It is vital to eat more because carrying a baby in your body demands a lot of energy and nutrients. You wouldn't allow tradies to go hungry after a long day on the job, and you shouldn't let your body go hungry after a long day of constructing someone.

Adding sour cream to every meal or making the burger and chips treats isn't the only way to get more energy and minerals. However, if you're starting in the baby-building business and are a little on the slim side, you'll need to eat more and arrange your diet to ensure you're receiving enough of all the appropriate nutrients.

Malnutrition occurs when your body does not receive enough calories to sustain its health; as a result, you may lose weight, your muscles may degenerate, and you will feel weaker. You should gain weight throughout pregnancy, and if you don't, you could still be malnourished. Even if you were already overweight, pregnancy is not the time to try to reduce weight; you'll need to put on some baby weight.

Good things in small packages
You'll need to make sure you receive adequate micronutrients in addition to eating enough to gain weight.

It's not just babies who are petite and charming. Micronutrients, which you acquire from your diet, are also beneficial in little doses. You may not be able to see them, but they are there, working tirelessly on your behalf. If you eat well, your diet will provide you with all of the micronutrients you and your foetus require.

Folate (found in foods like beans and spinach) is a B vitamin that aids in the development of your baby's spinal cord, nervous system, and brain. You'll need to eat a lot of little calcium packages, which can be found in dairy foods, to keep your little bones and teeth in good shape. Vitamin A and iron are also essential. You can discuss with your doctor which pregnancy vitamin supplements might be most beneficial in supplementing your diet.

If I don’t eat enough, neither does my baby
Your foetus can't go to the Deli for a snack; it can only acquire what it needs from you. As soon as you become pregnant, your foetus begins to need food from your body, with a special emphasis on micronutrients. All of the new cells that the sperm and egg divide into require a lot of micronutrients and energy.

If you eat well before becoming pregnant, you'll have some extra micronutrients on hand, and your foetus will have all the energy it requires. The brain and spinal cord grow throughout the first month or so, and folate deficiency is the most common cause of defects at this time.

Holy Guacamole: What can happen if I don’t eat enough?
When you don't eat enough when pregnant, your health and that of your foetus are jeopardised. Women who are underweight before pregnancy are more likely to be malnourished during their pregnancy. It's more difficult to make up on nutrients after you're pregnant, so prospective Mummies should start eating more fruits and vegetables before the pregnancy test indicates a positive result.

Underweight women are also more likely to have a preterm delivery, a stillbirth, or a miscarriage, as well as pregnancy issues including hypertension. Make sure your iron levels are adequate as well, because being pregnant while iron-deficient increases your chance of anaemia.

Malnutrition affects people of all ages, not only pregnant women. The unborn child is also harmed, and he or she may be born with low birth weight or mental impairment. Other complications, such as respiratory, digestive, or neurological issues, can also arise. Low birth weight is linked to a higher risk of sickness throughout the baby's life. Malnourished mothers give birth to babies who are more likely to die within the first month of life.

So keep in mind that when you eat properly, your baby does as well.

Baby, you rock me
Nutrition deficiency in the womb can influence the foetal metabolism and predispose the baby to type 2 diabetes before it is born. Undernutrition in the womb can raise the risk of malignancies, cardiovascular illnesses, infectious diseases, and kidney problems, in addition to metabolic issues. You want to give your child birthday presents, not diabetes, so eat wisely while you're pregnant and give your child the gift of health.

Eat and be merry
Even if you can't drink alcohol while pregnant, if you eat well and your kid is healthy, you'll be OK.

Eating healthy entails more than avoiding burgers and chips; it also entails receiving enough nutrition to fuel the incredible event of developing a baby - from scratch!

If you are confused about healthy eating during pregnancy, contact us at Bump2Baby Scans