Pregnancy
Pregnancy Nutrition for Beginners
Pregnancy eating basics in about an hour, with a pregnancy plate, a daily food checklist and a starter shopping list.
€14.99Buy
Pregnancy courses for every trimester
Clear, practical help with eating well, food safety, supplements and planning for the birth, based on HSE advice.
- 6 courses
- Tools in every course
- Certificate included
Good nutrition in pregnancy does not mean eating for two. The HSE pregnancy version of the Food Pyramid suggests about 6 servings a day of vegetables, salad and fruit, 3 to 5 of wholemeal cereals, breads, potatoes, pasta and rice, 3 to 5 of milk, yogurt and cheese, and 2 of meat, poultry, fish, eggs, beans and nuts, rising to 3 in the third trimester. Top shelf foods and drinks are for once or twice a week only.
Two supplements are recommended for everyone: 400 micrograms of folic acid every day, ideally from before conception, and 15 micrograms of vitamin D every day throughout pregnancy. The HSE also advises keeping caffeine to no more than 200mg a day, avoiding alcohol completely, and avoiding certain foods because of the risk of infections such as listeria, or because of mercury or vitamin A.
Our pregnancy courses turn that guidance into fridge lists, cheese checkers, caffeine counters and trimester meal plans, and help you write a birth plan to discuss with your midwife or obstetrician. They sit alongside your antenatal care and the HSE My Pregnancy book; they never replace them. Every course is written by Dr Aqsa Mukhtiar, PhD in Nutrition.
All pregnancy courses
Pregnancy
First Trimester Nutrition
Weeks 1 to 12 made manageable: foods that sit well with sickness, small meals, hydration and what to ask your midwife or GP at the booking visit.
€17.99Buy
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Food Safety
Runny eggs, soft cheese, fish, caffeine and takeaways: clear HSE-based answers, with a cheese checker and a caffeine counter.
€14.99Buy
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Vitamins and Supplements
Folic acid, vitamin D, iron and what to skip, stage by stage, with a supplement label checker and Irish pregnancy cost-help signposting.
€17.99Buy
Pregnancy
Creating a Birth Plan
Know your options in Irish maternity care and write a flexible birth plan, with questions for your midwife and a briefing sheet for your birth partner.
€14.99Buy
Pregnancy
Complete Pregnancy Nutrition Course
Every trimester covered: three meal planners, a fridge-door safe and avoid list, shopping lists and a supplement tracker, based on HSE advice.
€27.99Buy
Find the right pregnancy course
- Just found out? Pregnancy Nutrition for Beginners gives you the essentials in about an hour.
- Struggling with sickness? First Trimester Nutrition focuses on eating enough in weeks 1 to 12 when nausea and food aversions get in the way.
- Unsure what is safe? Pregnancy Food Safety covers cheese, fish, meat, eggs, caffeine, leftovers and eating out.
- Questions about supplements? Pregnancy Vitamins and Supplements explains folic acid, vitamin D, iodine in pregnancy multivitamins and what to avoid.
- Want the full picture? The Complete Pregnancy Nutrition Course follows you trimester by trimester and into the early weeks after the birth.
- Thinking about the birth? Creating a Birth Plan walks through your options and helps you write preferences to share with your midwife.
What the pregnancy tools do
- Fridge safe and avoid list and cheese checker: quick answers to the questions that come up while shopping or eating out.
- Caffeine tracker: adds up tea, coffee, cola, energy drinks and chocolate against the 200mg limit.
- Supplement tracker and label checker: records daily folic acid and vitamin D and flags supplements that contain vitamin A (retinol).
- Trimester meal planners and shopping lists: plan the week around what you can face eating, stage by stage.
- Birth plan, options checklist and midwife question sheet: write down your preferences and take them to your appointments.
When to call your midwife or maternity hospital
Contact your midwife or maternity hospital or unit straight away, at any time of day or night, if you have:
- vaginal bleeding, or fluid leaking from your vagina
- a change in your baby's usual pattern of movements, or fewer movements
- severe or ongoing tummy pain
- a severe headache, problems with your vision, or sudden swelling of your face, hands or feet
- vomiting so often that you cannot keep food or drinks down
Never wait until the next day to report reduced movements. In an emergency, call 112 or 999.
Pregnancy courses: your questions
Which foods should I avoid while pregnant?
The HSE list includes unpasteurised milk and cheese, mould-ripened and blue cheeses such as brie and gorgonzola, raw or undercooked meat and eggs, cold cured meats such as salami and chorizo, liver and pâté, raw or smoked fish including sushi, shark, swordfish and marlin, and pre-cooked shellfish. Tuna is limited to one fresh steak or two cans a week. Pregnancy Food Safety covers the full list.
How much caffeine is safe in pregnancy?
The HSE advises no more than 200mg a day. That is roughly 2 to 4 cups of tea, 2 cups of instant coffee or 1 cup of filtered coffee, so the caffeine tracker helps you add it up.
Do I need to eat for two?
No. The HSE says most people need no extra food in the first trimester and only a modest increase later in pregnancy. The courses focus on the quality of what you eat rather than the amount.
Is there an official weight gain target in pregnancy?
The HSE does not set a single target for everyone. Your midwife, GP or obstetrician will talk to you about weight at your appointments, and the HSE advises not to diet to lose weight during pregnancy.
Do these courses replace antenatal classes?
No. They focus on food, supplements, safety and planning. Antenatal classes from your maternity hospital or unit cover labour, birth and caring for your baby, and are worth booking as well.
Can my partner use the course too?
Yes. Partners often find the food safety lists and birth plan tools useful, especially for shopping, cooking and supporting you on the day.
Official sources
Know what is on your plate
Print the fridge safe and avoid list from Pregnancy Food Safety and stick it where you will see it every day.