Pregnancy Diet and Exercise

Pregnancy Diet and Exercise

When you are pregnant it is hard to know what you can and can't do; especially in regards to your diet and daily exercise. Sophie Halls Anning has answered the tough questions surrounding diet and exercise whilst pregnant; providing an essential outline of why watching your diet and exercising is extremely important when you are pregnant. It is still vital you consult your doctor for information about what would suit you best over the course of your pregnancy.

Interview with Sophie Halls Anning

How does a mother's diet directly impact the health of their baby throughout their life?

Sophie Halls Anning: Growing evidence demonstrates a lasting link between nutrition during pregnancy and the long-term health of an individual. Conditions in the womb impact metabolism, while the type of food a mother eats can affect brain function, bone development and the incidence of allergies. By eating a healthy diet before and during pregnancy, mums can deliver a healthy baby and reduce the likelihood of chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease in child or adulthood. In essence, health in the womb lays the foundation for health in later life.


Most of us know we need to avoid alcohol and smoking, but what other foods should be avoided by pregnant women?

Sophie Halls Anning: Many women can feel overwhelmed by all the things the media, medical profession and health industry tells them they should or shouldn't eat, so avoiding alcohol and smoking is a really good start!

Avoiding refined, high sugar foods; high saturated fat and fried foods; foods containing trans fats like biscuits and cakes as well as foods with added salt and other additives is a good idea whether you're pregnant or not. These foods contribute to obesity, high blood pressure, spikes in blood sugar and other imbalances in the body.

Specifically, pregnant women should avoid large fish which contain high levels of toxins like tuna, swordfish or shark, which is often called flake. Liver, in its natural state or in pâtés, contains a high amount of Vitamin A which can cause birth defects and should be avoided. Caffeine should be consumed in moderation, no more than 1 regular espresso style coffee, or 3 cups of instant style coffee, or 4 cups of tea, or 4 cans of diet/regular cola drink. Energy drinks should not be consumed while pregnant.


Is it true pregnant women should avoid soft serve, cold deli meats and certain cheeses?

Sophie Halls Anning: Foods that have not been thoroughly cooked or are stored in such a way that may allows bacteria to develop should be avoided by pregnant women since the bacteria can cross the placenta and harm the foetus. This includes unpasteurised cheeses, dips, chilled meats, takeaway and open-counter foods, pre-packed salads, raw eggs or fish, smoked foods, rare meat and shellfish.

Although many pre-prepared foods are prepared to high standards, it only takes one bad prawn or poorly refrigerated salad to pass on listeria to your baby. This can cause premature birth and make your baby very sick. Pregnant women should maintain basic hygiene standards and ensure all food is thoroughly cooked and appropriately refrigerated at home. In restaurants, it's advisable to ask how sauces are made since they may contain undercooked eggs or shellfish.


Why is it important that pregnant woman avoid certain foods and how can eating these foods affect the baby?

Sophie Halls Anning: Foods that may be predisposed to salmonella or listeria should be avoided in pregnancy because these bacteria are particularly harmful to unborn babies. While care should be taken to cook food thoroughly, overcooking, particularly on a barbeque, should be avoided since charred food contains carcinogens (cancer forming properties).

As well as diet, its important women are aware of products that we use everyday that can negatively impact the development of a healthy foetus. Cat litter, materials used in renovations, garden pesticides, strong cleaning chemicals and strongly smelling beauty products.


What are some of the most important foods for pregnant women to consume?

Sophie Halls Anning: Fortunately, there is an abundance of delicious food that pregnant women should enjoy at various stages in their pregnancy to nourish their babies and give them the healthiest possible start in life.

These include good carbohydrate sources (think whole grains, high fibre foods), essential fatty acids found in fish, avocado, oils and nuts, plenty of protein as well as calcium rich foods like low-fat dairy. Antioxidants, which are found in fruit and vegetables, contain vitamins and provide a protective effect against the harmful toxins in other foods and the environment.

A nutritionist can guide pregnant women through healthy eating during pregnancy and provide eating plans and recipes that contain all the key nutrients to benefit mother and baby.


What key nutrients are vital to a baby's development?

Sophie Halls Anning: All basic nutrients, like protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals are essential to the development of a healthy baby. Following the recommended daily intake for adults with the addition of a pregnancy supplement containing DHA, folic acid and iodine is a good start. Paying attention to foods that should be avoided and foods that can be eaten in abundance will help pregnant women to control the impact of their diet on their baby.

