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Print This PagePregnant & Hungry (Read On)
Try our expert advice and real-life solutions, plus delicious recipes geared to every phase of pregnancy.
By Monica Gullon
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The baby in your growing belly is pressing against your stomach, making you feel full quickly. To avoid indigestion, eat four to six evenly spaced mini-meals throughout the day.
The discomfort of late-term pregnancy may make you feel entitled to overindulge in high-calorie foods, leading to excessive weight gain. "You don't want to be counting calories, but if you're not doing much physical activity, you don't need as much food," cautions Zied. Gauge how you're doing with weekly weigh-ins. (You should gain only about a pound a week after the first trimester.) It's OK to enjoy a sweet treat sometimes; just don't go overboard, say nutritionists. Gayle Reichler, M.S., R.D., author of Gayle's Feel Good Foods (Avery), enjoyed a few of her 30-calorie-each "Gayle's Miracles," The Perfect Chocolate Truffles, almost daily during both her pregnancies.
Challenges
Excess weight gain; heartburn and constipation.
What to eat
Continue eating the same healthful foods you have been eating; just portion them out as mini-meals. Cut down on coffee, which can be irritating to your stomach and is a diuretic. If you're tempted to limit your fluid intake to avoid frequent trips to the bathroom, don't: You need water to prevent constipation, says O'Rourke, who advises drinking 12 8-ounce glasses a day. High-fiber vegetables also can help keep you regular. If you're having trouble with gas or indigestion, cook your vegetables instead of eating them raw.
Expert advice
To help avoid feeling full after just a few bites of food, nix beverages during meals, advises Harris. Instead drink water between meals.
Try these recipes
First Trimester: Ginger-Lime Sparkler
Second Trimester: Salmon and Asparagus Salad
Third Trimester: Meze ("Small Bites") Platter With Roasted Pepper
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