The advice on nutrition for pregnant women and babies from the National Institute for Health and Clincial Excellence (Nice) said health workers should also be trained on the importance of vitamin D for mothers-to-be.
Other recommendations included midwives, GPs and obstetricians to assess women's eating habits early in pregnancy and for maternity services to provide local breastfeeding peer support programmes.
Nice also said daycare services should offer healthier choices at mealtimes, and health workers should promote the Healthy Start Scheme, which gives pregnant women vouchers for healthy food.
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) praised the guidance for its focus on national consistency in support, while addressing nutritional disparities for low-income mothers.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
