Staying healthy for you and your baby

We recommend you get the flu, RSV and whooping cough vaccinations when you’re pregnant. Find out how getting vaccinated during pregnancy protects you and your baby on the Vaccination Matters website.

Why healthy eating and weight matters during pregnancy

Eating well and gaining a healthy amount of weight during pregnancy keeps you well and helps your baby grow and develop. What you eat, drink and how your weight changes can affect you and your baby’s health now and in the future.

Learn more about what foods are recommended and how much to eat on the Pregnancy, Birth and Baby website

Taking vitamins and supplements during pregnancy

There’s only a small increase in the amount of food you need to eat when you’re pregnant, but you do need more nutrients. Eating a balanced diet will give you most of these. But you'll need some supplements to help you get enough of others, like folic acid and iodine even if you eat well.

Always check with your GP, midwife or dietitian before taking any supplements.

The Pregnancy, Birth and Baby website has more information about taking vitamins and supplements during pregnancy.

Weight during pregnancy

You'll gain weight during pregnancy as your baby grows. Some people may lose a little weight early on because of morning sickness. The amount of weight gain that’s healthy for you depends on your weight before pregnancy.

Not gaining enough weight can increase the chance of your baby being born early or small and can cause problems later in life. Gaining too much can increase your risk of health conditions like gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia.

Read more about weight gain in pregnancy on the Pregnancy, Birth and Baby website.

Foods and drinks to avoid or limit

Some foods and drinks are best avoided or limited during pregnancy. These include foods that are more likely to carry harmful bacteria, fish high in mercury, alcohol and too much caffeine.

It's also a good idea to limit foods that are high in added sugar, salt or saturated fat. This includes chips, soft drinks, biscuits and cakes. These foods aren't part of the 5 food groups and can make it harder to get the nutrients you and your baby need.

Read more about foods to avoid during pregnancy on the Pregnancy, Birth and Baby website.

Talk to your GP, midwife or a dietitian if you have questions about what to eat, supplements or your weight.

Exercising during pregnancy

You can usually keep doing the same exercises you were doing before you got pregnant. Try to be active on most, if not all, days of the week. Only do as much as you can. Any movement is better than none.

Activity can be anything that gets your body moving and your heart beating a bit faster. It doesn’t need to be strenuous.

Talk to your GP or midwife for advice if you:

• are new to exercise
• are very active or an elite athlete
• have a medical condition, like diabetes or anaemia
• have or have had a complex pregnancy
• have previously had a miscarriage, stillbirth or preterm labour.

If you’re starting any new classes tell the instructor that you’re pregnant. They can give you advice about how to keep the movements safe for you and your baby.

Read more about the types of exercise you can do on the Pregnancy, Birth and Baby website.

Alcohol and pregnancy

If you're planning to have a baby, the safest choice is to stop drinking alcohol – for both you and your partner. Stop drinking at least 3 months before you try for a baby.

Drinking alcohol during your pregnancy

No amount of alcohol is safe for your unborn baby. When you drink, so does your baby. The alcohol passes from your blood through to your placenta to your baby, so they get about the same amount of alcohol as you do.

Alcohol can harm your baby at any stage of your pregnancy and damage their developing brain, body, and organs. The more you drink, the greater the risk.

Learn more about alcohol and pregnancy on the Every Moment Matters website.

How alcohol can affect you and your baby

Alcohol can affect your unborn baby in several ways because they can’t process alcohol the same way as an adult.

Drinking even small amounts of alcohol can:

• interfere with your baby’s development, especially in the first trimester when their brain, heart and other organs are forming
• increase your risk of having a miscarriage or stillbirth, especially if you drink frequently or binge drink
• affect how well your placenta works, so your baby may grow more slowly and have a low birth weight or be born early (prematurely)
• leave your child with long term behaviour challenges where they may struggle with social skills, emotions, being aggressive or hyperactive.

It also increases the risk of your child having fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). FASD causes permanent brain damage.

Learn more about fetal alcohol spectrum disorder on the Pregnancy, Birth and Baby website.

