Increased hunger during pregnancy is a concern for many women. However, this does not mean you will necessarily gain excessive weight, as long as you maintain a healthy diet suitable for pregnancy.
Pregnant women naturally feel more hungry. This happens due to various metabolic changes in the body, such as the increased production of peptides (substances that create a feeling of not being full). The average recommended calorie intake for an adult is 2,000 per day. For a pregnant woman, it’s ideal to keep the same calorie intake during the first trimester and only increase by 300 calories per day starting in the second trimester. In the case of twins, this should be doubled to 600. Increased appetite can worry pregnant women who wonder how to maintain a healthy diet for both mother and baby.
The recommendations for a healthy pregnancy are usually quite simple, such as avoiding fatty foods, too much salt, and including more fruits, vegetables, and leafy greens in meals1.
How to Manage Hunger During Pregnancy?
At this stage, it’s very important to have the guidance of a nutrition professional. No type of food restriction is recommended, except for substances that are harmful, such as alcohol, salt, and excessive fried foods or saturated fats2. There is no “pregnancy diet,” but there are tips to have a richer and more nutritious menu for both mother and baby.
Feeling more satisfied can be achieved by having small meals throughout the day. It’s best for the pregnant woman to eat main meals like breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and use the intervals for light snacks whenever hunger strikes. Pasteurized cheese, nuts, whole wheat toast with tuna, shakes, and fruits are all allowed.
IMPORTANT: Managing weight during pregnancy isn’t just about appearance. Obesity during pregnancy can lead to health complications for the mother, such as increased risk of gestational diabetes.
Do I Really Need to Eat for Two?
It’s common to hear the old advice: “Now that you’re pregnant, you have to eat for two,” but this is not true. Eating twice as much doesn’t mean you’re eating better. What you really need during pregnancy is to eat even more healthily and nutritiously.
Many women complain about excessive appetite during pregnancy, which is quite common and often caused by anxiety during this time. Worrying about everything, from preparing for the baby’s birth to the child’s health and postnatal care, can also put pressure on the pregnant woman.
This can lead to emotional hunger and a compulsion to consume certain foods, which unfortunately are often not healthy.
Ideal Diet for Each Time of Day
It’s possible to eat well at all meals without overdoing it and still nourish yourself properly for a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. Just follow a few dietary recommendations.
Breakfast
For pregnant women, breakfast is also an important meal, so it should be quite nutritious. Proteins, dairy, fruits, and cereals should be part of your morning meal. Some suggestions are: whole wheat bread, scrambled eggs, oatmeal porridge, fresh juice, toast, and yogurt.
Small Snacks
It’s very common to want to eat something right after lunch or a little before dinner. There’s nothing wrong with this, as long as you make the right choices. Avoid giving in to the temptation of processed sweets, filled cookies, fried foods, iced cakes, or salty snacks. Instead, go for fruit salads, shakes, toast with tuna, or a piece of white cheese.
Hydration
Hydration increases satiety while being essential for your body’s functions. Liquids should be part of a pregnant woman’s daily routine—include natural juices, coconut water, but don’t exclude plain water. Staying hydrated with pure water is very important; drink at least 2 liters a day. A good tip to avoid dehydration is not to overdo caffeine intake, such as coffee and caffeinated teas.
Dinner?
Eating dinner earlier is a healthy habit during pregnancy, remembering that your entire digestive system is slower because of pregnancy. Before your meal, have a light snack as recommended to avoid overeating or nighttime indigestion. Dark green salads, brown rice, lean proteins like fish and chicken can be rotated in your menu.
What is Pica?
Almost everyone has heard about the unusual cravings some pregnant women have for certain foods3. That’s when the partner rushes out to find the unexpected craving. The foods pregnant women desire are usually high in carbohydrates, like ice cream, iced cakes, chocolate, and others.
Fruits and acidic foods are also often craved by pregnant women, who might feel an urge to add lemon, pineapple, and orange to their diet. But cravings aren’t always so simple—they can involve eating substances that aren’t actually food, like chalk, dirt, brick, sand, and many others that can be quite shocking.
Nourishing Yourself Is Essential
Pregnant women often have many questions about diet and appropriate weight gain during pregnancy. Prenatal care is essential for addressing these questions, warning about possible complications and diseases, and providing nutritional recommendations for this new phase.
Food helps meet the nutritional needs of both mother and baby and it can also play a role in preventing nausea and discomfort.
Do I need to eat for two? No! You need to eat better, in a controlled way, choosing your options carefully and keeping in mind that maintaining a healthy weight during pregnancy is important for both mom and baby. If you experience excessive anxiety that leads to eating unhealthy foods, try relieving this stress with some physical activity. Talk to your doctor about the possibility of doing exercises like water aerobics, pilates, walking, among others.
See Also: Is Soda Bad During Pregnancy?
