1. Don't take the 'eating for two' concepts too far. A pregnant woman only needs 300 extra calories a day and that's only in the last two trimesters. You need not stuff yourself with every food in sight.

 2. Vitamin and mineral needs are important. Folic acid, the vitamin B that helps prevent birth defects, is more important than ever. That means you should eat colourful fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and take a moderate dose of multi-vitamins.

 3. Consume a lot of calcium-enriched food. This helps build bones in the baby and prevent bone loss in the mother. Calcium also helps prevent pregnancy-induced high blood pressure.

 4. Getting adequate nourishing fluids like water or milk is important to prevent constipation and provide for the expanding blood volume that carries oxygen and nutrients to both the mother and baby.