by Stella Mcintyre

Created on: April 28, 2009

Pregnancy is both exciting and daunting. You've never looked better; your hair is thick and glossy, your skin is clear and bright, in fact you are positively blooming. So how do you maintain this wonderful sense of well-being and ensure the best possible start for your baby?

Pregnancy should be approached holistically; nutrition and diet are important but so is overall health and fitness. The best approach is a natural one. A healthy balanced diet, natural remedies for conditions common during pregnancy and a simple routine of gentle exercise will benefit you and your little one.

Whilst there is definitely no need to eat for two during pregnancy, some care over specific aspects of your diet will benefit both you and your baby. During the final trimester only, you should increase your calorie intake by 200 calories a day. This is equivalent to two glasses of milk, two slices of medium-hard cheese, a bowl of porridge or muesli, or a baked potato.

Again in the final trimester, fatty acids called DHA and choline found in omega-3 fats are crucial. This is a time when your baby's brain is rapidly growing. Omega-3 fats are found in oily fish such as sardines, mackerel and trout. These fish are preferable to larger oily fish like salmon and tuna because they have less mercury content. Essential Fatty Acids lead to longer term pregnancies, meaning higher birth weights and healthier babies. They also reduce the risk of high blood pressure during pregnancy.

To ensure you are getting sufficient levels of DHA in a vegetarian diet, increase your intake of linseed (flaxseed) and rapeseed oils. You need large amounts of these, though, to get the levels found in oily fish.

If you regularly eat meat and fish, there is no need to increase your protein intake during pregnancy. Vegetarians should increase their intake of cereals, nuts, pulses with tofu, soya milk, eggs, cheese and cow's milk.

Whilst there is no official recommendation during pregnancy, it's a good idea to maintain a mineral-rich diet as requirements increase sharply once you start breastfeeding. Zinc deficiency has been linked to increased rates of miscarriage, low birth-weight babies, growth retardation and pre-term delivery. Male fetuses take 5 times more zinc from the mother than a female. A deficiency is unlikely if you regularly eat meat and fish. Nuts, pulses and wheat germ are the best source for vegetarians.

Iron is very important during pregnancy. Eat fortified bread, cereals, soya products, pulses, nuts, dark

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