What Happens If You Don't Eat Enough While Pregnant?

Being pregnant doesn’t mean you are eating for two but it does mean that the food you use to fuel your body will help create the little life starting inside you. Many times during pregnancy you may not feel like eating but what happens if you don’t eat enough during pregnancy? Is there anything to look out for?

So What Happens If You Don’t Eat Enough While Pregnant?

Not eating enough during pregnancy might result in physical and cognitive difficulties for the mother & the baby.

Not maintaining a healthy diet can have crucial effects on your developing baby. The answer to what happens if you don’t eat enough during pregnancy? Is simple. Undereating while pregnant can hinder fetal growth, affect your baby’s birth weight and the health of mom as well as risk many other physical abnormalities. Nausea and sickness are the two main causes of malnutrition during pregnancy.

Not Eating Enough During Pregnancy

Every pregnancy is unique, I have been pregnant twice and both were totally different! On my first, my cravings were off the chart with some bizarre yet understandable mixtures of foods compared to my second pregnancy where my stomach would turn at the sight of food. As my head was buried in my sick bucket it made me think, what if you don’t eat enough while pregnant?

To be fair I really tried my best to balance my diet, making sure I opened my body up to the organic goodness of fruit and vegetables but as delicious as it looked on the plate it didn’t stay put. It isn’t rocket science to understand your body needs fuel to function but with nausea and vomiting to contend with how do you know your baby is getting enough?

Appetite Loss During Pregnancy

Changes in your desires for food is extremely common. You may be battling morning sickness or nausea leaving you feeling queasy at the thought of eating food.

Appetite loss can happen for many reasons some of which will be unknown to you but as soon as you identify the issues the better you can overcome them and make sure you are eating the fuel that will get your little bean bouncing in no time.

Nausea and Morning Sickness

These ugly symptoms are the world’s worst! I can categorically tell you there is nothing glamorous about being sick and losing control of your bladder at the same time. Yup, you guessed it I am a morning sickness warrior.

Although I also hold the medal for nausea during pregnancy too I can hand on heart say I preferred being sick. The feeling of nausea can disrupt your desire to even see food let alone smell or taste it.

According to a study around 70- 80% of women can suffer mild or severe nausea and vomit through their pregnancy. The wonderful hormone Leptin and Hcg are to thank.

If you are suffering from a decreased appetite or bringing every meal up then it’s best to avoid fast foods and anything spicy or high in sugar.

It’s important if you cannot control your sickness then you see a doctor as you are at risk of dehydration and being undernourished.

Mental Health

It’s not just physical barriers to overcome when pregnant. Your own thoughts can be your own worst enemy. The one thing I hated throughout my pregnancy was the anxiety over the littlest thing.

Depression can be a very real and scary place whether you are pregnant or not. Living in the fog of despair can alter your views on eating, maybe even forgetting to eat some days.

If you feel your mental health is suffering then seek advice for antenatal depression.

Regular Medication

If you are a recipient of taking regular meds then this can hinder your appetite by far.

Zoloft and Prozac are commonly prescribed to women who are suffering from depression during pregnancy and one side effect is early fullness leading to maternal weight loss.

Eating Disorders During Pregnancy

If you are suffering from an eating disorder such as Anorexia or Bulimia then help is readily available for you from professionals.

I totally understand being a survivor from my early teens how it can disrupt your physical and mental health but suffering whilst pregnant can make these thoughts and feelings more intense.

Your waistline is going to expand and the phobias you harbor over gaining weight can prevent you from eating the required nutrition needed for a successful pregnancy.

Help is readily available for you so don’t suffer in silence.

Complications – Affects On Your Baby

Not eating enough during pregnancy can cause major implications for both you and your baby. If you are feeling under the weather then it’s important to educate yourself over which foods are important.

Nutrients are the building blocks of your baby’s development and survival. Undereating or not maintaining the nutrients due to sickness can leave you and your baby from the following complications.

Poor fetal growth

Low birth weight
Maternal weight loss
Lower cognitive ability

Behaviour issues
Anaemia for both mom and baby
Preterm birth

Overcoming Appetite Loss

You don’t have to eat big meals but little and often of the following foods will help ensure you are eating the best things for your baby’s development.

Foods high in …	Examples
Protein	Eggs, cheese, crackers, cooked meats.
Fibre	Sweet potato, carrots, green vegetables including spinach.
Vitamins	Fresh berries, fruit
Grain	Wholemeal pasta, rice, quinoa

It’s not easy to eat if you don’t feel hungry but eating or snacking on the above foods can help your body deliver the best nutrients to your baby and help your body combat fatigue. Soups and smoothies are a brilliant way to get the best nutrients in your body without feeling as if you are eating a huge meal.

Nurture your Nutrients

During pregnancy your baby is demanding nutrients from your body to maintain healthy growth. Eating a balanced diet before you become pregnant can help as your body will store the goodness allowing your baby to take the reserves especially if you are suffering from sickness.

How much you should eat depends on you and your pregnancy. Large meals can upset your tummy leading to the food being expelled in a rather violent form. Smaller meals are best as your body can take time to digest and soak up the goodness.

The first trimester doesn’t beg you to up your calorie intake but now is the time to nurture your diet and form good eating habits.

As you progress toward your second trimester you should be adding around 340 more calories to your diet. This will ensure that your baby is getting more than enough whilst he/she is in the main growth period.

In your third trimester you can add 450cals so only a little more but this will help your baby gain weight and soon become the squishy little human you have been desperate to meet.

You are not eating for two but you are eating for your baby.

Doctors Advice

Generally speaking many moms suffer from sickness during pregnancy. It’s not a major concern if you are being sick infrequently however if you are struggling to keep anything down then your doctor may feel it’s best to hook you up to an IV drip for fluids, this is to prevent dehydration and ensure your body is retaining enough nutrients for your baby.

Skipping meals can also become a concern and taking a trip to the doctor’s office for advice is the best action to take.

Listen To Your Body

You may not feel as if you are undereating especially if you had a small appetite before pregnancy. As we know being pregnant can take its toll on the body so it’s important to be aware of the signs of malnutrition or not eating adequate portions.

Symptoms of not eating enough while pregnant are listed below:

Maternal Weight Gain

At your doctor’s appointments you should expect to discuss weight gain and the recommended amount whilst pregnant. If you are not gaining enough weight then it could spark concerns as your baby may be lacking in nutrition.

You are required to deliver nutrients to your baby so if you snack they snack but if you don’t then risks of low birth weight or preterm delivery can become reality.

Lethargy

Pregnancy is tiring! There is no doubt about that but feeling excessively tired all the time can signal that your glucose level has dropped in your bloodstream.

When we eat the sugar in food helps regulate our blood sugar levels so lack of food can mean dizzy spells and make your tiredness worse.

Ravenous Monster

Hunger pangs are our body’s way of saying it’s low on fuel so if you feel like you’re a ravenous monster after a meal or in the middle of the night it raises a huge flag meaning you are not eating enough for the body to function.

Wrapping Up

What happens if you don’t eat enough while pregnant?

By not eating enough you are potentially putting you and your baby at risk of severe physical and cognitive difficulties. If you feel scared of gaining weight seek support from other moms, take up an antenatal fitness class or if you fear your sickness is getting worse talk to a doctor. The most important rule is ensure you are putting in the fuel your baby needs to survive and thrive.

What Happens If You Don’t Eat Enough While Pregnant? – Surprising Facts