Preparing for pregnancy

If you are trying for a baby, it is never too soon to make some healthy changes to your diet. Not only could it boost your chances of conceiving, but it will also get your baby off to the best possible start when you do get pregnant.

What to eat

• Fruit and vegetables. Aim for at least five portions a day.
• Starchy carbohydrates such as potatoes, pasta, rice and bread. These should make up around a third of your diet. Choose wholegrain versions where possible.
• Protein, including lean meat, poultry, eggs, pulses, beans, nuts and soya products. Include a portion at every meal.
• Dairy foods such as milk, cheese and yogurt.
• Fish, particularly oily fish, such as fresh tuna, mackerel, sardines and trout. They are a good source of vitamins, minerals, protein and omega 3 fatty acids but may contain pollutants, so limit the amount you eat to no more than two portions a week.

What to avoid

• Alcohol. Cut it out completely if possible, or limit it to one to two units, once or twice a week.
• Fatty and sugary food like biscuits, crisps, cakes and sweets. Carrying excess weight can make it harder to conceive.
• Smoking. Aim to give up before you start trying for a baby.
• Caffeine. This can increase the risk of miscarriage so aim for no more than 200mg a day (two mugs of instant coffee or tea).
• Shark, swordfish and marlin. These may contain high levels of mercury that can be harmful to unborn babies if eaten in large amounts.
• New advice from the Department of Health states that if mothers would like to eat peanuts or foods containing peanuts during pregnancy or breastfeeding, then they can choose to do so as part of a healthy balanced diet. This is irrespective of whether they have a family history of allergies (although mothers with a peanut allergy should, of course, avoid peanuts and foods containing peanuts).

Men matter too
It takes two to make a baby, and your partner's diet and lifestyle could affect the quality of his sperm. To boost your chances of conceiving, encourage him to join you in your healthy eating regime, and to give up smoking and alcohol too.

Folic acid
This nutrient plays a crucial part in your baby's development, helping to prevent birth defects like spina bifida. Folic acid is found in green vegetables, brown rice, beans and fortified bread and breakfast cereal, but it is hard to get the necessary quantities from food alone. To make sure you get the recommended amount, start taking a daily 400 micrograms supplement of folic acid from the time you stop using contraception until the twelfth week of pregnancy.