pregnancy

Take note: These are the foods to avoid when pregnant.

One of the best things about pregnancy is that you can eat, a lot, with no judgement.

Even when you’re sitting in front of a plate full of food, people will still try and feed you, because you are, after all, eating for two. It’s awesome.

Still, while pregnant your body takes over. It tells you what to eat and doesn’t take “no” for an answer.

Watermelon, NOW.

Peanut butter and coleslaw, NOW.

A frozen banana, WHAT?!?

And if you want to, you should go for it. Eat what your body (or the baby) tells you that you need to eat. Have fun. Enjoy. But be careful.

According to the NSW Food Authority and multiple other sources such as the book What to Expect When You’re Expectingyou should do your best to avoid these foods while pregnant:

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And then there are some foods you might want to cut down on:

ALCOHOL AND CAFFEINE

When I first fell pregnant 13 years ago I was told to cut out caffeine and consume alcohol “moderately”. Then, four years later when I fell pregnant again I was told the exact opposite – to cut out alcohol and consume caffeine moderately. So knowing what to do during which pregnancy can be tricky.

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The latest advice according to the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) is to “abstain from drinking alcohol” while trying to get pregnant, during pregnancy and during breastfeeding.

And moderate consumption of caffeine is the recommendation from Better Health Victoria.

SODIUM

Sodium in all it’s forms affect a person’s blood pressure as well as fluid levels, so pregnant women should aim for balance when it comes to salt consumption. According to WhatToExpect.com and Better Health Victoria, approximately six grams of iodine-fortified salt is recommended during pregnancy.

TINNED TUNA

Due to the high level of mercury in some fish Food Standards Australia recommends pregnant women limit the consumption of the following fish to two to three serves per week, including orange roughy, marlin, shark, tuna and swordfish.

Listen: Bec Judd tells Monique Bowley all about her pregnancies in the podcast Hello, Bump. Post continues…

But as with all pregnancy health advice, it’s highly recommended that you consult your doctor about any and all food choices and see a pregnancy nutritionist if need be.