Advice

Advice

Nutrition 
It is important to eat fresh, healthy and varied food. The eat well plate can help you with this. 
The eat well plate says: 
  • A lot of fruit and vegetables 
  • Especially whole wheat, such as wholemeal bread, wholemeal pasta and couscous and brown rice. 
  • Less meat and more vegetable. Vary with fish, legumes, nuts, eggs and vegetarian products 
  • Enough low-fat and semi-skimmed dairy, such as milk, yogurt and cheese 
  • A handful of unsalted nuts 
  • Soft or liquid lubricating and preparation fats, such as oil, low-fat margarine and liquid cooking and roasting fat. 

Liquids
  • Drink 1.5 - 2 liters every day (water, tea, coffee, juice) 
  • Do not drink more than 1 cup of coffee (or cola) with caffeine per day. 

Fruits and vegetables 
  • You need 2 ounces of vegetables and 2 pieces of fruit daily for vitamin C, folic acid, fiber and potassium. 
  • They help to improve blood pressure. 
  • They contain relatively few calories, help you to keep your weight and ensure proper bowel movements. 
  • Vary as much as possible between the different types of fruit and vegetables 
  • Wash raw fruit and vegetables well. In unwashed fruits and vegetables, pathogens sometimes occur that cause toxoplasmosis, among other things. 

Dairy products and meat or meat substitutes, fish or egg 
  • Required for proteins, fish fatty acids, iron, calcium and B vitamins 
  • Proteins are needed as a building material (growth) and for the production of tissue in you and your baby. 
  • Do not eat raw milk cheeses ('au lait cru '). The listeria bacteria can grow in raw milk. Contamination with this bacterium can have harmful consequences for the baby. Pasteurized milk or pasteurized milk cheeses can be used without risk. 
  • Do not eat raw or rosé fried meat (such as Américain fillet or roast beef). 
  • Prefer not to eat liver, but at most once a day a product that contains liver. Liver contains a lot of vitamin A. Too much vitamin A has harmful consequences for the baby. 

Fat (unsaturated) and oil 
  • Provide essential nutrients such as vitamins D, E and essential fatty acids. These are fatty acids that your body cannot produce. 
  • Fat provides energy and is an important fuel for your body. 
  • Unsaturated fat reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and is good for your cholesterol. 
  • Vitamin D is important for your bones and the proper functioning of the cells in your body 

Note: 

  • Eating for 2 is not necessary. 
  • We advice you not to lose weight during pregnancy. When you are pregnant and you lose weight, harmful substances that are stored in your fat can reach the baby through your bloodstream. 
  • Fasting during Ramadan is not prohibited. Every pregnant woman decides for herself whether or not she wants to fast. For women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, fasting can be an additional burden. In principle, fasting is compulsory for everyone, but when it poses a risk to the health of mother and / or (unborn) child, women are allowed to refrain from fasting. Do you want more information about this? Please contact us. 
  • Do you not eat meat or fish? Make sure that you get enough B vitamins and iron. B vitamins are mainly found in whole-grain products, potatoes, legumes, eggs and dairy products. Legumes and eggs are also important sources of iron, just like meat substitutes. 


Folic acid (Vitamin B11) 

To minimize the risk of neural tube defects, or an open back or an open palate, early in pregnancy, it is strongly recommended that you take extra folic acid. Folic acid reduces the chance of this. In an unborn child, the neural tube is the start of the spinal cord and brain and is developed early in pregnancy. If something goes wrong during the construction and development of the neural tube, abnormalities of the spinal cord or brain can occur during pregnancy. There is then an open back or an open skull. Folic acid is vitamin B11. It is also found in bananas, oranges, legumes, yeast, milk and green leafy vegetables, for example. You still need extra of this vitamin. It takes about 4 weeks before extra folic acid is absorbed into your body. Therefore, you should already start taking folic acid as soon as you have a child's desire. Take a 0.4 milligram folic acid tablet every day up to and including the tenth week of your pregnancy. The tablets are available from the drugstore or pharmacy without a prescription. If you are unsure about a certain product, consult the website of the nutrition center or contact us


Catlitter or gardening

Toxoplasmosis is a disease that can be harmful to your unborn child. Have you ever had toxoplasmosis, then you are protected against this disease. The disease is caused by a parasite. This parasite can occur in the excrement of (especially young) cats. This allows the parasite to end up in a sandbox. Wear gloves when you change the litter box or work in the garden. And wash your hands when you're done with that. Wash your hands and those of the children even after playing in the sandpit. You should also not eat raw meat and unwashed vegetables or fruit. Because of this you can also get toxoplasmosis. 


Alcohol 

Avoid alcohol during pregnancy. Alcohol can be harmful in small amounts to your unborn baby. You are also more likely to have a miscarriage if you consume alcohol when you are pregnant. 


Smoking 

It is advisable not to smoke during pregnancy. Smoking during pregnancy is harmful to your baby. Smoking yourself, but also being present in a smoky environment, has a negative effect on pregnancy. Cigarettes contain harmful substances. These substances ensure a reduced blood flow to the placenta and therefore reduced oxygen supply to your baby. The substances also go through the placenta to the baby, so that nutrients and oxygen reach the baby less. This has a negative outcome on the growth of the baby. 
Smoking or passive smoking can cause: 
  • miscarriage or premature birth (before the 37-week pregnancy) 
  • a (too) low birth weight and premature birth 
  • oxygen deficiency and as a result problems in the growth and development of your baby 
  • more colds, ear infections or lung problems, such as asthma 
  • being born with an addiction to nicotine which makes the baby restless and crying 
  • a 2x higher chance of cot death 
Stop smoking reduces the risks immediately! Do you need help with quitting? Ask us for support. 


Drugs 

The use of drugs is strongly discouraged if you want to become pregnant, are already pregnant or if you are breast-feeding. Soft drugs (marijuana / weed and hash) can also have adverse consequences for your child. That effect is enhanced if you combine soft drugs with alcohol or tobacco. Hard drugs such as cocaine, ecstasy (XTC) and heroin are dangerous for your unborn child. 
If you use hard drugs, stopping during pregnancy can cause withdrawal symptoms in your child after birth. If you use drugs, we think it is important that you discuss this with us. It is advisable to seek professional help if you want to quit. If that doesn't work, then a gynecologist's supervision is necessary.
Sign Up
Share by: