A dietitian specialising in women's health is debunking the myths around what you can and can't eat during pregnancy with a new cook book.
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Nurture the Seed offers nutritional advice and wholesome recipes - like how to make Kimchi fish cakes or whether soy is good for you - to mothers-to-be as well as those post-partum.
Renee Jennings, of Wollongong, south of Sydney, had the idea kicking around for 10 years before putting the idea into practice when her firstborn was three-months-old, and co-wrote it with good friend Georgia Gregory.
"I remember when I first fell pregnant with my first and I ... to talked to midwives and they gave me this information pack that was 10 years old and it was so outdated and so conflicting," Ms Jennings said.
"Rather than falling pregnant and worrying about the foods you can't eat, I focus on the foods that you can eat."
She said she'd found a lot of "fear" around how one should eat throughout pregnancy as opposed to feeling "empowered" to eat an abundance of good food.
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Some of the biggest myths, Ms Jennings said, was that you can't eat fish because of perceived mercury, or any soft cheese or sashimi.
"When I was pregnant with my second I would eat sashimi-grade fish if it was bought from a reputable establishment," Ms Jennings said.
"But your little random sushi place where everything's out on the counter is not a good idea."
Addressing the need for nutrients is a theme through the book, with recipes designed to boost common deficiencies like iron and folate. This includes bliss balls, bolognese - iron common deficiency, soups, granola, bone broth and nut slices.
It's been a work/life struggle for three years to complete it, with Ms Jennings writing when her children napped during the day, went down for their nightly sleep or when her husband would take them on weekend "adventures".
"I sometimes wrote when they were breastfeeding when they were really little but not after about five-months-old as they were too restless," she said.
"It's always been a struggle trying to juggle motherhood whilst writing a book, hence why it took us three years. I was lucky to have a lot of support from family and friends who helped with babysitting, recipe testing and proofreading."
Nurture The Seed RRP $59. It is available through to purchase online, and shipped Australia-wide, or through Ms Jenning's practice in Wollongong.