Oh, found this on the SW website... don't know if it'll copy right or not:
Did you know that as an expectant mum you can still come along to group and continue Food Optimising? Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet is an ideal way to prevent excess weight gain and help towards a healthy pregnancy. If you’re expecting a little bundle of joy, or thinking of becoming a mum, read on…
I’m about to qualify as a midwife and I frequently see women with a BMI of over 30, suffering from serious health problems in pregnancy due to their weight. These problems range from gestational diabetes and high blood pressure to caesarean sections because babies have grown too large to be born naturally.
“It’s so refreshing to find a 'diet' that is so healthy and well-balanced that I can recommend it to pregnant women. I will certainly be endorsing it and hopefully will see these women benefit from much fewer health problems.
Michelle Southam
healthy and safe for you and baby
We know that weight concerns don’t just disappear when a mum-to-be discovers the happy news. The thought of ‘normal’ weight gain during pregnancy can be quite harrowing, especially for someone wanting to lose weight.
Food Optimising is a healthy, nutritious eating plan, encouraging you to eat as much food as you like, rather than operating as a restrictive diet. Slimming World members can continue to Food Optimise to obtain a healthy, well-balanced diet throughout their pregnancy.*
New mum Claire Mascall from Lancashire lost an amazing 9st 1½lbs with Slimming World.
After I began to lose weight I was overjoyed to find that I was pregnant. I continued going to group with the consent of my midwife and it led to me having a very healthy pregnancy. The only weight I gained was baby weight and after I gave birth to Casey I was able to recover from my caesarean quickly because my body is so healthy. My midwife was so impressed that she's suggested Slimming World to several mums-to-be!
Food Optimising recipes are based around filling and delicious Free Foods, that are ideal for enjoying a healthy balanced diet during your pregnancy. Choosing a wide variety of foods such as calcium-rich milk and cheese, whole grains, as well as plenty of fruit and vegetables will help towards a really balanced diet.
Although the general rule is to enjoy Food Optimising as normal, there are a few exceptions:
1.
Folic Acid
Take folic acid supplements as well as increasing dietary intake, when planning and during pregnancy to reduce the risk of neural tube defects.
2.
Liver & Vitamin AAvoid liver, liver products and supplements containing high levels of vitamin A, which can be toxic to the developing foetus.
3.
AlcoholAvoid drinking alcohol. If you do choose to drink, to protect your baby you should not drink more than 1 or 2 units of alcohol once or twice a week and avoid heavy drinking sessions.
*1 unit of alcohol = ½ pint of lager or beer, 25ml of spirits or 100ml wine.
4.
PeanutsConsider avoiding peanuts and peanut products if there is an immediate family history of nut or other allergies (such as asthma, eczema, hayfever or reactions to specific foods) to reduce the risk of the baby developing peanut allergy.
5.
FishLimit the amount of oily fish you eat to no more than 2 portions per week, to prevent the build up of pollutants which can affect the development of an unborn baby. Avoid swordfish, shark and marlin and limit the amount of tuna you eat to no more than two tuna steaks (1 portion = 140g cooked) or 4 medium sized cans a week. This is to
prevent you having high levels of mercury, which can harm the baby’s developing nervous system.
6.
CaffeineLimit your caffeine intake to no more than 300mg a day, because high levels can lead to low birth weight, or even miscarriage.
• 1 mug of coffee = 100mg
• 1 cup of tea = 50mg
• 1 can of cola = up to 40mg
7.
Other risksAvoid soft ripened and blue veined cheeses, pâté (including vegetable), unpasteurised milk and its products, raw or partially cooked eggs and foods containing them, in order to reduce the risk of food-borne infections. Also ensure that cooked-chilled foods are thoroughly reheated, meat, poultry and shellfish are thoroughly cooked and food is eaten within its use by date.
Your midwife or doctor will be able to discuss the latest dietary recommendations regarding pregnancy and breast-feeding with you.
Baby Body Magic
Pregnancy doesn’t have to mean inactivity and for most pregnant women, regular activity will be highly beneficial. Being fit is an advantage both in the pregnancy and recovery period.
Vigorous exercise, however, should be avoided. Gentle activity that doesn’t leave you short of breath, overheated or overly tired is generally recommended.
Walking is a great way to keep active during pregnancy and the support of the water makes swimming a good option too.
It’s important to consult your GP or midwife before starting any exercise, particularly if you haven’t been active prior to your pregnancy. Your GP or midwife should be able to advise on suitable activity or even recommend local classes such as ‘aqua-natal’ for mums-to-be. The benefits can include:
- More chance of a healthy level of weight gain during pregnancy
- More rapid weight loss after pregnancy
- Improved mood and sleep patterns, leading to less tension during pregnancy
- Shorter delivery time, and fewer complications during labour
Breastfeeding your baby
When breastfeeding, your body requires extra energy and calcium so we recommend you enjoy additional Healthy Extras on top of your usual 2a and 2b choices. We also recommend that you enjoy the full 15 Syns a day.
Baby’s age
No. of extra
Healthy Extras
Up to 2 months
3
2 to 3 months
4
4 to 6 months
if starting to wean
3
4 to 6 months
if breast milk is the only source of nutrient for your baby
4
Over 6 months when weaning
1
We recommend that one, or preferably two, of your additional Healthy Extra choices are made from the milk and cheese section.
The recommended daily intake of calcium for breastfeeding mums increases from 700mg to 1,250mg per day. The following table lists good dietary sources of calcium, providing you with plenty of healthy ways in which to increase your calcium intake:
Calcium rich food
Milk and cheese selections in the Healthy Extras section of your Food Optimising book all contain high levels of calcium. The exact amounts are as follows:
There are also a number of Free Foods that contain calcium, these include:
350ml skimmed milk
420mg
100g very low fat natural/flavoured yogurt
160mg
250ml semi-skimmed milk
300mg
100g very low fat natural/ flavoured fromage frais
130mg
175ml whole milk
200mg
100g quark
120mg
200ml whole goat’s milk
240mg
100g very low fat cottage cheese
120mg
250ml sweetened calcium enriched soya milk
315mg
100g Tofu (plain or naturally smoked)
510mg
350ml unsweetened calcium enriched soya milk
420mg
100g sardines, canned in tomato sauce
430mg
28g Cheddar
200mg
100g pilchards, canned in tomato sauce
250mg
28g Edam
220mg
100g spinach
170mg
28g Emmental
270mg
100g curly kale
130mg
28g Gouda
210mg
100g okra
160mg
28g Gruyere
270mg
100g amaranth leaves
270mg
28g Parmesan
290mg
42g Mozzarella
150mg
42g reduced fat Cheddar
350mg
42g reduced fat Cheshire
270mg
Please note – whilst you are breastfeeding and require extra Healthy Extras you will be able to add additional ‘a’ and ‘b’ choices to the online food diary. Let us know that you are breastfeeding by checking the box on your
update details page. Don’t forget to uncheck the box when you’re no longer breastfeeding and are back to the regular amount of Healthy Extras.
Your Consultant will be more than happy to help and advise you throughout your pregnancy. You’ll also receive a handy pregnancy booklet from group, as another useful reference.
We wish you a very happy and healthy pregnancy.
*Because weight loss during pregnancy needs careful monitoring, we require you to obtain the consent of your midwife to continue attending group.
