Category: Active Women

We have all heard the usual pregnancy nutrition advice:

avoid alcohol, limit caffeine, steer clear of raw fish and blue cheese.

But in reality, even these basics are often misunderstood by the general public.

 

For athletes, the picture becomes far more complex.

Standard advice like “you’re not eating for two” or

“eat at maintenance until the third trimester, then add 300 calories”

doesn’t translate well in a high-performance context.

Most athletes do not know what their actual maintenance level is,

especially once training volume, intensity, and energy demands are factored in.

And for those at risk of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S),

this lack of precision can become a serious concern — one I see time and again in practice.

 

Pregnancy nutrition for athletes is not simply about eating enough.

It is about adapting to a constantly shifting physiological state,

while supporting performance, recovery, maternal health, and foetal development.

I work closely with athletes to review their nutrition

where appropriate — and make realistic, evidence-based adjustments.

These plans consider everything from nausea, cravings, and food aversions to heartburn and changing energy needs.

In some cases, especially with a history of disordered eating, tracking is not the right approach.

That is where a clinically-informed, athlete-centred strategy becomes essential.

 

By outsourcing the nutrition planning to someone who understands both obstetrics and high-performance sport,

athletes can focus on thriving — without added mental strain or risk.

And postnatal nutrition brings another layer.

Metabolism changes again, and breastfeeding introduces entirely new requirements.

(More on that in a future post.)

 

If you are an athlete, coach, or member of a support team and want to understand how to optimise nutrition during pregnancy and after birth, I would love to hear from you. This is a conversation we need to be having more often.

Pregnancy and peak performance are no longer opposites.

More elite athletes are choosing to have children and are coming back stronger

winning medals, breaking records, and redefining what is possible.

 

But behind those headlines, I keep hearing similar stories from athletes after birth:

“It came down to luck.”

“I had to figure it out on my own.”

“It nearly broke me.”

Some were lucky enough to have excellent support

with performance teams that considered not just rehab and training,

but also mental health, logistics, and recovery.

 

Others had to carry the mental load alone,

coordinating care, managing training, arranging childcare,

and advocating for their own medical needs.

 

Many have told me the strain was so great they considered early retirement just to start a family.

Often, it was timing or chance

such as the slower pace brought on by COVID or a generous coach

that allowed them to return at all.

 

But how many talented athletes are we losing

simply because they do not have the right support system during and after pregnancy?

 

There is a better way forward.

 

Athletes deserve more than luck. They deserve a process.

 

I work with athletes and organisations to bring clinical,

performance-informed obstetric care into the heart of training.

 

This way, pregnancy and postpartum become structured,

supported phases — not periods of uncertainty or risk.

 

Performance teams benefit from medically guided collaboration.

Athletes receive tailored plans, clear timelines,

and the reassurance that they are not alone in navigating this transition.

 

No guesswork. No luck. Just a system that works.

 

If you are an athlete,

part of a high-performance team, or an organisation ready to build something better,

let’s have that conversation.