Complete Pregnancy Nutrition Course

What you will be able to do

• build balanced meals for pregnancy using the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, without "eating for two".
• follow US advice on folic acid, iodine and vitamin D, choose a suitable prenatal vitamin and know which supplements to avoid.
• choose foods confidently using CDC and FDA advice on foods to avoid or heat first, including how much fish to eat.
• keep caffeine under 200 mg a day and explain why there is no known safe amount of alcohol.
• manage common symptoms such as nausea, heartburn and constipation through everyday eating habits, and know when to get help.
• include iron, calcium and other key nutrients in your meals, including on vegetarian, vegan or budget diets.
• plan safe, regular activity in line with the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, including pelvic floor (Kegel) exercises.
• prepare questions for your OB-GYN or midwife and plan your eating for the first weeks after birth.

1. 1Eating well in pregnancy, the basics

   See what a healthy pregnancy diet looks like using the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, why 'eating for two' is a myth, what the US weight gain ranges are, and which nutrients matter most for you and your baby.

   • Your pregnancy plate
   • Eating for two? Energy, appetite and weight gain
   • Key nutrients for you and your baby

   Pregnancy shopping lists

2. 2Supplements: your prenatal vitamin and what to avoid

   Understand US advice on folic acid, iodine and vitamin D, how to choose a prenatal vitamin, which supplements to avoid, and where to get help with food.

   • Folic acid: the most important early step
   • Vitamin D, iodine, choosing a prenatal and what to avoid

   Supplement and daily basics tracker

3. 3Food safety: foods to avoid, heat first and kitchen habits

   Learn which foods to avoid or heat first in pregnancy and why, how much fish to eat and which kinds, and the kitchen habits that protect you from Listeria, Toxoplasma and Salmonella.

   • Foods to avoid and why
   • Fish in pregnancy: the right amounts
   • Kitchen habits that protect you

   Fridge door list: enjoy, heat first, avoid

4. 4Caffeine, alcohol and what to drink

   Learn how to stay under 200 mg of caffeine a day, why there is no known safe amount of alcohol, and how to keep hydrated through pregnancy.

   • Caffeine: staying under 200 mg a day
   • Alcohol, herbal teas and staying hydrated

   Supplement and daily basics tracker

5. 5First trimester: nausea, tiredness and eating when you can

   Practical ways to eat well when you feel nauseous or tired in the first trimester, how to cope with aversions and cravings, and when nausea and vomiting need medical help.

   • Nausea and vomiting: what can help
   • Aversions, cravings and tiredness

   First trimester meal planner (weeks 1 to 13)

6. 6Second trimester: building iron, calcium and good habits

   As your appetite returns, learn how to get enough iron and calcium, why blood tests matter, and how to plan balanced meals for the middle months.

   • Iron: why it matters and how to get enough
   • Calcium, vitamin D and omega-3 for growing bones

   Second trimester meal planner (weeks 14 to 27)Pregnancy shopping lists

7. 7Third trimester: comfort, energy and getting ready

   Manage heartburn and constipation with smaller meals and fiber, understand your energy needs and the glucose test, and prepare food for the weeks after your baby arrives.

   • Heartburn, constipation and smaller meals
   • Energy, the glucose test and the last few weeks

   Third trimester meal planner (week 28 to birth)

8. 8Staying active in pregnancy

   Learn what the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend in pregnancy, which activities are safest, and how to look after your pelvic floor.

   • What the US guidelines say
   • Staying safe, and your pelvic floor

   Pregnancy activity planner

9. 9Your food, your life: special diets, budgets and your OB-GYN or midwife

   Adapt the advice to vegetarian, vegan and cultural ways of eating, eat well on a budget and at work, and get the most from your prenatal visits.

   • Vegetarian, vegan and cultural diets
   • Eating well on a budget and at work
   • Making the most of your prenatal visits

   OB-GYN or midwife question sheetPregnancy shopping lists

10. 10After the birth: your postpartum nutrition starter

    Look after yourself in the weeks after birth with simple meals, the right supplements, and US advice on eating while breastfeeding or formula feeding.

    • Eating well in the early weeks
    • Breastfeeding, recovery and looking after yourself

    Postpartum nutrition starter guide

• PlannerFirst trimester meal planner (weeks 1 to 13)Plan a week of simple, gentle meals and snacks that are easier to manage when you feel nauseous or tired, while still covering the basics of the Dietary Guidelines.
• PlannerSecond trimester meal planner (weeks 14 to 27)Plan a week of balanced meals as your appetite returns, with a focus on iron, calcium, fiber and 8 to 12 oz of lower-mercury fish a week.
• PlannerThird trimester meal planner (week 28 to birth)Plan smaller, more frequent meals that are easier on heartburn and constipation, and batch-cook some meals for the freezer before your baby arrives.
• ListFridge door list: enjoy, heat first, avoidA printable list of common foods sorted by CDC and FDA pregnancy advice, to stick on your fridge and check at a glance.
• TrackerSupplement and daily basics trackerCheck off your prenatal vitamin and folic acid each day, along with fluids and iron-rich and calcium-rich foods, so the daily basics become a habit.
• PlannerPregnancy activity plannerPlan a week of gentle, safe activity toward the US guideline of at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, plus strength work and daily pelvic floor exercises.
• ListPregnancy shopping listsReady-made shopping lists built around the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the key pregnancy nutrients, with nausea-friendly and budget sections you can check off and edit.
• TemplateOB-GYN or midwife question sheetPrepare for your prenatal visits by noting your questions about food, supplements, symptoms and activity, so nothing gets forgotten.
• CardsPostpartum nutrition starter guidePrintable cards with simple eating tips for the first weeks after birth, based on US guidance, whether you breastfeed, formula feed or both.