Three small, but balanced, meals and three light snacks throughout the day are a good rule of thumb to ensure you and your baby's nutritional needs are met.
The cornerstone of healthy eating starts with three well-spaced meals a day — a maximum of four to six hours apart — with a couple of snacks in between. You may also find eating smaller, more frequent meals, up to six times a day, works for you.
Eat small, frequent meals and snacks.
Try to eat every two hours so that your stomach does not become empty. Choose high protein meals and snacks. Try pita with hummus, cheese and crackers, a small bowl of rice and beans, or yogurt with granola.
Not eating enough during pregnancy can lead to various issues, such as fatigue, dizziness, headaches, constipation, and an increased risk of preterm birth or low birth weight.
For most normal-weight pregnant women, the right amount of calories is: About 1,800 calories per day during the first trimester. About 2,200 calories per day during the second trimester. About 2,400 calories per day during the third trimester.
Three small, but balanced, meals and three light snacks throughout the day are a good rule of thumb to ensure you and your baby's nutritional needs are met.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and that is true during pregnancy! Studies have shown that women who skip breakfast (or even other meals) have a higher chance of preterm labour and other complications during pregnancy.
When you're pregnant, what you eat and drink is the main source of nourishment for your baby. In fact, the link between what you consume and the health of your baby is much stronger than once thought.
If you're feeling excessive hunger daily, you may not be eating enough during pregnancy. Start to increase your portion sizes as well as the frequency of your meals until you start to feel satiated, satisfied, and full.
Protein — Promote growth
Protein is crucial for your baby's growth throughout pregnancy. Good sources: Lean meat, poultry, seafood and eggs are great sources of protein. Other options include beans and peas, nuts, seeds, and soy products.
Being pregnant doesn't mean you need to eat twice as much food. First trimester (first 12 weeks) – Most women don't need any extra calories. Second trimester (13 to 26 weeks) – Most women need about 340 extra calories a day. Last trimester (after 26 weeks) – Most women need about 450 extra calories a day.
Don't go more than two or three hours without eating
Grazing not only pumps a steady stream of nutrients to your baby, it also keeps your blood sugar levels steady so you don't "crash" or become lightheaded. "If you don't fill the tank frequently, you can bottom out," says Ricciotti.
If you don't eat enough, it can lead to malnutrition, meaning your body is not getting enough calories to maintain its health; you may lose weight, your muscles may deteriorate and you'll feel weaker.
Fetal movements typically increase when the mother is hungry, reflecting lowered blood sugar levels in the mother and fetus. This is similar to the increased activity of most animals when they are seeking food, followed by a period of quietness when they are fed.
In eight cases however participants explicitly recounted increased fetal movements interpreted by the mother as a response to hunger or eating. Of these eight, seven women (36.8% 7/19) described increased fetal activity in association with maternal hunger or the period prior to meals.
Any complications brought on by low nutrition during pregnancy, such as anaemia, hypertension, miscarriages, premature delivery, or maternal death, will have an affect on her child as well. Many children born to mothers who are undernourished will likely grow up stunted or with malnutrition themselves.
Meal patterning during pregnancy may be important because pregnant women who sustain prolonged periods of time without food by skipping meals and/or snacks may be inducing a physiologic stress upon their pregnancy.
Examples of raw or undercooked foods to avoid include sushi, sashimi, ceviche and raw oysters, scallops or clams. Avoid refrigerated, uncooked seafood. Examples include seafood labeled nova style, lox, kippered, smoked or jerky.
For most pregnant women, at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise is recommended on most, if not all, days of the week. Walking is a great exercise for beginners. It provides moderate aerobic conditioning with minimal stress on your joints.
Pregnant women carrying girls have a greater chance of experiencing nausea and fatigue, according to the results of a study from the USA's Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
The quick answer is this: during pregnancy, intermittent fasting is not recommended and could pose risks to you and your baby. Not eating for even 13 hours has been shown to cause serious issues.
Your nausea and vomiting may be worse than ever: Morning sickness peaks around 9 or 10 weeks of pregnancy for many women. That's when levels of the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) are highest (morning sickness is thought to be linked to rises in hCG and estrogen).