'Hollestic' pregnancy nutrition app launched by National Maternity Hospital

One thing that we’re told again and again and again when we’re pregnant is that we’re eating for two, so we have to mind our nutrition intake. This is good advice, but actually carrying it out can feel a little daunting at times, especially if this is your first time pregnant, or you have other little ones who aren’t as on board with your nutrient-rich diet.

Most mums and mums-to-be get their pregnancy nutritional information and recipes from the internet, but how can you really know which recipes to trust? Anyone can make a Pinterest recipe and claim it’s good for you, and how are we to know any differently?

That’s where The National Maternity Hospital’s new app comes into play.

The ‘Hollestic’ app is the ideal resource for mums-to-be and all the nutritional information that you need. Brimming with a collection of healthy, easy-to-cook recipes that you and your family will enjoy, it’s the solution that we’ve all been looking for.

By creating this app, The National Maternity hospital has combined clinical research and real life to make a fantastic resource for mothers who want to prioritise eating a well-balanced, healthy diet, full of nourishing foods for you and your developing baby to give them the bst start in life.

With over 100 breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack recipes, the app has been tailored to you and the nutrients that you need, providing both variety and a fun cooking experience. Each recipe has your health at its forefront and provides you with the nutritional information per serving and details about ingredients and cooking instructions, so it’s like having a pregnancy dietician expert on call at all times!

Not only is it a fantastic nutritional resource, but it also is full of advice and tips for whatever stage or trimester of pregnancy you are experiencing along with a pregnancy tracker, physical activity advice and a growth chart that allows you to keep up with your baby’s progress each week. It also links you to all trusted online resources for any further question you may have.

An app like this is so important in the times that we live in. The pregnancy experience has never been so removed from the hospital with Covid-19 restrictions still in place. This app gives you access to information you can trust as it was developed based on up to date, current scientific evidence and has been created by dietician, obstetricians and researchers at the National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street, Dublin and the UCD Perinatal Research Centre, Dublin.

Prof Fionnuala McAuliffe, Director of the UCD Perinatal Research Centre and consultant obstetrician at The National Maternity Hospital said,

“The Hollestic app is a lovely, real example of how clinical research has translated into a valuable resource for all our pregnant women. Certainly in the current climate, apps like this have an even more important role to play as assess to dieticians and antenatal classes continue to be restricted by COVID19”.

Dr Eileen O’Brien, senior dietician at The National Maternity Hospital said

“With the ever-increasing amount of pregnancy and nutritional advice available and the added challenges posed by COVID19, choosing three healthy meals and 2-3 snacks can be overwhelming, especially for new mums. The app is a direct result of collaborative work designed to equip women with easy and nourishing recipes, which are enjoyable to cook and have been approved by mums, dietician, obstetricians, and midwives. Hollestic aims to act as a guide, support and motivator for women and their families, helping to ensure dietary needs are met during pregnancy and giving baby the best nutritional start in life.”

With research suggesting that the food we eat during pregnancy plays a strong role in our baby’s development, it’s important to gather and use all the information we can on how to set them up to give them the best start we can.  The National Maternity Hospital advises that an ideal diet for pregnancy includes a balance of wholegrain carbohydrates, a variety of fruit and vegetables, lean protein sources (including red meat for iron and oily fish for omega 3), at least three sources of calcium-rich foods and limited confectionery. Two supplements are necessary to include daily, as our diet does not provide enough; 400µg folic acid and 10µg (400IU) vitamin D.

Speaking about the launch of Hollestic, Mary Brosnan, Director of Nursing and Midwifery at The NMH said,

“We are delighted to launch the app at the hospital today.  The Hollestic App is the newest addition to The NMH suite of online educational resources developed for women during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. The app looks and works differently than existing pregnancy apps, taking users through their pregnancy journey with a pregnancy tracker and tips specific to trimesters, while also boosting a vast number of beautifully photographed, nutritionally dense recipes, which are backed by science.” 

The Hollestic App can be downloaded on the App Store or Google Play Store.