One of the most cliche symptoms of pregnancy is an increased appetite. If a movie or a sitcom features a pregnant woman, there is at least one scene where she is seen stuffing her face. The image of the hungry pregnant woman is not just in the media, it’s clearly rooted in our culture. I used to get comments if I didn’t put enough food on my plate at buffets or family functions. It was not unusual to hear someone say, “you’re not eating enough.” Everyone assumes pregnant women are supposed to be stuffing themselves all day.
The upside to this was I never got any negative looks when I asked for seconds (or thirds). The downside is too many women assume they can eat whatever they want without consequences. That could not be further from the truth. More and more research shows that excessive weight gain leads to all sorts of complications in delivery and can even affect the health of the child later in life, putting him or her at risk for obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and other life altering or life threatening diseases. Most recently cleft palate and congenital heart disease have been tied to a high fat diet during pregnancy.
Sticking to a traditional three-meal-per-day schedule can be problematic for the pregnant woman with an increased appetite. It’s better to space out several smaller meals throughout the day to prevent excess hunger and thirst. The easiest way to do this is to cut each meal in half, eat the first portion right away and eat the second half a few hours later. Eating healthy snacks will also allow you to eat more without worrying about eating too much.
One thing you may be tempted to do is eliminate all junk food, but this could be a way to set yourself up for failure. Very few have the willpower to stick to such a strict diet and may end up binging as a result. Allow yourself to indulge in the most decadent foods in small quantities. Remember that most cravings can be satisfied in just a few bites. Afterward, drink a glass of water to achieve that full feeling and keep you from overeating.