Helen’s diet behind bars: Nutrition for pregnant and breastfeeding women in prison

The residents of Ambridge enjoy a varied and mostly nutritious diet ranging from a Ploughman’s at The Bull to Jennifer’s roast venison, with the occasional tofu and quinoa paella from Kate. For Helen Titchener (née Archer) an abrupt change in circumstances will have led to changes in her diet that could have endangered her health and that of her unborn baby. Helen was imprisoned from about eight months of pregnancy to about four months postpartum, encompassing a critical period in development of her baby. This chapter focusses on the case of Helen and her baby son Jack to explore the dietary requirements for pregnancy and breastfeeding and how these relate to diet in Ambridge and in prison.