Pregnancy changes a lot of things in a woman’s life, especially the first pregnancy. Suddenly, you’re not just responsible for your own health, but for another human being growing inside you. This can make you anxious and worried about what you should eat and how much you should eat. You’ll often hear that pregnant ladies need to eat for two, but how true is this?
Pregnancy requires you to intake more calcium, iron, protein, and folic acid compared to when you’re not pregnant. If you eat a balanced diet, simply eating more food will likely help you get enough of these nutrients. But during the process, you will also intake plenty of calories that you and your baby don’t really need, so you may gain lots of weight. That’s why you shouldn’t take eating for two literally, but be smart about it and only increase the intake of these useful nutrients.
Your unborn baby definitely doesn’t need as many calories as an adult person. During the first trimester, you can continue eating as usual and you can increase daily calories for 350-450 for the rest of the pregnancy. The baby will typically take everything it needs from you, so it’s important to make sure you don’t lack vitamins and other necessary nutrients.
