There are many misconceptions about nutrition during pregnancy. “Eating for two” is often used as reasoning to eat in excess since they are feeding their growing baby and are expected to put on weight. The average person only needs roughly 300 calories each day to accommodate the energy needs of the fetus. Most people already consume at least a few hundred calories more than they need, so adding any calories may not be necessary. Most expectant mothers will not need more food for much of their pregnancy but will need to eat better food.
Women need additional nutrients before, during, and after pregnancy to fuel the development of a healthy baby, especially healthy fats, iron, folate, iodine, calcium, and other key nutrients (Malek et al., 2017). This can be achieved by swapping out “junk” food for various healthier options. Healthier foods will also reduce excess weight gain and improve the long-term health of the mother and baby. Meals and snacks should contain complex carbohydrates, nuts, seeds, whole fruits and vegetables, organic and grass-fed lean meat, and dairy (optional). Studies show that the optimal diet for overall health is eating aligned with the Mediterranean Diet. A vegan or vegetarian diet is safe for pregnancy if it is well-balanced with protein sources such as beans, legumes, lentils, nuts, and seeds. Processed foods and fruit juices should be limited since they are often high in sugar, simple carbohydrates, and empty calories. Ideal snacks for before, during, and after physical activity include complex carbs, like oats or quinoa, and whole fruits, like apples and bananas. A simple peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole grain bread or apple slices and almond butter provides a healthy source of fat, protein and complex carbs.
There may be times during pregnancy when eating becomes difficult. Food aversions, cravings, indigestion, and heartburn are common. Eating small meals and healthy snacks throughout the day is an easy way to minimize these symptoms. A small meal 1-2 hours before activity, a snack during exercise (if needed), and eating again soon after physical activity can help keep energy and blood-sugar levels steady. Low blood sugar can result in dizziness, nausea, and fatigue.
The average person should gain 25 to 35 pounds during pregnancy – more for those who began pregnancy underweight and less for those who were overweight before they became pregnant. Weight gain accelerates during the third trimester when the baby grows to full term. Of course, individuals who are pregnant with multiples are recommended to gain more weight and do so earlier in the pregnancy.
Consuming more calories than required will lead to excess gestational weight gain that can negatively impact both mother and child. Infants born to overweight parents will likely be overweight from infancy to adulthood. The effects of excess weight gain and poor nutrition during pregnancy have been shown to last multiple generations. While exercise has many health benefits, no amount of exercise will counterbalance the negative impact of a poor diet. Since there are many challenges to eating healthy during pregnancy, women must be supported with practical information and encouragement to maintain a healthy diet.
Nutrition also impacts infant health postpartum. There is a myth that breast milk naturally contains everything infants need. However, without a nutrient-rich diet, breast milk can be deficient, meaning neither mother nor baby will thrive. In the article, Breast Milk is Conditionally Perfect (2018), the author explains,
“Human milk is a composite of nutritional choices of the mother, commencing in the pre-conceptual era.…Food choices do affect the nutritional profile of human breast milk. It is a biological impossibility for a lactating woman to transfer nutrients via breast milk she does not have!” (p 82).
Nutrition is essential to mental and physical health during and after pregnancy.