Should I Be “Eating For Two” During Pregnancy? Here’s How To Find The Right Balance

During pregnancy, there are many questions that can come up about nutrition. And with so many information sources at our fingertips these days, it’s easy to get caught up in googling or searching social media for guidance on prenatal nutrition concerns. Even well-intentioned advice from friends and family members can become contradictory and overwhelming.

One of the top questions that I get asked as a prenatal dietitian is “how much should I be eating to support a healthy pregnancy?”.

This is a great question, since a traditional anecdote suggests that you should be “eating for two” during pregnancy. And while you do want to be eating to support both you and your baby, this looks a lot different than what might come to mind when we think about eating for two people. Hint: It doesn’t involve eating double what you usually eat!

Your body does need extra energy (also known as calories) during pregnancy to help support the new and changing physiological processes happening in your body that are supporting and growing your baby. So what does this look like?

How much more do I need to eat during pregnancy?

The amount of extra energy that your body needs during pregnancy varies based on the trimester that you’re in and a few other factors. 

During the first trimester, your body doesn’t actually need extra energy from your baseline energy needs (unless you're pregnant with multiples, in which case you do need more during the first trimester!). This means that you can continue to eat about the same amount of food as you did prior to your pregnancy.

Your energy needs start to increase around the beginning of the second trimester, but it may be by less than what we would imagine. During the second trimester, you need roughly an extra 350 calories daily from your baseline needs. As an example, this could include a slice of whole grain toast with 2 tbsp of peanut butter and sliced banana on top. There is a second increase in energy needs during the third trimester, when you need roughly an extra 450 calories daily from your baseline needs.

However, I encourage not getting caught up in counting calories as it can come with a heavy burden and research does show us that the amount of extra calories needed in each trimester can vary person to person. This is why it’s important to try to not get caught up in the number of calories, and try to tune in to your body.

Here are 3 tips to help you find the right amount of food for your body.

Trying to tune into your body needs can be challenging! Here are 3 tips to help you in learning the right amount of food for your body during pregnancy.

1. Start by reflecting on your daily intake

Around the second trimester is a perfect time to start reflecting on your daily intake compared to your baseline intake. Have you noticed if you’re eating a bit more than usual? If not, it may be a great idea to try to add in an extra small snack during your day.

2. Tune into your appetite by practicing mindful eating strategies

Your appetite is going to often be the best judge as to whether or not you're getting enough nutrition during pregnancy. If you're noticing that you're feeling hungry shortly after eating, it may be your body’s way of saying that you’re missing out on key nutrients or not having enough in terms of volume.

3. Reflect on your meal timing and spacing

During pregnancy as your baby is growing, you may notice that you start to become satisfied or full  faster with meals. This can sometimes mean that your appetite is not going to align with your increased energy needs. If this is something you’re experiencing, eating smaller and more frequent meals during the day can be very helpful to increase your energy intake without feeling like you’re “overdoing it” when you do eat.

Do you have more questions about nutrition and pregnancy? Book a complimentary meet & greet call with our registered dietitian today!