But taking nutrition in pregnancy to the next level and following specific eating plans can help to give a baby the best start in life. Who doesn't want their baby to be as bright as a button, their child to be top of the class, have a good immune system and be allergy free? Specialist dietary advice can help achieve these outcomes and the nine months of pregnancy can be a veritable feast for all the family in enjoying nutrient rich foods.


Are pregnant women exercising enough throughout their pregnancy?

Sophie Halls Anning: According to the latest research, pregnant women are not getting enough aerobic exercise.


Why is it important that women exercise throughout their pregnancy?

Sophie Halls Anning: Exercising during pregnancy will help mums and bubs to stay healthy for life. Because a baby's metabolism is set in utero, the amount of exercise a mother undertakes during pregnancy, combined with her diet, influences birth weight. While a low birth weight is undesirable, larger and larger birth weights are being recorded, which doesn't bode well for the future. For example, a larger birth size of over 3.7kg has been associated with a higher rate of childhood obesity. It's vital that newly pregnant women understand how much weight they should aim to gain over the course of their pregnancy and how to translate the additional calories required into real meals.

For mums, exercise may help prevent gestational diabetes, improve mental health and support healthy weight gain during pregnancy. Mums who gain too much weight while expecting are twice as likely to be overweight later in life, with a four-fold risk increase of becoming obese, a recent US study shows.


How much exercise should a pregnant woman daily and what type of exercise?

Sophie Halls Anning: A total of 150 minutes a week of moderate exercise, which is equivalent to 30 minutes five times a week, is ideal in pregnancy. Moderate exercise means working up a light sweat, so power walking with arm weights is ideal, being one of the safest types of exercise during pregnancy. Women with a regular exercise program can tailor their activities to suit their stage of pregnancy, aiming to keep up the same level of cardio they were completing before pregnancy. However, mums-to-be need to be careful not to increase their exercise output while pregnant as this may result in a lower birth weight and cause undue stress to the foetus. Pregnancy is not the time to be attempting to lose weight.


How will exercise help the baby and mother-to-be?

Sophie Halls Anning: Regular, moderate exercise throughout pregnancy helps achieve a healthy birth weight to minimise the risk of obesity later in life for mother and baby. By increasing the heart rate, blood and fluids are moved around the body, carrying vital nutrients to the growing baby and flushing out toxins. It's important that mums-to-be keep hydrated while pregnant and replace the fluids lost during exercise. As a guide, 1 litre of water for every hour spent exercising should be drunk in addition to the recommended 2 litres per day.


Can you explain what Broody Foodie does?

Sophie Halls Anning: Broody Foodie uses 'nutritional therapy' to meet the specific demands of pregnancy. Our 12-15 week programs have been developed to meet the body's need in pre-conception; trimester one, two and three and post-pregnancy weight management.

A qualified nutritionist analyses client's current health, diet and lifestyle and tailors recommendations to meet individual needs and to optimise the health of mother and baby throughout the pregnancy journey. Problems related to infertility and pregnancy complications are addressed through diet, lifestyle and supplements.

Regular consultations ensure client's eating plans are kept on track and help mums-to-be understand why particular foods are important at difference stages in pregnancy, with practical, everyday recipes provided. Consultations are available on line and programs are supported by ongoing email communication to fit the busy schedule of mums-to-be and new mums.


Realistically pregnant women cannot give up everything; how does Broody Foodie build a realist approach to changing an eating pattern?

Sophie Halls Anning: Although there are a number of enjoyable things pregnant women are recommended to avoid during pregnancy like alcohol, sashimi and unpasteurised cheese, knowing how to make healthy food taste great is the key to making a pregnancy diet enjoyable.

Broody Foodie works with clients to understand how they currently prepare food and the types of foods they enjoy, meaning dietary recommendations are based around existing preferences to minimise the need for major changes in the way clients shop or eat.


Broody Foodie is a nutrition consultancy, founded in 2008 by Sophie Halls Anning, for people preparing for and during pregnancy as well as post-pregnancy weight management.

Sophie's approach is practical, recognising that diet and lifestyle changes must be easy and realistic if they are to deliver results.

Broody Foodie offers more than a health assessment and diet sheets. Sophie's passion for food and cooking means that clients not only receive clinical advice, but also recipe suggestions and participation in cooking workshops which turn recommendations into real eating plans.

Sophie studied with Nature Care College and the Australasian College of Natural Therapies in Sydney for over four years.

Sophie is a member of Nutrition Society of Australia (NSA) and the Australian Association of Food Professionals (AAFP).

For more information go to: www.broodyfoodie.com.au

Interview by Brooke Hunter