Tips

  • Drink at least 1,5 litre of fluid each day.
  • Eat whole-grain products, potatoes (4 pcs), rice, pasta or legume (4 – 5 serving spoons).
  • Eat at least 200 grams of vegetables.
  • Eat 2 pieces of fruit a day (fruit also contains a lot of sugar, so it is important not to eat more than two pieces a day).
  • Take 450-500 ml dairy products; this can be milk, yoghurt, yoghurt drinks or cheese.
  • Eat about 100-125 grams of meats, fish, chicken, eggs or a meat substitute. (Fish is a major supplier of essential fatty acids needed for the development of the nervous system and the brains of the baby.)
  • Make sure you eat enough food that is rich in iron: meat and fish, wholemeal products, green vegetables, eggs and legumes. (It is better not to drink dairy products or coffee or tea during or immediately after dinner; these products will impede the absorption of iron.)
  • Take 30-35 grams of spreads, margarine, butter or oil a day.
  • Make sure your diet is varied enough.
  • Eat smaller portions frequently, so as to keep your sugar levels constant.
  • It’s better not to eat sweets.

Lifestyle Advice

Nutrition

When you want to have a baby or when you are pregnant, it is important to make sure that your diet is healthy and balanced. For the future mom, this is important because it will give you more energy during your pregnancy, so that you are stronger when you have to give birth. A good diet will make your recovery easier after the delivery. A healthy diet is also important for your baby, because the baby obtains all the necessary nutrients through its mother’s body. A healthy diet for the child provides a basis for its further development.

During pregnancy, women gain approximately 22-26 pounds (10-12 kilograms). If you are gaining much more weight, or if you are losing weight, you should tell your midwife about this during your check-up. We strongly oppose to dieting before or during pregnancy.

Be careful with:

  • Raw meats: To avoid a toxoplasmosis infection, we recommend not eating any raw (red) meat like red steak, carpaccio, steak tartare or roast beef. If you cook the meat thoroughly, the parasites will no longer pose a threat.
  • Cat litter and gardening: You can also get the toxoplasmosis infection by handling cat litter, which is why it is important that you do not empty the litter box yourself. Wear gloves when working in the garden and wash your hand thoroughly afterwards. Also, it is important to always wash fruit and vegetables thoroughly.
  • Non-pasteurised cheese: Listeriosis can be avoided by thoroughly heating your food, and by avoiding cheese that is made of raw, unpasteurised milk. These are usually soft, French cheeses, with "au lait cru" stated on the label. Soft cheese made of pasteurised milk is safe, as long as you do not keep it in the refrigerator for too long. 
  • Pre-packaged raw fish: To avoid listeriosis, we recommend to cook pre-packaged raw fish thoroughly, and not to eat it raw.
  • Caffeine: We advise you not to drink more than 100 milligram of caffeine a day. This equals 1 cup of coffee or two cups of caffeinated tea, or 1 coke. Avoid energy drinks during pregnancy.

For further information: voedingsadviezen bij klachten. General advise about nutrition from the Netherlands Nutrition Centre (in dutch)

Folic Acid

From the moment you want to get pregnant until the 10th week of your pregnancy, we recommend you take 0,4 – 0,5 milligrams of folic acid a day. This reduces the risk of having a baby with a neural tube defect or spina bifida.

Vitamins

Vitamin A: The consumption of producs containing vitamin A, such as liver and liver products like pate or liverwurst, should be limited during pregnancy. High concentrations of vitamin A can be toxic.

Vitamin D: Pregnant women need extra vitamin D. This vitamin is produced in the skin when it is exposed to sunlight. Butter and margarine are examples of products that contain vitamin D. When you’re pregnant, your body needs an extra 10 micrograms of vitamin D. This extra vitamin D enables the body to better absorb calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin D is essential because it helps build your baby’s bones and teeth, but it is also important for the mother. Vitamin D is available without prescription at drugstores or pharmacies.

Vitamin supplements

If you have a healthy, balanced diet, it is not necessary to take extra vitamin supplements. Folic acid and vitamin D are exceptions. If you do feel that you need more, please make sure to take a vitamin supplement especially for pregnant women. These supplements will not have too high concentrations of vitamin A.

Brochure (in dutch) of the Vitamin Information Office.

Alcohol and smoking

Smoking and alcohol are harmful to the unborn child. It is wise give up smoking if you want to get pregnant or as soon as you know you are pregnant. The same goes for alcohol.

Smoking and pregnancy

Smoking decreases female fertility, and it increases the risk of miscarriage. Babies of women who smoke are more often born prematurely, and they often have a lower birth weight. These babies also have a higher risk of birth defects such as a cleft lip and palate or a clubfoot. Babies of mothers and fathers who smoke have a greater risk of SIDS (cot death).

For further information: Hulp bij stoppen met roken (in dutch).

Alcohol and pregnancy

If you wish to become pregnant, alcohol reduces your and your partner’s fertility. Alcohol consumption of the future parents around the time of conception can increase the risk of a miscarriage. Alcohol is damaging to the foetus’s developing brain; this also applies to the alcohol that the baby gets through breast milk.

For further information: Alcohol en zwangerschap (in dutch).

Medication

During pregnancy, not all drugs are allowed. If you use any medication, or if they are prescribed to you, you should always mention that you are pregnant. Your GP or pharmacist will take this into account when they give you a prescription. Do not use any drugs that are freely available at the drugstore, not even natural remedies. 

For further information: Zelfmedicatie en zwangerschap (in dutch).

Sports

At the beginning of the pregnancy, there is no need to stop exercising. Regular exercise during pregnancy is good, because it will keep your physical condition stable and your muscles strong. Furthermore, regular exercise will prevent haemorrhoids, varicose veins and constipation. Still, you should always listen to the signals that your body gives you.

Further on in the pregnancy it might be necessary to slow down a bit. During pregnancy you are more susceptible to injuries, so do slow down with sports such as squash or aerobics. It is wise to wear a good supporting bra and maybe also a supportive belly band. You should better not exercise dangerous sports such as riding, gymnastics, martial arts or skiing while you are pregnant and endurance sports such as marathon running are not a good idea either. While pregnant, you are not allowed to go scuba diving.

You can keep on swimming or cycling all through the pregnancy, because your body is well supported while doing this. Walking is fine, too.

Work

Your working environment can affect your pregnancy – it may even be harmful. It is important to discuss this with your midwife. How do you deal with that impact, and, if it is harmful, how can you minimise its effects? The following factors may affect the pregnancy: working with chemicals, physically heavy work, stress, irregular working hours, risk of infection, the influence of physical factors such as noise.

For further information see alsothe pregnancy brochure of the occupational health office (in dutch). 

Maternity leave

Pregnant employees are entitled to 16 weeks of maternity leave. Fathers, on the other hand, only get two days off when the baby is born.

Information from the government about these regulations.