Calcium is essential for healthy bones and teeth – yours and the baby’s.  Try these five ideas to make sure you get enough:

1. A cheese sandwich and a glass of milk – Milk and cheese give protein and calcium, essential for healthy bones and teeth.  Use wholemeal, granary or soft grain bread for fibre and B vitamins.
2. Banana milkshake – Whizz up bananas, some natural yoghurt, and milk (or fortified soy milk) in a blender.  Add a sprinkle of almonds for a topping.  (Brazil nuts and other nuts are a quick calcium boost in themselves!).
3. Yoghurt and honey – Yoghurt is high in calcium and honey is good for replacing lost energy.
4. Tinned sardines on a baked potato – The soft edible bones in canned fish are an excellent source of calcium and the carbohydrate in the potato will keep you going.
5. Tofu as you like it – Tofu is the Japenese name for soya-bean curd.  It’s a good vegetarian source of iron and protein as well as calcium.  Look for recipes with tofu if you don’t like dairy products.

Vitamin D tip

Calcium and vitamin D work together and you need more vitamin D in pregnancy (an extra 10 micrograms per day).  Sources include sunlight on the skin and a small number of foods – butter, eggs (make sure eggs are cooked), full-fat dairy products and fortified foods such as margarine and cereals.