Beyond the Basics
While we’ve covered the basics of good pregnancy nutrition, there are a few other considerations that I want to draw attention to. Part of why it’s so important to work with someone well-versed in pregnancy is because it’s just not one-size-fits-all. For some, adequate protein will be second nature. For others, gut health has never been an issue. One woman will find herself loathing even the sight of vegetables for the entire first trimester, while another might discover she can’t fathom bringing herself to eat almost all the protein sources readily available to her. While the basics of good pregnancy nutrition are fairly straightforward (real food, not too much, not too little), the execution tends to be anything but.
Macros for Momma
Macros. No, not counting them. We’re talking about what macronutrients are and how your needs might change during pregnancy. Remember, while you might like to think of it as “eating for two”, the reality is that your actual calorie needs increase very little throughout pregnancy, just by about 200-300 calories per day in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters, respectively. And where do calories come from? Macronutrients!