Eating the Right Portion During Pregnancy

"Eat more.. You're eating for two! Double portion, if necessary!"

How many of you (especially pregnant women) have heard that kind of saying?
Me? Countless times!!

It's a common way of thinking that when someone's pregnant, she must eat more or double portion, if necessary, to fulfill the needs of two (mom and baby).

It is right, that you are eating for two.
But you don't have to eat double portion.

Because remember, the other one is still very tiny, especially during the early months. 
It is not necessary for you to eat more that you usually are, especially during the first trimester. Besides, sometimes it's even hard to eat, with the nausea and other pregnancy symptoms going on -some of you might experience this, some don't-.

And later on, you'll need to eat more calories than before. 
But keep in mind that you have to maintain a good pregnancy weight gain.
If the weight gain is too fast, it means that you're eating too much.
If it's too slow, means that you're eating less than you should.
Eating too much or too little can lead to pregnancy complications.
*Please also consult your doctor on how to eat right, especially if you have a special condition

Me, personally, I'm in my 22nd week now (or approximately 5 months), and my weight gain is pretty much normal (receive no complaint from my doctor :)).
Before I was pregnant, I was 47 kgs, with a pretty much healthy eating habit, exercising 4-5 times a week, and sleeping at least 6 hours per-night.
Now I'm in between 50-51 kgs, and even though I can no longer do exercises like I used to, I still do exercises such as prenatal yoga, walking and/or swimming.

My Transition

Some people think that I'm pretty slim/small for my pregnancy. I believe that my genes play a big part in it, because my mom said that when she was 5 months pregnant with me, she could still fit in her normal jeans (she must be very skinny!).
But I also believe that my lifestyle also plays a part in it.

This is how I eat during pregnancy, to ensure that I fulfill my daily nutrition needs but still maintain a good weight gain rate. So far so good ;)

Breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day! Yes, I still believe in that (and have discussed about it here in my blog last May. 
My breakfast is including:

• a glass of milk (I drink nut-milk, because somehow I dislike cow-milk during pregnancy), or smoothies - my favorite is banana-soymilk-cacao
• a whole wheat or multi-grain sandwich or my mom's own made wheat bread, or a bowl of porridge.

In Between Breakfast and Lunch Snack
Usually the breakfast I had is already enough to keep me full until lunch. But in case I'm hungry, I keep a container of healthy nuts (walnuts, almonds, etc.) on my work-desk.
This way, I'm keeping myself from reaching for those unhealthy salty chips (that could cause bloating).

Lunch
Since I'm currently not cooking much (can't stand the smell of certain ingredients), I usually buy my lunch. 
Even though it's not that easy to buy clean-healthy food, I still try to eat as healthy as possible: not-too-much portion of carb (usually 1/2 portion of rice), a serving of meat and veggies.

In Between Lunch and Dinner Snack
Unlike in the morning, I always feel hungry in between lunch and dinner time.
My choice of snacks are usually:

• a bowl of fruits - whatever fruit I've bought during groceries, such as banana, dragon fruit, melon, etc.
• a glass juice
• or both ;)

Dinner
The advantage of having dinner at home is the ability to control my intake.
I usually asked the helper at home to cook brown rice, lean meats, and veggies.
But when I'm eating out, with my husband, family or friends, I eat just like how I eat during lunch, keeping it as balanced/healthy as possible.

Addition
In addition to the things I've mentioned above, I also drink at least 2 litres a day at the office, and a bit more at home. This is to keep myself hydrated at all times and to help my body flushes away the toxins.


Just this morning I read an interesting article about gaining too much from a very useful website, "What To Expect".
It is mentioned that gaining too much during pregnancy have serious consequences for both the mommy and the baby, including:

• Less accurate ultrasound results: being overweight with too much body fat will make it harder for your doctor to look at your baby (and diagnosing any possible problem) during your ultrasound exams
• Increased discomfort: with excess weight gain may result in even more pain, such as backaches, leg pain, overall exhaustion, varicose veins, calf cramps, heartburn, hemorrhoids and achy joints
• High blood pressure: having gestational hypertension, which is diagnosed in the second half of pregnancy, can lead to complications in delivery
• Preeclampsia: this can lead to liver and kidney problems for you, as well as increase your risk of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), placental abruption and other complications
• Gestational diabetes: gaining too much weight during pregnancy puts you at risk of gestational diabetes that could put you at higher risk of being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes later in life
• A large baby: the heavier you are, the more likely your baby is to be larger (or macrosomic) at birth, increasing the odds that a normal delivery will require the use of forceps or vacuum, or the need of C-section (which means more difficult recovery)
• Premature labor: the higher the BMI, the more likely your baby is to be born prematurely, putting him or her at greater risk of a number of health issues
• Birth defects: babies born to overweight mothers are at higher risk of birth defects including heart issues and neural tube defects
• Obesity and ongoing health issues: gain too much weight during pregnancy and you’ll have a lot harder time losing it after giving birth. In addition, women who gain excessively and don't lose the extra weight within six months after birth are at a higher risk of being obese 10 years later. 

Scary huh?
That's why I'm sticking to my good habit and not to indulge in excessive eating.
I want to be healthy for my self, and most importantly, for my baby :)

I hope you'll find this useful and/or informative.
If you have any questions or anything, you could let me know, and I'll try my best to answer.

Have an awesome day :) 



Sources:
Gaining Too Much Weight
What To Expect