Important Vitamins during pregnancy and healthy snacks

Vitamin supplements in pregnancy: It is best to get vitamins and minerals from the food you eat, but when you are pregnant you will need to take some supplements as well:

• 10 micrograms of vitamin D throughout your pregnancy and if you breastfeed.

• 400 micrograms of folic acid – ideally this should be taken from before you get pregnant until you are 12 weeks pregnant.

If you are vegetarian or vegan, you may need to take a vitamin B12 supplement as well as other supplements. Talk to your doctor or midwife about this.

If you have a special or restricted diet, you may need additional supplements. Talk to your doctor or midwife about this.

Do not take vitamin A supplements, or any supplements containing vitamin A, as too much could harm your baby.

Safe vitamin supplements during pregnancy

You can get supplements from pharmacies and supermarkets or your GP may be able to prescribe them for you. If you want to get your folic acid or vitamin D from a multivitamin tablet, make sure that the tablet does not contain vitamin A (or retinol).

Healthy Start vitamins for women contain the correct amount of folic acid and vitamin D and are free from the NHS without a prescription to pregnant women receiving Healthy Start vouchers. Ask your GP or pharmacist for advice if you are unsure.

Your primary care trust and local pharmacies may sell this supplement to women who don’t receive it free.

Healthy Start is a scheme that provides vouchers that can be exchanged for milk, fresh fruit and vegetables and infant formula milk. You can also receive free vitamins.

You qualify for Healthy Start if you are pregnant or have a child under four years old, and you and your family receive one of the following:

• Income Support.

• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance.

• Child Tax Credit and have an annual family income of £16,040 or less (2008/09).

• Working Tax Credit run-on (but not Working Tax Credit). Working Tax Credit run-on is the Working Tax Credit you receive in the four weeks immediately after you have stopped working for 16 hours or more per week.

Or you qualify if you are pregnant and under 18 years of age.

You can receive vouchers that are worth £3.10 per week or £6.20 per week for children under one year old.

• Ask your health visitor for more information.

Vegetarian diet in pregnancy

A varied and balanced vegetarian diet should give enough nutrients for you and your baby during pregnancy. However, you might find it hard to get enough iron and vitamin B12. Talk to your doctor or midwife about how you can make sure that you are getting enough of these important nutrients.

You should also talk to your doctor or midwife if you have a restricted diet because you have a food intolerance (such as coeliac disease) or for religious reasons. Ask to be referred to a dietician who can give you advice on how to get the nutrients you need for you and your baby.

Healthy snacks for pregnant women  

You may find that you get hungry between meals. Avoid snacks that are high in fat and/or sugar.

Instead you could try the following:

• Fresh fruit.

• Sandwiches or pita bread filled with grated cheese, lean meat, mashed tuna, salmon or sardines and salad.

• Salad vegetables.

• Low-fat yoghurt or fromage frais.

• Hummus and bread or vegetable sticks.

• Ready-to-eat apricots, figs or prunes.

• Vegetable and bean soups.

• Unsweetened breakfast cereals or porridge and milk.

• Milky drinks or unsweetened fruit juices.

• Baked beans on toast or a baked potato.