Pregnancy places additional demands on the body as it works to nourish both mother and baby. Throughout the day, your body constantly supports foetal growth, builds new tissue, and adjusts hormone levels. These changes increase the need for specific vitamins, minerals and nutrients that keep you energised and support healthy development.
Common nutritional challenges during pregnancy include:
- Increased iron requirements
- Higher need for folic acid
- Rapid changes in blood volume
- Digestive changes that affect nutrient absorption
- Higher demand for omega-3s for a baby’s brain development
While every pregnancy is different, the way you eat can make a meaningful difference in how well your body copes with these changes.
Here’s how to nourish yourself effectively with simple, whole-food choices.
1. Prioritise nutrient-dense whole foods
Vegetables, fruit, whole grains, legumes and small fatty fish provide essential nutrients such as folic acid, iron, calcium, vitamins A, B12 and C, and omega-3 fatty acids for healthy foetal development.
2. Support gut health with fibre and prebiotics
A well-balanced gut microbiome helps with digestion and nutrient absorption. Vegetables like cauliflower, daikon and root crops provide fibre and prebiotics that support smoother bowel movements and more stable blood sugar levels.
3. Pair whole foods with helpful supplements
Many mums take prenatal supplements, such as folic acid, iron, DHA and probiotics, to fill nutritional gaps, especially when appetite changes or nausea makes it hard to eat enough. It’s best to check with a healthcare professional first to ensure the supplements are suitable for your needs.
1. Roasted vegetables and fish
Ingredients:
- 300g pumpkin, diced
- 300g daikon radish, diced
- 300g lotus root, diced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 5 ladies’ fingers, sliced
- 1 ikan kuning
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp salt
What to do:
- Preheat oven to 150°C.
- Spread diced vegetables in a single layer on a tray.
- Place ikan kuning on top.
- Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt.
- Roast for 20 minutes.
- Flake the fish and remove the bones. Set aside.
2. Curried cauliflower rice
Ingredients:
- 1 cauliflower (grated or blitzed into “rice”)
- 80g shallots
- 15g ginger
- 30g garlic
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 6 tbsp coconut milk
- 1 tbsp salt
What to do:
- Blend shallots, ginger and garlic with a little water and oil to form a paste.
- Heat olive oil in a pan and sauté the paste until fragrant.
- Stir in curry powder.
- Add coconut milk and mix well.
- Add cauliflower rice and fish flakes.
- Season with salt.
Tip: You can find these fresh ingredients easily on FairPrice Online.
A well-balanced diet, paired with supportive supplements, helps keep you energised and nourished throughout pregnancy. Whole foods, fibre-rich vegetables and omega-3-rich fish support both you and your baby during this important stage of life.
Shop for prenatal supplements and other fresh ingredients at FairPrice Online. Or visit a nearby Unity store and speak with our friendly pharmacists for personalised supplement and wellness advice for your pregnancy!
