The best preparation for healthy babies begins before conception by mother and father-to-be following healthy eating guidelines and minimizing their intake of anti-nutrients especially alcohol.

The Chinese count a persons age from the date of conception not birth. There may be some ancient health wisdom in that. Recent scientific research supports the idea that the months we spend in the womb constitute the most important months of a person's life, and that patterns of adult disease can be traced to infant nutrition.

Preventing Birth Defects:

Healthy eating guidelines for pregnancy include eating foods rich in the B vitamins, and the minerals zinc, iron, calcium and magnesium such as nuts, seeds, beans, pulses, whole grains, green leafy vegetables, lean meat and taking supplements containing these nutrients.

Even slight deficiencies in these nutrients during pregnancy can have serious effects on the health of the growing foetus. Deficiencies of all these nutrients during pregnancy have been linked to birth abnormalities. Deficiency of Folic acid for example has now been definitively linked with neural tube disorders including Spina Bifida.

Baby You Shrunk My Brain:

Recent research shows that women's brains shrink during pregnancy. The size of the cells shrinks not the number, just to be clear. One possible explanation is that the foetus takes supplies of essential fatty acids and phospholipids from the mother if there is not enough to go around. The brain needs phospholipids especially phosphatidyl choline to make important brain chemicals. Lecithin contains an abundance of this nutrient. Linseeds, pumpkin, sunflower, sesame seeds, contain essential fats, as do oily fish such as salmon. Therefore important requirements of healthy eating guidelines for pregnancy should include having 2-3 tablespoons of seeds per day and oily fish or fish oil supplement 2-3 times per week, which when you are pregnant will help you meet your requirements for essential fatty acids plus providing your baby with critical nutrients.

Morning Sickness:

A diet packed with B vitamins especially B6, Folate, B12, and zinc, may go a long way to minimizing, morning sickness. Frequent meals made up of whole foods helps prevent or limit the severity of this unpleasant side effect of the high levels of HCG - a hormone that's present in very high levels in the first trimester.

Because all the vital organs of a baby are formed within the first trimester, often before women are aware that they are pregnant, following healthy eating guidelines before conception and during pregnancy can greatly increase the chances of a complication free pregnancy and birth, producing heavier and healthier babies.

One of the UK's leading nutritionists, Patrick Holford, recommends the following sample supplement program that may help produce the best outcome:

200mcg Folate; 20mcg B12; 200mg B6 15 mg zinc; 500mg calcium; 250 magnesium; 12 mg iron. No more than 10,000 iu of vitamin A. It is also worth checking for excess heavy metal with a mineral analysis.

Fluids:

The extra volume of blood during pregnancy means our needs for fluids increase - so aim at drinking daily 3 litres of pure water, and herb teas and diluted juices. Avoid sodas, caffeine, and of course alcohol. These are important aspects of healthy eating guidelines for pregnancy.

Other anti nutrients to avoid:

Anything processed

Nicotine and recreational drugs and put limits on pharmaceuticals.

Include:

Whole foods as close to their natural state with vegetables especially greens and fresh fruit should make up a sizeable proportion of the diet. Add to this pulses, beans seeds, nuts, whole grains, lean meat, organic poultry, fish, free range eggs and low fat sugar free dairy products.

These healthy eating guidelines for pregnancy are really important for all mums and babies, and when followed will maximize the likelihood that mum and baby will be fit and healthy from day one. Our kids are worth it!