Nutritional Support for Healthy Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Women’s nutritional needs increase significantly during pregnancy and breastfeeding. If you’re planning a baby, make sure you’re receiving all the nutrients required to prepare your body for a healthy pregnancy, ideally starting 3 months before conception.

Nutrients support healthy foetal development and just as importantly, maintain your own health and wellbeing during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Looking after your own nutritional needs is one of the best ways to support the needs of your (soon-to-be) growing baby.

Key nutrients include:

Lutein and Zeaxanthin: These carotenoids may support healthy brain and eye function in the developing foetus.[1]

Folate: Women of childbearing age, pregnant women and those with genetic polymorphisms (MTHFR) can be at risk of deficiency and may benefit from taking activated folate to support a healthy pregnancy.[2]

DHA: This omega-3 fatty acid from oily fish is important for baby’s developing brain during pregnancy and breastfeeding.[3]

[1] Gazzolo D, et al. Early pediatric benefit of lutein for maturing eyes and brain-an overview. Nutrients. 2021 Sep 17;13(9):3239.

[2] Miraglia N, Dehay E. Folate supplementation in fertility and pregnancy: the advantages of (6S)5-Methyltetrahydrofolate. Altern Ther Health Med. 2022 May;28(4):12-17.

[3] Lauritzen L, et al. DHA effects in brain development and function. Nutrients. 2016 Jan 4;8(1):6.