by Luise
What does a free-from pregnancy mean? So as I refer to in our story both James and I have several food allergies and that also means that during pregnancy a few more no-goes are added onto that list for me. Which for many, I can imagine being daunting the thought of having to give up several foods and drinks that are no longer deemed safe for you.
It is definitely a good idea to read up on the no-goes for pregnancy even when deciding to get pregnant, as it will help prepare you and I can promise as soon as you’re pregnant it isn’t as daunting anymore as you know you’re doing it for a purpose!
Before I got pregnant these are the things I was already avoiding
Dairy (severe reactions)
Egg (severe reactions)
Gluten (a choice)
Meat (a choice because of Endometriosis and then it became a lifestyle for me)
Once pregnant a few more things to add to this list (please always do your own research) these are a few things I think are helpful to know (I am not a health professional)
Raw fish
Smoked fish ie smoked salmon
Fish high in mercury ie Tuna
Tonic water
Liquorice root
Juniper extract (you need to read the back of lemonades and mocktails - this can be really bad for you)
Caffeine
Chamomile tea
Cream cheese (the non vegan kind)
Certain meats (please research)
There is still plenty you can eat and drink, so don’t get overwhelmed by it but trust me when I say google can actually be your friend in this case and I have googled a lot of no-goes whilst being sat in restaurants or thinking about recipes that we can make. But also a lot of good books will guide you.
I know from suffering from horrendous sickness throughout my pregnancy (not just the first few weeks but into the third trimester), it is not the easiest to make sure you get all the nutrition down but when you do have good days to try and make sure you eat some of the good stuff to give both you and the bump some good energy and yumminess.
Some quick things I managed to do to try and ensure that I still got some of the goodness even on bad days: (this is based on my own research and I know there is lots and lots out there)
Flaxseeds/hempseeds on sprinkled whatever I could manage that day - ie. Toast, pasta, smoothies
Edamame beans as snacks - literally loved them and it is good source of protein, fibre and antioxidants
Ice cold fruit from the fridge especially when stressed - loved a cold strawberry and watermelon (great if you’re pregnant through a heat-wave like me haha)
Hummus and dips that you can make with beans and chickpeas but dunk some bread or crisps in :) thank me later
Homemade fish and chips with oats, nuts and flaxseed crust mushy peas
Banana and chocolate squares - recipe is on our website, so yummy :) and my life saver on car journeys, at work or when desperate for a high energy snack
There is lots more but I just know how overwhelming it all can be, so I hope this is a little reassurance and kickstart. If you have any questions you can always reach out to us on Instagram!
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