This document discusses the importance of maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle before, during, and after pregnancy. It notes that pre-pregnancy diet should include foods high in fiber, protein, calcium, and vitamin intake to adequately prepare the body. Certain foods should be avoided during pregnancy due to risk of foodborne illness or vitamin toxicity. The document also stresses the benefits of breastfeeding for both mother and baby's health and development, including easier postpartum weight loss and introduction to new flavors.

1. Unit 1.1 Support healthy
lifestyles for children through the
provision of food and nutrition

2. Learning outcomes
• Identify what a healthy diet may consist of when
pregnant
• Describe why it is important to keep a healthy diet
in pre-pregnancy
• Explain the impact on health and development of
food choices during pre-pregnancy, pregnancy,
breastfeeding
• Explain reasons for and against breast feeding /
bottle feeding

3. Time: 10 mins
• With a partner, look at the advice leaflets for new mothers
• Make a list of ‘dos and don’ts’ for someone who is pregnant
or planning to become pregnant.
LO2. Understand how food choices impact on health and
development during pre-pregnancy, pregnancy and
breastfeeding [2.1]

4. LO2. Understand how food choices impact on health and
development during pre-pregnancy, pregnancy and
breastfeeding [2.1]
In preparing for pregnancy it is important that a healthy diet is followed to
ensure that your body has adequate stores of vitamins and minerals.
You would need to eat plenty of fibre, for example: wholegrain bread; foods
containing protein such as lean meat, fish and beans; dairy foods for the
calcium and your 5 a day.
During pre-pregnancy and pregnancy you should avoid foods which can
increase the risk of food poisoning and can cause toxoplasmosis and
listeriosis.
What might this include?:
• uncooked meat
• fish and eggs
• unpasteurised milk
• unripen soft cheese
• unwashed fruit and vegetables.
Pre-pregnancy

5. LO2. Understand how food choices impact on health and
development during pre-pregnancy, pregnancy and
breastfeeding [2.1]
• Too much vitamin A can harm the unborn child so you should avoid
liver, fish liver oils and vitamin supplements that contain vitamin A.
• Caffeine can lead to a low birth weight and too much caffeine can
cause a miscarriage. It is important to remember that caffeine isn’t
only present in coffee but is also in other drinks such as tea, fizzy
drinks, high energy drinks and chocolate.
Pregnancy

6. Time: 15 mins
A mother drops her child off at the setting one day. She
confides in you that she is pregnant and asks your advice
about what she can do to support her baby’s health and
development.
• What would you advise this mother to eat to provide the
best impact on her baby’s health and development?
• What foods do you think a woman should eat when
planning to get pregnant?
• What foods should she avoid?
• Produce a fact sheet
Task

7. LO2. Understand how food choices impact on health and
development during pre-pregnancy, pregnancy and
breastfeeding [2.1]
• The principles of healthy eating for pregnancy are also
relevant during breastfeeding. Why might this be?
• Breastfeeding helps the mother to get back to her normal
weight.
• It is important to drink regularly, but not to drink too much
caffeine as this can aggravate the baby and cause
hyperactivity.
• Eating different foods whilst breastfeeding will change the
flavour of the milk and will introduce the baby to different
tastes, which may help when weaning.
Breastfeeding

8. LO2. Understand how food choices impact on health and
development during pre-pregnancy, pregnancy and
breastfeeding [2.1]
Time: 15 mins
Find out what you can about listeria and toxoplasmosis .
• What harm can they cause the unborn child?
• Research foods to eat and foods to avoid during pre-
pregnancy and pregnancy.
• Note down any sources you use.
• http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-
baby/pages/healthy-pregnancy-diet.aspx#close

9. LO2. Understand how food choices impact on health and
development during pre-pregnancy, pregnancy and
breastfeeding [2.1]
Time: 15 mins
• Share your research from the Independent research
activity with a partner.
• Together you are going to design an information
leaflet for first time mothers outlining the foods they
should eat pre-pregnancy and during pregnancy and
explaining the reasons these foods are beneficial.

10. LO2. Understand how food choices impact on health and
development during pre-pregnancy, pregnancy and
breastfeeding [2.1]
Time: 15 mins
Class debate
Motion: Breastfeeding is always better than bottle feeding.
Divide yourselves into two groups.
• One group will research the arguments in favour of
breastfeeding.
• One group will research the arguments in favour of formula
feeding.
• You will then conduct a debate on the motion above.
• You will need to agree the rules of the debate with your tutor.

11. LO2. Understand how food choices impact on health and
development during pre-pregnancy, pregnancy and
breastfeeding [2.1]
Time: 15 mins
In your debate you discussed the advantages of breastfeeding
and bottle feeding.
• Now list the disadvantages of both.
• What do you think a mother should consider when deciding
which method of feeding to adopt?

12. LO2. Understand how food choices impact on health and
development during pre-pregnancy, pregnancy and
breastfeeding [2.1]
Time: 15 mins
1. Research the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative.
• Read the research on how breastfeeding aids cognitive
development and how it helps to develop the brain.
• Make notes.
2. Research the Start4Life scheme
• Evaluate how useful you think this scheme is to new mothers.
• Note any sources you use.

13. Summary: plenary activities
1. Write one sentence to explain why food choices are important in pre-
pregnancy.
2. Write one sentence to explain how food choices may impact on the
health and development of the baby during pregnancy – consider the
positives and the negatives.
3. Write one sentence to explain how breastfeeding can impact on the
health and development of the baby.
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