Preconception Nutrition

I've had lots of questions recently about preconception regarding advice when it comes to training, nutrition and daily lifestyle habits. It's a very relevant subject that I am sure lots of you have thought about before having children about or are thinking about currently. 

I will be writing more about this on here and on social media, so that you can gain some knowledge and information to help you - or someone you know - during this time. 

This week we're getting started with the food side of things, and I'm very lucky have collaborated with Becki from Guided Nutrition. Becki is a registered nutritional therapist, specialising in all aspects around pregnancy and she has some brilliant information below about what you need to consider when preparing your body for conception and pregnancy.

Here’s what Becki had to say:

“Preparing your body for pregnancy is one of the most important things you can do for the health of you and your baby. Three months before trying to conceive is the critical time to address nutritional status, any underlying health concerns, hormone imbalances and detoxification issues. Why three months? - Becki explains more on her website here.
 

The first trimester requires massive amount of energy and nutrients in order to grow and develop a baby. That’s why the first trimester is known as the worst and most draining. Focusing on increasing nutrients that we know are going to be required for pregnancy is going to support health for mother and baby going forward into pregnancy'.”

“There are five main nutrients to focus on for Preconception:

1. Folate / Folic acid

Folic acid is the supplement we are all told we need to support neural tube defects. Folate is a B vitamin and folic acid is a synthetic form of folate. B vitamins are water soluble therefore we cannot store them and we need to replenish stores daily. Folate is in its pure form, this is why I would advise adding foods containing folate into the diet such as Broccoli, peas, leafy greens, beans and whole grains like quinoa.
        Some people have difficulty processing folic acid so you may not actually be getting the benefits of taking a folic acid supplement. I would also advise taking a good quality prenatal multivitamin that contains folate. You are going to absorb this easier and your body will be able to utilise it more efficiently than folic acid.

2. Iron

Blood volume increases by almost 50% during pregnancy. Therefore more iron is needed for red blood cell production. Women are often anaemic during pregnancy because of the demands, and if your levels are low to begin with then it can be a struggle to get them back up. Iron supplements are often prescribed to pregnant women but they can be harsh on the digestive system so increasing iron rich foods preconception is a good way of avoiding this. Iron rich foods include – leafy greens, whole grains, beans, red meat, dried fruit such as apricots.

3. Choline

Choline is required for babies brain development. The best soured of choline is eggs. Three eggs a day will give you the required amount of choline. Plant based sources include tofu, broccoli, mushrooms, beans but availability of choline is in much smaller amounts.

4. Healthy fats

Some of you may be concerned about 3 eggs a day and the fat content but fat is necessary for your health and babies health. Reproductive hormones are all made from cholesterol. If we do not have the basic materials then our hormones become unbalanced. The fats we want to include more of in our diet are Omega 3s which are polyunsaturated fats. DHA found in omega 3s are essential for babies brain development. Healthy fats to include in your diet avocado, olive oil, oily fish- salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, herring, walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds.

5. Zinc

Zinc is important for regulating hormone function, immune function including cell division. It is needed for sperm production, sperm quality and increases testosterone levels. Food to add to your diet containing zinc are nuts, seeds, legumes, eggs, shellfish and red meat.

There is quite a crossover of foods that contain these nutrients. Including whole grains, beans and pulses, nuts and seeds, eggs, omega 3 rich fish, some red meat. Having lots of veggies on your plate on a regular basis is going to provide your body with all the essential nutrients it needs!”

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Some brilliant advice there from Becki which I hope you found useful! We plan to collaborate on more topics in future to help bring you the information you need and can use in your motherhood journey. That being said, do you have any specific questions or topics you would like me and Becki to cover? Let me know!