:

Vegetables like spinach and broccoli that are rich in folic acid and iron
Colorful fruits like avocados, bananas, apples, pears, cherries, grapes, and watermelons, and vegetables like peas, tomatoes, bell peppers, asparagus, and sweet potatoes
Citrus fruits like grapefruits, oranges, and sweet limes, which are rich in folic acid

Well-cooked lean meat and eggs
Seafood with low levels of mercury like shrimp, lobster, salmon, catfish, and canned light tuna
Pasteurized dairy products like cheese, yogurt, and low-fat milk

Whole grains like wheat, oats, barley, corn, millet, and rice
Lentils and nuts, provided you are not allergic to them
Lots of water and other fluids for hydration

Prenatal vitamins and supplements

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Good Food Hygiene Reduces The Risk Of Infection

Good food hygiene is the best way to reduce the risk of salmonella and listeria infections. Suggestions include:

Always wash your hands before and after preparing food.
Keep your kitchen surfaces clean.
Do not let uncooked food contaminate cooked food.

Wash fruit, vegetables and salad before eating.
Cook food thoroughly.
Keep pets away from kitchen surfaces.

Wear rubber gloves when handling cat litter trays or gardening.
Store food at correct temperatures.

Importance Of Nutrition During Pregnancy

Nutrition during pregnancy is an important aspect of pregnancy. It is referring to like the nutrient consumption and dietary preparation that is started beforehand, during, and afterward pregnancy.

Nutrition of the fetus initiates at conception. For this cause, the nutrition of the mother is vital from beforehand conception as well as during the course of pregnancy and breastfeeding. An ever-increasing figure of studies has exposed the importance of nutrition during pregnancy.

The studies revealed that the diet of the mother will have an outcome on the child, up to and comprising the risk for growth, cardiovascular illness, hypertension, and diabetes during the course of life. Your body goes through several physical and hormonal changes throughout pregnancy.

The manner you nurture your body during this time will affect your well-being and your babys. You must have a healthy, stable diet to aid ensure you stay healthy all the way through your pregnancy.

The food you consume is your babys chief source of nutrition, so its critical to eat foods that are ironic in nutrients. Good nutrition during pregnancy can help encourage your babys growth and improvement.

The importance of nutrition during pregnancy cannot be denied. An insufficient or unnecessary amount of certain nutrients may perhaps cause deformities or medical difficulties in the fetus, and nervous disorders and handicaps are a danger that is run by mothers who are undernourished.

Frequently Asked Questionsexpand All

Birth defects, especially neural tube defects

What is folic acid?

Folic acid, also known as folate, is a B vitamin that is important for pregnant women. Folic acid may help prevent major birth defects of the fetuss brain and spine called neural tube defects .

How much folic acid should I take?

When you are pregnant you need 600 micrograms of folic acid each day. Because its hard to get this much folic acid from food alone, you should take a daily prenatal vitamin with at least 400 micrograms starting at least 1 month before pregnancy and during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Women who have had a child with an NTD should take 4 milligrams of folic acid each day as a separate supplement at least 3 months before pregnancy and for the first 3 months of pregnancy. You and your ob-gyn or other obstetric care provider can discuss whether you need to supplement with more than 400 micrograms daily.

Why is iron important during pregnancy?

Iron is used by your body to make the extra blood that you and your fetus need during pregnancy. Women who are not pregnant need 18 mg of iron per day. Pregnant women need more, 27 mg per day. This increased amount is found in most prenatal vitamins.

What is calcium?

Calcium is a mineral that builds your fetuss bones and teeth. Women who are age 18 or younger need 1,300 mg of calcium per day. Women who are 19 or older need 1,000 mg per day.

Give you energy

Supply energy for your fetuss development

Promote good vision

Unpasteurised Milk And Dairy Products

6 Foods to avoid during pregnancy first trimester-Pregnancy Diet

Most milk sold in shops, supermarkets and restaurants in the UK is pasteurised and fine to drink. The milk is heat-treated to kill off harmful bacteria that can cause food-poisoning from toxoplasmosis, listeriosis and Campylobacter.

You should avoid unpasteurised milk and products made from it, which are sold in some farm and health food shops. These products can include cream, yoghurt, goat’s and sheep’s milk or dairy products. If you only have access to unpasteurised milk, boil it before using.

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Does Exercise Affect Early Pregnancy

Its safe to exercise in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

In fact, activity is recommended for a healthy pregnancy, and supports a positive labor and birth down the track.

The types of exercise you do, however, should be restricted, for the health of your baby.

Exercise to avoid during pregnancy:

High impact exercise. It is recommended you avoid high-intensity exercise, as theres a risk of muscle strain or injury
Any exercise that means you have to be flat on your back. The weight of your uterus presses on the major vein that returns blood from your lower body to your heart. This can make you dizzy and interfere with the flow of blood and nutrients to the placenta and your baby
Contact sports. You dont want a hit to the belly this can be harmful to your baby

Falling sports or extreme sports. Theres a much higher risk of severe injury to you, and of infant death, with sports such as sky diving, water skiing or snowboarding
Heavy weights training. Straining the abdominal muscles can be painful for you and your baby
Horse riding. There is a greater risk of falling and injury. Horse riding encourages a tight pelvic floor, which is usually great to have. At the time of birth, though, a relaxed pelvic floor will help.

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Foods To Avoid During Pregnancy

Stay away from unpasteurized dairy products and refrigerated ready-to-eat meats like deli meat. These foods may have bacteria that cause the foodborne illness listeriosis, which may cause flu-like symptoms, nausea, diarrhea, and miscarriage, as well as still birth and preterm labor.

Any food in a dented can increases risk for botulism, a foodborne illness that can cause neuromuscular deficits for expecting mothers.

Consuming raw seafood, like sushi or raw oysters, increases risk of salmonella, a foodborne illness that can cause fever and nausea, vomiting, stomach cramping and diarrhea for pregnant women, as well as intrauterine sepsis that can affect babies.

Fish with a high mercury content, such as swordfish, shark, orange roughy, marlin and king mackerel can cause damage to the nervous system of the mother and brain damage or hearing and vision problems for the baby.

Alcohol should be avoided during pregnancy. Alcohol has been shown to negatively affect a babys growth and development.

Additional resources:

Fish Having High Amount Of Mercury

There are maximum women who love to eat fish and in cases like this, they should avoid fish with high mercury. Swordfish, tilefish and shark all these contain high mercury in them which is harmful for the human body. Mercury is an element which is found in lakes and ocean. Methylmercury is a neurotoxin and can damage a babys brain and can delay the growth. Choose fish high in omega-3 fatty acids which will be good for the mother as well as for the baby.

What Foods Should I Avoid While Pregnant

There are a few foods that pregnant women are encouraged to avoid throughout their entire pregnancy for a couple of different reasons. Most all of them fall into these categories of why they are not recommended: either they can be toxic to mom and/or baby, or the foods can carry a foodborne illness and pregnant women are more susceptible to getting these. Here is a list of foods that are recommended to avoid during pregnancy according to the American Pregnancy Association:

Raw and/or undercooked meat

Alcohol
Unwashed fruits or vegetables

Yes, this list is extensive and takes out many different foods, and you may have even seen friends or family consume some of these items while they were pregnant. For example, you may see some pregnant women consume a sandwich with deli meat but the meat has been heated, or some will consume soft cheeses , or even runny eggs. It is up to you and your doctor what you decide to consume, and we recommend that you always, always, always check with your doctor and follow their recommendations. We are not your medical professional the one that sees you and knows you is the best one to listen to.