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.