Are You Eating Right During Pregnancy?

photo credit: avlxyz

When I was pregnant with my three kids, I remember constantly having doubts whether I was eating right to nourish the baby I was carrying. I also hear similar questions from other pregnant moms. Below, I have brought up some of the common or typical questions being asked during a pregnancy.

Question 1: Is it true that all the nutrients go to the fetus first and it gets first priority over the mother?

I always held the belief that Mother Nature would favor the fetus first over the mother. It turns out that the mother being the “reproducer” gets access to the nutrient supply first. What the mother eats during pregnancy, the nutrients do not go directly to the fetus as we would like to believe. The fetus does not perform like a parasite and the mother’s needs are generally met first.

Question 2: How much food intake should I take when I am pregnant?

When pregnant, you should be gaining appropriate weight during the various phases. The amount of food to be taken varies from one woman to another depending on factors like the amount of physical activities undertaken. Your doctor will normally monitor your weight gain and will inform you if you are not gaining weight or the other way round.

If your weight gain is within the expected range, then most probably you are eating enough to cover the baby’s needs as well. Some of the weight gain however could be due to water retention causing swelling or edema which is obvious in the lower legs and also the hands. In this case, the weight gain does not one hundred percent indicate adequate food intake.

Therefore, the diet you consume must be sufficient to meet the needs of both you and the fetus with all the food groups covered. Do not restrict your food intake as pregnancy is not the time to worry about gaining too much weight or being fat.

photo credit: avlxyz

Question 3: Is there a need to control my fat intake?

During pregnancy, it is important to ensure that both the mother and the fetus get sufficient calories. Hence, it is not the time to reduce your fat intake and go for a low-fat diet. The fetus needs certain type of fats for proper development and growth.

Question 4: I find myself eating less but still gaining weight. Why is that possible?

Pregnant women especially during the first trimester, get very bad morning sickness with feelings of being tired constantly. Naturally, there is a drastic reduction in physical activity as well. The weight gain may come from the calories reserved by the body due to less physical activity.

photo credit: avlxyz

Question 5: Is it safe to drink coffee during pregnancy?

There may be a slight risk of miscarriage during the first two months depending on the amount. In the subsequent months, it does not seem to harm the baby.

I myself was a constant coffee drinker and even during pregnancy I found it hard to stop although I limited my intake to two cups per day, maximum.

photo credit: Tambako the Jaguar

Question 6: Is it necessary to drink milk during pregnancy?

The purpose for drinking milk is to get enough calcium and Vitamin D. If you like drinking milk, then it is a good source of nutrients. As an alternative, you can take orange juice fortified with calcium and Vitamin D. If you are lactose intolerant, you may choose to eat yogurt instead. You may also request from your doctor for supplements of calcium and Vitamin D if you are allergic to milk or dairy products.

Tagged as: calories, diet, edema, fat intake, fetus, food intake, low-fat diet, miscarriage, morning sickness, mother nature, nutrients, Pregnancy, weight gain