Pregnancy is no small feat. In just nine months, your body grows a whole new human - from a single cell to a tiny person with a beating heart, a working brain, and ten perfect little fingers.

It’s an incredible process, and one your body instinctively knows how to do. But to keep up with the demands of this round-the-clock transformation, it needs the right nutrients on board.

Here are 5 things you probably didn’t know about pregnancy nutrition:

1. Folate is crucial before you even know you’re pregnant: Folate helps to prevent neural tube defects in the first 28 days - before many women even know they’re pregnant. Ideally you want to start supplementing with bio-available folate before conception.

2. You’re eating for two - kind of: It’s estimated that from conception to birth, your body burns through an extra 77,000 calories with all the hard work it’s putting in behind the scenes. If you find yourself more hungry than usual, listen to your body and roll with it - it knows what it’s doing.

3. Iron needs skyrocket: In fact, you’ll need an additional 800-1,000mg of iron over the course of pregnancy. This is a combination of your own blood volume increasing by about 50%, as well as baby building their own iron stores. Breast milk - while magic in so many ways - isn’t overly rich in iron, so the baby takes what it needs from you to carry them through their first 6 months of life.

4. You’re building a brain (and it’s costing you yours): Your baby’s brain is 60% fat and Omega-3 fatty acids are so crucial for its development, that if there’s not enough in your diet, your body will pull it from your stores. BePure Three, salmon and walnuts are your best friends for preventing ‘pregnancy brain.’

5. Protein requirements peak in the third trimester: Your body is a full-body construction zone, and protein is the building blocks. Aim to get about 100-120g per day if you can to help build out bones, fat stores and teeny tiny muscles.

Pregnancy nutrition isn’t just for baby, it’s for you.

At the end of the day your baby will take what they need - but if you’re not getting enough of the right nutrients - you are the one who feels it.

It takes time to build and replenish nutrient stores. Whether you’re pregnant, trying to fall pregnant or planning to start the journey soon, it’s never too soon to start to give your body a head start.