When a woman is pregnant, her body goes through a series of changes that end with the birth of the baby. During this time, to keep the mother healthy and help the baby grow, the body requires additional calories. As the need for extra calories increases, a woman might feel hungrier than usual.
The main reason behind the increased appetite is the growing baby who requires certain nutrients, vitamins, and calories. Also, the woman body demands more food for maintaining the body processes and higher blood levels that are active during gestation. For the latter part of the pregnancy, milk production can be the reason behind the increased hunger.
Just because the baby is in need of additional calories to grow, it doesn’t mean that you have to eat for two throughout the pregnancy. Remember that the baby inside you who needs nourishment is smaller than an adult. The increase in your portion size should reflect that. That being said, you should eat until you are satisfied. Take snacks and healthy meals throughout the pregnancy. Add healthy vitamins and nutrients to your diet.
It is important that you eat more for helping the baby grow. However, it is also important to keep your weight gain in check. In case of a single pregnancy, it is common to gain 25 to 30 pounds. For making sure that you don’t gain excessive weight, you can follow a pregnancy approved diet and calorie intake program. Eat small meals frequently in a day. Make sure to increase your high fibre intake. For combating hunger and providing healthy food to your baby, you need to eat healthy snacks.
