There are quite a few misconceptions and myths about pregnancy and diet. We’re going to look at a few of the most common and attempt to unravel them.

Morning Sickness

Morning sickness is real. Some women find that it’s intense and others note that it lasted a short time. Regardless managing morning sickness is important. First, morning sickness can occur at any time. More women noted that it starts in the morning because that’s their first opportunity to eat after getting up. Some moms-to-be will make the mistake of thinking that if she doesn’t eat she’ll feel better. It’s better to eat small amounts of food that have no strong odors since smells can contribute to nausea. Having little meals of plain foods so a good idea in general because your interest in eating might be changing. However, that doesn’t mean skipping meals – just breaking them up.

Food Cravings

Food cravings are real. It’s not uncommon for women to have sudden urges for certain foods or to take a strong dislike of a food they’ve always enjoyed. Cravings often are the body’s way of signaling a need for a specific nutrient. This could include additional liquids or wanting more protein or a salty or sweet food. It’s okay to indulge in these cravings in moderation. Again smaller meals taken more often will balance out at the end of the day if you pay attention.

Eating for Two

I think we all realize that this one has nothing to do with consuming twice as much food or doubling calories. However, calorie intake is very close to what it was prior to pregnancy. Making careful food choices and eating more frequent smaller meals may be part of the process for many women. In the second and third trimesters, your physician may recommend increase daily calorie intake during these months that the baby is growing quickly.

All three of these instances are real, but when you look closer it’s more about making small changes to your food, calorie, and nutrient intake so that you and baby are healthy.