Objectve 1: a diet tailored to specific nutritional needs

Throughout pregnancy, a diet tailored in quantity and quality covers not only the nutritional needs of women, but also those of their baby, thereby promoting a balanced pregnancy. Pregnant and breastfeeding women have specific nutritional needs that differ from those of other adults. For example, a higher protein intake may be advised during the third trimester of pregnancy, or while breastfeeding.¹ Requirements for certain minerals or vitamins also change.

Focus on a special helper: calcium

Impossible to miss, you'll all have heard this message before: "Having enough calcium is essential for bone health". This is particularly an important nutritional point, to ensure that mom's bones stay healthy and that baby's skeleton forms correctly.

During pregnancy, calcium requirements effectively increase and there is a higher risk of deficiency. This risk is even higher for those following restrictive or particular diets, such as vegetarianism. But don't worry, it is easy to compensate for these deficiencies by choosing foods that are naturally rich in calcium.

Which foods should you choose?

Calcium in the diet is mainly provided by milk and dairy products, which makes them especially interesting. In comparison to other foods which also contain calcium (vegetables, dried fruit, mineral water), the bioavailability of calcium from dairy is very high. This means that the calcium in dairy products is easily absorbed by the intestine, and above all, that it is retained by the bones.

Remember!

When pregnant or breastfeeding, it is recommended that you have three portions of dairy products per day. To help you gaige these requirements correctly, know that one portion equals:

• 1 regular glass of cow milk or goat milk (150 ml) or
• 1 yogurt (120 g) or
• 1 pot of fromage blanc (100 g) or
• 30 g of cheese

If you follow a particular diet or are intolerant to a certain food, always take the time to speak to your doctor or midwife about it. These specialists will help you identify other sources of calcium in food and will prescribe supplements for you, if needed.

It should be noted that calcium-enriched soy-based products must be limited to a maximum of one a day, due to their high phytoestrogen content². These substances, naturally present in certain plants, particularly in soy-based foods, can lead to potential hormone imbalances if consumed in excess.

Objective 2: can I eat cheese if I'm pregnant?

YES, pregnant women can 100% eat cheese - just avoid those made with raw milk!

Although many women worry about listeriosis, caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, it is a rare infection (300 cases per year in France³). Nevertheless, it is still serious when it occurs during pregnancy as it can lead to miscarriage or a pre-term birth. The Listeria bacterium can be found in plant- or animal-based foods, particularly in certain cheeses (even if kept refrigerated).

As a result, it is recommended that you avoid raw milk cheeses, soft cheeses with a bloomy rind (Camembert, Brie), cheeses with a washed rind (Muenster, Pont-l'Évêque) and processed grated cheeses (where the rind can often be used in manufacturing).

Another simple step you can take to limit the risks is to remove the rind from the cheese.

Did you know?

• Raw milk: no heat treatment
• Heat-treated milk: heated between 57 °C and 68 °C
• Pasteurized milk: heated between 72 °C and 85 °C

Why are Soignon cheeses suitable for women who are pregnant?

• For the simple reason that all Soignon cheeses are made using pasteurized milk.
• The absence of Listeria is one of the safety control criteria for ALL our cheeses here at Soignon.

Among the offering available from Soignon, whipped goat cheese and goat cheese slices made with pasteurized milk can, for example, feature daily on the plate of future moms. In addition, our range includes light, mild-tasting cheeses which you will particularly enjoy if typical cheeses like the plain goat cheese log don't appeal to you.

Objective 3: control your weight gain without forgetting to treat yourself

Gaining a little weight during pregnancy is both normal and necessary. Specialists agree on a recommended weight gain of 12 kg. for a pregnancy and birth that is free from complications and to make it easy to return to your pre-pregnancy weight. However, this number is just an average and will vary greatly depending on your size, age, whether you have a single or multiple pregnancy, and so on.

What are the recommendations when it comes to cravings? 

Morning or night, and whether you are at the beginning or end of your pregnancy, cravings can arrive out of the blue. But no need to panic, these intense feelings of hunger are extremely common, even if there is no good explanation about where they come from.

Choosing balanced snacks helps avoid disruption to your diet as a result of constant grazing, which can cause you to put on weight too quickly.

Yes, you can shout that loud and clear! The advantages of snacking are two-fold:

• A more even distribution of mealtimes and snacks allows you to avoid large meals and any associated digestive troubles (bloating, acid reflux, etc.).
• Cleverly organized, this approach can satisfy cravings while making feelings of guilt a thing of the past.