Pregnancy Quick Reference Card — Universal Avoids, Nutrition, and Calorie Guide

A one-page quick reference for pregnancy nutrition — universal foods and teas to avoid, nutrients to always include, and calorie needs at every stage.

📋 Pregnancy Quick Reference Card

← Back to Series Hub

Not medical advice. Always consult your OB-GYN, midwife, or healthcare provider about your specific situation.

A concise reference for the full TTC-through-postpartum journey. For the full context and reasoning behind each recommendation, see the phase-specific guides.

📋 Table of Contents

🔴 Universal Avoids — All Phases of Pregnancy

Food & Drink

  • Alcohol — no safe amount exists during pregnancy
  • High-mercury fish: shark, swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish, bigeye tuna, orange roughy, marlin
  • Raw or undercooked meat, poultry, and seafood
  • Raw eggs (watch for homemade caesar dressing, raw dough, some aiolis)
  • Unpasteurized cheeses: brie, camembert, blue cheese, queso fresco, queso blanco
  • Unpasteurized juice or milk
  • Deli meats and hot dogs — unless heated until steaming throughout
  • Raw sprouts
  • Caffeine over 200mg/day — roughly one 8oz coffee
  • Energy drinks �� high caffeine + unknown stimulant additives

Herbal Teas to Avoid Completely

  • Pennyroyal
  • Black Cohosh / Blue Cohosh
  • Dong Quai
  • Motherwort
  • Mugwort
  • Yarrow
  • Wormwood
  • Licorice Root
  • Senna
  • Ephedra (Ma Huang)

Lifestyle

  • Smoking
  • Alcohol
  • Recreational drugs
  • Hot tubs and saunas (especially in the first trimester)
  • Raw animal waste contact (cat litter — toxoplasmosis risk)
  • Ibuprofen and many OTCs without provider clearance

🟢 Always Include — All Phases

Nutrition

  • Prenatal vitamin with folate (400–800mcg), iron, DHA, and iodine
  • Lean protein at every meal
  • Dark leafy greens daily (iron, folate, calcium, vitamin K)
  • Healthy fats — avocado, olive oil, nuts, seeds
  • Colorful vegetables — variety maximizes micronutrient coverage
  • Pair iron-rich foods with vitamin C to boost absorption

Hydration

  • Plenty of water — minimum 8–10 cups; increase to 13–16 cups while breastfeeding
  • Safe herbal teas in moderation: ginger, rooibos, nettle leaf are the most reliable throughout

📊 Calorie Guide

Phase Extra Calories Needed Daily
TTC None — maintain healthy weight
First Trimester 0–100 extra (baby is very small; nausea often reduces intake anyway)
Second Trimester ~340 extra
Third Trimester ~450 extra
Breastfeeding ~400–500 extra

🍵 Tea Safety Quick Reference

Tea TTC T1 T2 T3 Postpartum
Ginger ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅
Rooibos ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅
Nettle Leaf ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅
Oat Straw ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅
Chamomile ✅ ⚠️ mod ✅ ✅ ✅
Peppermint ✅ ⚠️ small ✅ ✅ ⚠️ supply
Red Raspberry Leaf ⚠️ ❌ ❌ ✅ 36wks+ ✅
Fennel ✅ ⚠️ ⚠️ ⚠️ ✅
Fenugreek — — — — ✅
Green Tea ⚠️ ⚠️ ⚠️ ⚠️ ⚠️
Sage ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ❌ supply
Pennyroyal ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌
Cohosh (B/Bl) ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌
Dong Quai ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌
Mugwort ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌
Licorice Root ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌

✅ = Generally safe | ⚠️ = Use with caution / limited amounts | ❌ = Avoid

🔑 Key Supplement Reminders

Phase Don't Forget
TTC Prenatal vitamin with folate — start before conceiving
T1 Continue prenatal; DHA is critical now
T2 Iron; continue prenatal
T3 DHA; vitamin K; dates (6/day from 36 weeks)
Postpartum Continue prenatal; vitamin D drops for baby if breastfeeding; DHA

📖 Full Phase Guides

↑ Series Hub

Last updated: June 2026 | DouGina.com | Not medical advice — always consult your healthcare provider