10 Pregnancy Nutrition Myths Basted

Pregnancy nutrition is an essential part of ensuring your baby grows strong and healthy. Contrary to popular belief, pregnancy cravings don't necessarily mean you should give in to an indulge. In fact, a craving for certain foods imply you're lacking in a certain mineral or nutrient. Tanya Khubchandani Vatsa puts your worries to rest by busting these popular myths. Read on to know more...

-  Tanya Khubchandani Vatsa

Every baby is unique and so is every pregnancy and experience. Some women eat fast food and put on no baby weight, while others eat healthy, I controlled quantities of food, and can still gain 20 kilograms, or more! However, while every experience is unique, there are an endless number of pregnancy facts that govern how much nutrition you and your baby are able to get, and even more myths surrounding these realities. Below are some of the most common pregnancy nutrition myths, with a reality check.

1 ONCE PREGNANT, I CAN EAT FOR TWO.

True or False? False.

As per the institute of medicine, the calorie requirement during pregnancy is an extra 340 calories per day during the second trimester, and 450 extra calories per day in the third trimester. There are no extra calories required in the first trimester. This is basically an extra banana, glass of milk or healthy sandwich at most. These requirements are also based on your regular caloric intake, not on a 2,000-calorie diet. If you are underweight, your doctor may advise a little more food so that you don't deplete your own nutrients. With multiples, the calorie per day requirement increases to 300 calories more per child, per day.

2 HAVING BIG, HEAVY MEALS WILL GIVE MY BABY MORE NUTRIENTS.

True or False? False.

Having big heavy meals will give you heartburn and increase your nausea (if any), but will not do much for your baby. Smaller, regular meals will keep you feeling fuller, but will also give your baby a consistent supply of energy to grow and to move around. You will eventually find that when you eat something sugary, your baby is even more active than otherwise, because of the spikes in your blood glucose. So, keep the right kind of food going to your little one, but do not overdo it as it can make you feel sick, too.