Eating for two? You probably shouldn't be. When you're pregnant, just follow dietary advice and eat healthily for you and your baby.

When you're already battling nausea and unusual cravings, trying to eat a balanced diet during pregnancy can be challenging.

The New Zealand College of Midwives says nutritional requirements during pregnancy are not too different from our everyday dietary needs. Spokeswoman Lesley Dixon says the biggest myth surrounding pregnancy nutrition is the idea of eating for two.

‘People think they need to increase their food intake during pregnancy, and while there is a need for good nutrition, it's not actually a huge increase in volume. And it needs to be balanced with exercise.'

Lesley says good nutrition during pregnancy is essential for the health and growth of the baby, but women who are already eating healthily don't need to make major changes.

‘If you eat a good balanced diet anyway, that's what you need to be eating during pregnancy,' she explains. ‘Unfortunately, we don't always have a good diet and are often missing out on some of the nutrients and minerals we need.'

The most important nutrient in early pregnancy, she says, is folic acid, also known as folate. The Ministry of Health recommends taking folic acid supplements of 0.8mg daily for four weeks prior to conception, and for 12 weeks afterwards.

‘Research shows a reduced incidence of birth defects, such as neural tube defects, the most common of which is spina bifida, when folic acid supplements are taken,' Lesley says. ‘The incidence of neural tube defects are low anyway but it's a matter of keeping that risk low.

‘You can get folic acid by eating plenty of green vegetables and wholegrains.'

As for what food to avoid, New Zealand Food Safety Authority provides an extensive list of guidelines for pregnant women on its website.

‘The biggest concern is listeria, which is a bacterial infection that may only cause mild symptoms but can have devastating effects during pregnancy,' Lesley says.

‘You need to be careful with cooking, and avoid smoked, precooked fish or seafood products that are chilled or frozen - unless reheated well and eaten hot. Also avoid pate, cold precooked ham and chicken, and other chilled precooked meat.

‘Fish is good to include in your diet because of the protein and omega-3 fatty acids it contains. Most fish is OK, but in New Zealand you may need to limit some freshwater fish such as trout from geothermal areas to one to two servings a week because of increased mercury levels.'

Alcohol can be a grey area, however Lesley says it is best if pregnant women simply avoid it completely.

‘We would advise pregnant women not to drink any alcohol at all because we don't know how little will cause problems,' she says. ‘We do know that high levels will have an impact on the baby and cause long-term problems. It's too wide an area for us to say what is safe and what's not, so we advise women to stay alcohol free during their pregnancy.'

• Visit the Ministry of Health for more information about pregnancy nutrition. For the Food Safety Authority's list of safe food in pregnancy, click here.

Eating right for YOUR baby

• Vegies and fruit: At least four servings of vegies and two servings of fruit a day.
  Examples: 1 tomato, 1 apple, 1 medium potato.
• Bread and cereals: At least six servings per day.
  Examples: 1 bread roll, ½ cup muesli, 1 cup cooked rice.
• Milk and milk products: At least three servings per day.
  Examples: 1 large glass milk, 2 slices cheese, 1 pottle yoghurt.
• Lean meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, nuts and seeds, and legumes: At least two servings per day.
  Examples: 1 egg, 1 chicken leg, 2 slices cooked meat.

Goodnight, baby
For new parents, getting baby to sleep through the night can be a draining, stressful experience. A maternity nurse for more than 20 years, UK-based baby sleep expert Jo Tantum has seen the destructive impact of a sleepless baby on family life.

‘Parents start panicking and feeling guilty because their baby is crying and screaming, and they don't know why,' says Jo, speaking to New Idea on a short visit to New Zealand.

Jo has used her experience to establish a niche career of going into homes and teaching parents to get their baby into a healthy sleep pattern.

‘For the first day, the parent shadows me, watching what I do,' she says. ‘Then, for three nights, I'll have a baby monitor in my room and I look after the baby. I tell the parents to put in ear plugs so they have a fantastic sleep and will have the strength to carry on after I leave.'

A common problem, Jo says, is that parents misunderstand their wee one's whimpering.

‘What usually happens is that the baby cries and Mum and Dad run in straight away,' she says. ‘The baby is actually trying to go to sleep but the parents are interfering with the sleeping pattern. I try to get parents to only go in when the crying reaches its peak and the baby has become hysterical.'

She says relying on ‘sleep props' can prevent baby from learning to settle. ‘Babies don't understand how to fall asleep on their own,' she says. ‘They think they have to have a dummy, the breast or car rides, because that's what they've come to expect, and they think it's the only way they can sleep.'

Jo's advice has been valuable for parents who have reached the end of their tether. Her book Baby Secrets (Penguin, $27) has been so well received she's considering writing a follow-up dealing with toddlers.

‘Parenting magazines say that for the first year of your baby's life you won't sleep,' she says. ‘But that's nonsense.'

For more information, visit www.babysecretsltd.com.