All parents are different, so there aren’t a lot of hard-and-fast rules that apply to all mothers-to-be. This guide is an overview, and you should make sure that you listen to the advice of your doctor, and consult experts when in doubt.

Healthy eating during pregnancy is no different from at any other time of your life. The one factor that is likely to change is that you may be stricter about sticking to a nutritious diet during pregnancy than you are at other times of your life, when there is only yourself to worry about.

The main advice is the same as for anybody at any time: eat regularly; have three meals a day and a small snack in-between.

Recommended foods include bread, cereals, potatoes, pasta and rice – all of which deliver energy.

Essential proteins come from meat, fish, eggs and nuts. Milk, cheese and yoghurt provide calcium. Try hard to reduce sugar intake and beware of too much fat.

Pregnant women should also take plenty of vitamin C, which is needed for tissue growth and helps the body absorb iron. To avoid iron deficiencies, try to eat plenty of iron-rich foods such as lean, red meat and green, leafy vegetables.

Despite the old saying, you are not ‘eating for two’ in terms of quantity. Pregnancy is not a licence to eat second helpings. During pregnancy the body becomes more efficient at absorbing and using the nutrients from food.

Foods to avoid

The dangers of food poisoning in its various forms are exacerbated during pregnancy. It can be debilitating enough on an adult, so the risks to a developing baby are greater.

Only eat eggs that are cooked until both the white and yolk are solid, keeping away from things like homemade mayonnaise and soufflés, which may contain raw or partly cooked eggs.

Avoid soft ripened cheeses, like Brie and Camembert, and blue-veined cheeses, such as Danish Blue, Gorgonzola, and blue Stilton.

Don’t eat anything containing non-pasteurised milk products, and steer clear of pâtés.

Make sure you wash all salad vegetables.

Try to avoid alcohol until very late in the pregnancy, and even then only drink around four units per week - the equivalent of four small glasses of wine, four halves of regular-strength beer, or four pub measure of spirits.

Limit coffee intake to fewer than four cups a day.

Poultry and meat should be cooked thoroughly, and most doctors advise against eating shellfish and raw meat.

The Department of Health suggests that if there's a family history of allergies, pregnant and lactating women can reduce the risk of their baby developing a nut allergy by avoiding peanuts and peanut products.

Ways to help you feel better

Eat wholemeal breads and high fibre breakfast cereals in order to avoid constipation, which affects many pregnant women, and drink at least six to eight glasses of water a day.

Avoid becoming over-hungry by ensuring you eat when you get up in the morning.

Ginger can help ward off feelings of nausea. Try a ginger biscuit or an oatcake before getting out of bed. Avoid fatty and fried foods, and stick to starchy meals like pasta, rice and potatoes. Herbal drinks such as peppermint, ginger or camomile can help, too.

The Department of Health publishes ‘The Pregnancy Book’, a complete guide to pregnancy, childbirth and the first few weeks with a new baby. It can be read online or downloaded at: www.publications.doh.gov.uk/pregnancybook/index.htm