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Essential nutrients

Folic acid

Folic acid is an essential nutrient in the months before becoming pregnant and in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Folic acid helps prevent neural tube defects e.g. spina bifida. The Department of Health recommends that you take a supplement containing 400µg folic acid every day, such as the Aptamil Pregnancy & Breastfeeding. However, if there is a family history of neural tube defects or if you are taking medication for epilepsy, you may require a higher dose, please consult your healthcare professional.

Calcium rich foods

Calcium is an essential nutrient which helps in the development of strong bones and teeth,. The best food sources of calcium are dairy foods such as milk, yoghurt and cheese. Other lower sources include dark green leafy vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage. During pregnancy and when breastfeeding it is recommended to take 5 servings of calcium-rich dairy food everyday. Low fat varieties are best as they contain the same amount of calcium as full fat varieties. Research has shown that 95% of pregnant women are not achieving their recommended intake of calcium-rich dairy foods. Aptamil Pregnancy and Breastfeeding food supplement contains 200mg calcium to help in combination with a balanced diet meet your daily calcium requirements.

Omega 3

The Department of Health recognise that Omega 3 is important for the normal development of your baby’s brain and eyes. Unlike Vitamin D, Omega-3 fats can only be found in food and the main source is oily fish (e.g. salmon, mackerel or trout). As it can be difficult to get enough Omega 3 from your diet alone, you may want to consider a supplement such as the Aptamil Pregnancy and Breastfeeding food supplement which contains 1 Omega 3 capsule containing 200mg Omega 3 DHA to help in combination with a balanced diet meet your daily requirements.

Iron

Pregnant women can become deficient in iron, so think about building up your reserves now by including lots of iron rich foods in your diet. Good natural sources of iron include red meat, chicken, dark green leafy vegetables, bread, dried fruit, beans and fortified breakfast cereals. Aptamil Pregnancy and Breastfeeding food supplement contains10mg iron (nearly 70% of the recommended intake for pregnancy.