8 foods to fill your plate in your third trimester (and why)

In your third trimester, your body is doing an enormous amount of work. Your baby's brain and body are growing fast, your blood volume continues expanding by up to 50%, and you’re preparing for labour. So it makes sense that your food really matters right now to fuel you and your baby.

It’s not about eating perfectly. It's about knowing which foods are doing the most for you, so you can enjoy your meals and feel confident you're covering what matters.

Here’s what to focus on in your final trimester:

The nutrients that matter most right now

Iron.

Iron deficiency is common in late pregnancy, largely because of that expanding blood volume, alongside baby's growing needs and building up their stores for after birth. Low iron levels have been linked to fatigue and lower birth weight, so it's worth paying attention to and getting checked if you're feeling wiped out.

DHA (a type of omega-3).

This is one of the essential building blocks of your baby's brain and eyes, and your baby is taking in more of it in these final weeks. Getting enough DHA regularly from oily fish and supplements is really important.

NurtureOmega gives you 600mg of DHA in easy-to-take capsules. It’s wild sourced, tested for purity and has no fishy taste.

Iodine.

This one often gets overlooked, but it's essential for baby's brain development and most women don't get enough from food alone. Check your prenatal supplement has iodine too.

NurtureMulti provides 150ug of iodine alongside other essential nutrients

Calcium and vitamin D.

Calcium is crucial for your baby’s rapid bone mineralisation in the third trimester, and vitamin D helps support calcium absorption and availability during pregnancy.

Folate.

This is most critical before conception and in early pregnancy, but it's still doing important work now, supporting rapid cell growth and healthy red blood cell production.

My top foods for your third trimester

1. Eggs

A top source of choline, an often overlooked nutrient for baby's brain development. They're also an easy, affordable source of protein, vitamin A and B12. Two a day is a great target.

2. Salmon (or other oily fish)

Salmon gives you DHA, the type of omega-3 that's essential for baby's brain in these final weeks, plus a really useful hit of iodine. Aim for 2-3 portions a week if you can.

If oily fish isn't on the menu for you right now (very common in pregnancy, thanks to food aversions!), omega-3 supplements can be really helpful to keep maternal DHA status and baby's DHA supply topped up. NurtureOmega gives you 600mg of DHA.

3. Red Meat

Red meat gives you haem iron, the form your body absorbs most easily, alongside B12, zinc and vitamin A. It's one of the most nutrient-dense foods on this list. Slow cooking it into something like a stew or ragu is an easy and nourishing way to enjoy it.

4. Spinach

A good plant source of folate, some vitamin C and fibre. It's an easy one to fold into eggs, add to pasta or blend into a smoothie.

5. Greek Yoghurt

A great source of calcium for baby's developing bones, protein for you, and live cultures that support your gut. Dairy can also contribute to your iodine intake.

6. Oats

Oats support steadier blood sugar through the day, which matters more in the third trimester as your body becomes more insulin resistant. They're also helpful for digestion if things have started to slow down.

7. Kiwis

The vitamin C in kiwis can help your body absorb more iron from the plant foods you're eating alongside them. Enjoying two kiwis a day has also been shown to help keep things moving if constipation has crept in, which is common at this stage.

8. Dates

Some studies have found that eating dates regularly in late pregnancy was linked to ripening the cervix, needing less help getting labour going and having a shorter labour. Full disclosure: the studies are still fairly small and it's not a guarantee of anything, but it could be worth a try. If you enjoy dates, research supports eating 6-7 dates daily from around 36 weeks. Just go easy and check with your healthcare team if you have gestational diabetes, as they are naturally high in sugar.