Kiddipedia

Kiddipedia

By Melanie McGrice, APD and Pregnancy Chef ambassador

 

We all know that a healthy diet is important during pregnancy, but despite this, 100% of Australian pregnant women don’t meet their recommended nutritional needs.[1] With morning sickness, hormone fluctuations and conflicting advice from friends and family already coming at you, it can feel difficult to get the right foods into your body. But nutrition during pregnancy can be simple, leaving you and your growing baby happy and healthy.

Advanced Practising Dietitian Melanie McGrice, who specialises in women’s nutrition for fertility, pregnancy and infants, has been working with Pregnancy Chef – an Australian-first, dietitian approved ready-made meal service that helps new mums, mums-to-be and women who are trying to conceive to get all the nutrients they need during this crucial time.

Eating for two?

This old saying doesn’t hold much truth, contrary to popular belief. Too much weight gain during pregnancy can increase your risk of gestational diabetes, miscarriage or tearing during birth, as well as increasing your baby’s risk of childhood obesity. Unless you are underweight at conception or having a multiple birth, it’s recommend that you don’t gain any more than 2kg during the first trimester. During the second and third trimesters, you can increase your dietary intake slightly by adding an additional serve of protein and an additional serve of grains to your diet each day.

Cut out the prep work

A subscription food service, such as Pregnancy Chef, means all the effort of finding the right recipe and having to prep the meal is gone. It makes it incredibly easy to have nutritious meals right at your fingertips! Pregnancy Chef is a nutritious, ready-to-eat meal delivery service designed to cut through the many dos and don’ts of eating when you’re pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to conceive – all tailored specifically for the stages of pregnancy. The website also has an inbuilt nutrition calculator to help women keep track of their weekly protein, grains and veggies serves, so mums and mums-to-be can have peace of mind and know they’re getting the best nutrition for themselves and their little ones.

Mellow that morning sickness

One of the first hurdles pregnant women will face is the dreaded morning sickness, and many women find eating can actually help to reduce their nausea. To help battle the nausea, try halving your meals and grazing on small, regular portions throughout the day instead of eating both meals and snacks. Ensure you drink lots of water and try eating outside as the fresh air can help reduce the smell of food.

 

ABOUT PREGNANCY CHEF

Pregnancy Chef is a nutritious, ready-to-eat meal delivery service designed to cut through the many do’s and don’ts of eating when you’re pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to conceive. Pregnancy Chef was born when its founders recognised how hard and confusing it can be for new and expecting mums to get their daily nutritional needs, while navigating complicated food-safety rules. Its mission is to be an extra set of hands for exhausted mums and ensure they, and their growing bubs, are getting delicious and nutritious meals that are super easy to prepare (we’re talking ready-to-eat delivered to your door kind of easy).

[1] Adherence to the Australian dietary guidelines during pregnancy: evidence from a national study, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26228526/