Taking medicines when you’re pregnant

Some medicines are safe to take during pregnancy. Others can cause harm to you or your baby.

This includes:

• prescription medicines
• over the counter medicines
• complementary or alternative medicines including herbal remedies
• vitamins and supplements
• any recreational drugs.

Don’t stop taking your prescription medicines until you’ve spoken with your GP. And always check with your GP, midwife or pharmacist before taking a new medicine.

Read more about medicines during pregnancy on the Pregnancy, Birth and Baby website.

Looking after your oral health during pregnancy

Looking after your teeth and gums is important for your health and your baby’s health during pregnancy. Daily care and dental check ups can make a big difference.

Pregnancy can increase your risk of gum disease (gingivitis) and tooth decay. This can happen because of:

• hormone changes
• morning sickness and reflux
• eating more often or craving sugary food.

If you don't look after your gums, they can get worse and lead to serious gum disease (periodontitis). This can increase the chance of early birth or low birth weight. It might also lead to high blood pressure during pregnancy (pre-eclampsia).

If you have a health care card and meet other conditions, you may be able to get free public dental care.

Staying healthy around the house during pregnancy

Pregnancy changes your immune system, hormones and body in many ways. These changes can make it easier to catch infections and harder to fight them off. Some viruses already in your body can also become active again, and some illnesses during pregnancy can make you very sick. They can also affect your baby’s growth, development and health.

Cytomegalovirus in pregnancy

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common virus that can be spread by coughing and sneezing and by contact with objects that have body fluids on them. It's also possible to get it from having sex, a blood transfusion or an organ transplant.

CMV can infect your developing baby, especially if you get it for the first time during pregnancy. It may lead to hearing or vision problems, developmental delay or other health issues.

Read more about cytomegalovirus on the Pregnancy, Birth and Baby website.

Pets and animals

Animals, including household pets, can carry germs that may make you sick. You often can’t tell if an animal has an infection. Some infections from animals can be serious during pregnancy.

Germs can spread from your pet’s poo, food bowls or bedding, so make sure you wash your hands after handling them.

Cats and toxoplasmosis

Cats can carry a parasite that causes toxoplasmosis. Infected cats pass it in their poo.

You can get infected if you swallow the parasite. This can happen if you touch your mouth after cleaning a litter tray or gardening in soil with cat poo in it.

Most healthy people don’t get sick, but toxoplasmosis can harm your baby if you catch it during pregnancy.

Read more about toxoplasmosis on the Pregnancy, Birth and Baby website.

Farm animals

Animals giving birth can pass on infections. Some infections from farm animals, like Q fever, listeriosis and chlamydiosis, can cause miscarriage, stillbirth or serious illness in you or your baby.

Stay away from animals giving birth, including sheep, cows and goats. You shouldn’t milk ewes or help with births.

Don’t touch newborn animals, fluids, afterbirth or anything they’ve been near. This includes clothes, boots or gear used around animal births. It’s only safe to touch these once they’ve been washed in hot water.

If people you know are helping with births, ask them to wear protective clothing. They should wash their hands and change their clothes before being near you.

Gardening

Soil can have animal poo in it and carry parasites that may harm your baby. Wear gloves when you’re gardening and wash your gloves and hands when you’re done.

Household chemicals and products

Some household products have chemicals that could harm your baby if you're exposed to large amounts. This includes products you might use for cleaning, gardening or home repairs.

Try using products with lower levels of chemicals. If you need to use a particular product, ask someone else if they can do the job for you.

When to see your GP

See your GP if you feel unwell or have any symptoms you’re worried about. Some infections in pregnancy can be serious so it’s important to get checked early.

A rash and fever can be a sign of an infection that may harm your baby. If you get a rash or have been near someone with one, tell your GP, midwife or obstetrician straight away.

They may ask about your symptoms, who you’ve been around, and what vaccines or illnesses you’ve had before. You might need a test to check if you have an infection.

Try to stay away from other pregnant people and antenatal clinics until you've been checked.