1.Get your nutritional needs right
Eat a well-balanced diet, full of fresh fruit and vegetables, good quality protein, wholegrains, low fat dairy products and plenty of water. Good maternal nutrition will help give your baby the best start in life.
Even with the best intentions, it can be difficult to meet the increased nutritional needs of pregnancy through diet alone. For example, you’d need to eat the following amount of foods every day to reach the recommended requirements of the following 3 essential nutrients for pregnancy*:
Folic acid: around 700g of cooked spinach or 15 slices of bread
Iodine: around 200g of oysters or 6 eggs
Iron: around 900g of red meat or 250g of chicken livers.
*Estimates based on Food Standards Australia New Zealand, NUTTAB 2010.
That’s why pregnancy multivitamin and mineral supplements like Elevit have been developed to help meet the increased nutritional needs throughout pre-conception, pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Despite this, a healthy and well-balanced eating plan for both you and your partner, can support your chances of conceiving and having a healthy pregnancy.
Try to avoid substances that can cause problems with conception and in pregnancy, such as alcohol, recreational drugs, foods that may contain Listeria (such as soft cheeses, cold meats, pre-prepared salads and raw eggs) and fish containing high levels of mercury. It’s also advisable to minimise your daily caffeine intake
.
Fertility menu for her
Eat plenty of fibre-rich carbohydrates like fresh fruit, vegetables and whole grains.
Choose whole milk over skim milk or eat a serve of low-fat yoghurt every day.
Reduce the amount of coffee you drink, and avoid alcohol and sugary soft drinks. Drink lots of water instead.
Cut down the amount of sugar you take. Use natural sweeteners like maple syrup, honey or agave nectar instead of white table sugar.
Fertility menu for him
Men should increase their zinc and vitamin E intake. A supplement like Menevit is specifically designed for male fertility.
Include fenugreek in his diet as it has high levels of vitamins A and D, which can help with sexual desire and impotence. It can also increase the body’s metabolism, giving him more energy for sex.
Eat organic foods as much as possible. Pesticides can affect delicate hormone balances and male sperm production.
2. Take a pregnancy supplement when planning your pregnancy
Pregnancy is one of the most nutritionally demanding periods in a woman’s life, and the importance of good maternal nutrition for both mother and baby’s health is widely recognised.
During pregnancy, the need for some key nutrients is increased. Despite the best intentions, meeting these additional nutritional needs can be difficult through diet alone. Taking a pregnancy multivitamin and mineral supplement, such as Elevit, can help build up the essential nutrients required and help cover the needs of both mother and baby.
The first weeks of pregnancy are when your baby’s vital organs begin to form and this is the time you may not even know you are pregnant, so it’s important to start taking a pregnancy supplement daily from at least 1 month before you try to fall pregnant.
Men can also take a supplement, such as Menevit, to help support sperm health