Foods to limit (and why), plus what's perfectly fine

Pregnancy food advice can read like a list of everything you can't have, which is stressful and not the full picture. Most foods are absolutely fine. A short list is worth avoiding or limiting because, in pregnancy, certain infections or substances can affect your baby more than they would normally. Here's the why behind each, so you can make easy choices rather than worry.

Some cheeses and dairy: avoid mould-ripened soft cheeses (like brie and camembert) and soft blue cheeses unless they're cooked until steaming hot, because they can carry listeria bacteria. Hard cheeses (cheddar, paneer, halloumi), and soft cheeses made from pasteurised milk such as feta, mozzarella, cottage cheese and cream cheese, are all fine. Make sure milk and yoghurt are pasteurised.

Meat and eggs: cook meat thoroughly, especially poultry, sausages and burgers, so there's no pink left, and take care with cured or cold deli meats. Eggs with the British Lion stamp (or hen eggs from EU-approved sources) can be eaten runny or even raw; eggs without that assurance should be cooked until both white and yolk are solid. Avoid liver and liver products like pâté, as they're very high in a form of vitamin A that can harm the baby in large amounts.

Fish: oily fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines is genuinely good for you and your baby's development, just keep it to no more than two portions a week. Limit tuna (no more than two tuna steaks or four medium tins a week) and avoid shark, swordfish and marlin because of higher mercury levels. Cooked shellfish is fine; avoid raw shellfish like raw oysters.

Caffeine and alcohol: keep caffeine to about 200mg a day, roughly two mugs of instant coffee, or a mix of tea, smaller coffees and the caffeine hiding in cola, energy drinks and chocolate. For alcohol, the safest approach is none at all, as no level has been proven safe in pregnancy.

Unpasteurised and undercooked foods: wash fruit, vegetables and salads well to remove soil, and avoid raw or undercooked meat and fish (including rare steak in some guidance, and dishes like ceviche). These steps lower the small risk of infections like toxoplasmosis and listeria.

If you realise you've eaten something on this list, please don't panic, a single slip very rarely causes harm, and worrying won't help. From here on, just make the swaps where you can, and ask your midwife if you're ever unsure about a particular dish from your own kitchen or culture.