Newsflash! Your nutrition is the most important factor in predicting how well a pregnancy will go, and how both you and your baby will fare. This may seem obvious, but I have lived the medical mainstream pregnancy and I can tell you (or maybe you can tell me!) that this is not common knowledge in that world. I want to tell you more about what your pregnant body really needs, why it needs it, the surprising thing you need more of, and why pregnancy nutrition should be taken seriously!
In my first pregnancy (which was OB-hospital based) not one person, ever, who was caring for me, asked what I put in my mouth on a daily basis. How crazy is that?
For this third pregnancy, with midwifery care, and studying midwifery myself, I have the people asking all of the time! I’ve filled out diet sheets, counted protein, kept tabs on my blood sugar…but it doesn’t have to be even that complicated!
1. What You Need In Pregnancy, and Why!
If you haven’t thought about exactly what you need and why to grow a healthy baby, though, here it is!
Here’s a very amazing pregnancy fact: by the time you are about 28 weeks pregnant, your body will have made 50% more blood!! This extra blood allows your baby and placenta to grow, so that there is enough blood to bathe the placenta, without neglecting your needs as well. The catch is this: your body can only manufacture this extra blood with enough protein and calories. That’s at least 2,500 calories a day (yes, really!) and anywhere between 70-100 grams of protein daily. It is a lot of food, I agree. But if the food you eat is from whole, healthy, food sources then you will be providing your body with the fuel it needs.
2. Why You Need More Salt in Pregnancy
And here’s another little known fact: the protein and calories are supremely important, but your body also needs salt in the right proportions to help with this expanding blood volume. Good quality salt, like sea salt, is a pregnant woman’s friend because it will help keep blood pressure and swelling down, while providing just the right fluid balance in your body. So, salt your food to taste and balance it out with enough fresh water. If you are struggling with nausea, swelling or just not feeling that great, try adding homemade or store bought electrolyte mixes, and avoid plain water altogether.
3. Why Pregnancy Nutrition Should be Taken Serious
So, what are the risks if you don’t eat this way? It varies from woman to woman, but anything from pre-eclampsia/toxemia, preterm birth to poor fetal growth to placental abruption is made more likely when you are undernourished. The good news is that providing your pregnant body with exactly what it needs puts you so much less at risk for all of these kind of complications. So, even if your doctor isn’t asking you what you’re eating, you can keep track yourself and just get a feel for what you consume on a normal day. Nobody’s perfect, but even the “best” eaters usually find some room for improvement. Most importantly, you should feel a positive difference from eating this way relatively soon.
Eat up, mama!
Wow! 50% more blood! That is AMAZING! My husband and I are planning to conceive our first child now and so I am already doing lots of studying on pregnancy, birth, and nutrition (which is a passion of mine).
This article was fascinating, and there’s no wonder that many-a-mama-to-be wake up starving in the middle of the night even! So, yes, your article is informative, but I think women would benefit by having an example of some of the foods YOU would eat. Thank You very much 🙂
Wow! 50% more blood! That is AMAZING! My husband and I are planning to conceive our first child now and so I am already doing lots of studying on pregnancy, birth, and nutrition (which is a passion of mine).
This article was fascinating, and there’s no wonder that many-a-mama-to-be wake up starving in the middle of the night even! So, yes, your article is informative, but I think women would benefit by having an example of some of the foods YOU would eat. Thank You very much 🙂
Thanks for your advice on salt intake…. at 15 weeks pregnant I have been carefully watching my salt intake for fear of retaining too much water. After reading that unrefined sea salt is actually good for you, I went out and got some just today because i was craving salt so much and am relieved to find out that I can use it while pregnant without feeling guilty. I have also noticed that whenever I eat anything salty I become extremely thirsty and drink one to two glasses of water. Its good to know I can trust my body is telling me what it needs right now.
Thank you for writing about this! I have published a number of articles through Midwifery Today on this subject (http://healthybirth.net/?p=941), and every few years it seems we have to argue the same points all over again!
Great post, thank you! I realise adequate nutrition is very important, but why then does my body conspire against me?! Throughout 1st trimester, aversions to fatty food, meat and vegetables left me with just carbs, sweets, crackers and cheese mainly. Second trimester was generally ok and back to normal but not really feel like eating more. Enter 3rd trimester, stomach seems to have become half the size of pre-pregnancy, although aversions gone, hard to get the calories in. Do you think then, that the most important time to build stores is pre-pregnancy, given all the food issues that set in once pregnancy actually starts?
Thanks for your comment, Elle!
I wrote this post…almost 10 years ago, when I was a student midwife, and after a decade of “real life” I totally hear what you are saying.
I’m not sure I have the answer, except sometimes it DOES feel counterintuitive and we do the best we can. Practically speaking, less food more often, and as nutrient dense as possible.
Great read! I would clarify/agree: even IF you get 70+ grams protein, if you don’t get enough total *calories* your body will ‘steal’ protein for metabolism (just functioning) and you will have less protein available for use. So both are Soooooooo important: Protein and Calories!