Eating for Two? What's true?

Eating for two…? What’s True?

As a midwife and mother, I have discovered that the world of pregnancy is filled with many words of wisdom coming from, grannies , mums, friends and even people in the street, about, what’s good for you? What’s safe for you? What you should or shouldn't’t eat? How much weight you should put on during pregnancy…the list goes on and on. …..Some words are of course true nuggets of valuable knowledge passed down from generations but others like
‘What you should eat in pregnancy’ is an example of where information has been grossly misinterpreted and slightly misguided.

This happens in all aspects of pregnancy and suddenly and I say this tentatively, what ‘should’ be a happy time in a woman’s life is easily plagued with worries, concerns, anxiety and dread, which in my experience is all too common.

‘I’m not allowed, alcohol, soft cheeses, mayonnaise, prawns, cheeses cake, pate, ice cream or peanuts’ are words often heard on the lips of pregnant women, who naturally only want to do what is best for their growing baby.

Not eating peanuts is an example of where blanket information has lead to the belief that all pregnant women should avoid peanuts .The truth is, that The Food Standards Agency says to avoid peanuts if you are one of the 2% that have a peanut allergy or have a direct relative with a serious allergy. It does not say anywhere that ‘all pregnant women should stop eating peanuts!’ Many women actually miss out on the enjoyment of some foods simply because the belief about what foods to avoid, over rides the actual truth. The Food Standards Agency website is a valuable resource for pregnant women to check out what advice applies to them and to get some clarity for themselves.

Let’s not forget what is true and that is, that, women generally have a reasonable idea of what is and is not good for them even before they become pregnant. The confusion arises from the advice that is presented to women without taking into account the individual needs of each pregnant woman, which are naturally going to be different

I encourage women who are contemplating pregnancy or are already pregnant and who might be feeling confused to take the time to seek the appropriate information for themselves from local experts and health professionals. The truth is that pregnancy is most definitely something that is to be enjoyed rather than endured.


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Nicky Needham
Allround Pregnancy care Ltd.
22 Bell Street Sawbridgeworth Hertfordshire CM21 9AN
www.allroundpregnancy.co.uk
Tel - 01279 721188
Mobile - 07752577766