One of the most cliche symptoms of pregnancy is an increased appetite. If a movie or a sitcom features a pregnant woman, there is at least one scene where she is seen stuffing her face. The image of the hungry pregnant woman is not just in the media, it’s clearly rooted in our culture. I used to get comments if I didn’t put enough food on my plate at buffets or family functions. It was not unusual to hear someone say, “you’re not eating enough.” Everyone assumes pregnant women are supposed to be stuffing themselves all day. The upside to … Continue reading →

Some women find they don’t have much of an appetite when they are pregnant. Often this is the result of recurring morning sickness. Other women have the opposite problem. They seem to be hungry all the time. Nutrition is definitely important during pregnancy. However, constant hunger can be too much of a good thing. If you give in to every craving or feeling of hunger, your weight gain can get out of control. This increases the risk of complications during pregnancy and delivery. After the baby is born, excessive weight gain can make losing the baby weight. Contrary to grandma’s … Continue reading →

Eating a healthy, balanced diet is important to your health and your baby. Gaining too much weight during pregnancy can lead to dangerous complications; and a diet high in sugar can potentially lead to an oversize baby, which causes its own issues as well. The problem is you are dealing with hormones that affect your appetite and your cravings. Combine those factors with a busy schedule and it becomes extremely difficult to stick to a healthy diet. The solution is a proactive approach with a little bit of planning and preparation. The first step is to think about the types … Continue reading →