Are you pregnant? Make sure you read our Pregnacare A-Z of Pregnancy and Nutrition, covering everything important for parents-to-be. We take a look at the letter E during pregnancy

Our Pregnacare A-Z is a series of posts, one for each letter of the alphabet, designed to help you understand your nutritional needs, how they change and the best foods to choose during pregnancy and breast-feeding.

This A to Z answers many of the important questions mums-to-be have about pregnancy and nutrition. It covers everything from antenatal care through to water intake, via pregnancy vitamin supplements.

You can download the full version of the guide in PDF format here.

If you have any further questions, make sure you ask your midwife or GP.

Pregnacare A-Z Of Pregnancy And Nutrition – What Does The Letter E Stand For?

Eating During Labour

Will I Be Able To Eat During Labour?

Hospital policies on eating during labour vary. It may be a good idea to try to eat a meal during early labour to help keep up your energy. Let your body tell you whether to eat, but don’t forget to drink regularly to avoid dehydration.

If you do feel hungry during labour, stick to slow releasing carbohydrates that are lighter on the digestive system and will provide you with energy throughout your contractions.

Take snacks with you such as biscuits, fruit, dried fruit etc.

Eating For Two

Do I Really Need To ‘Eat For Two’ During Pregnancy?

Falling for the myth of needing to eat for two is likely to result in excessive amounts of weight gain, as energy needs during pregnancy only rise slightly. This is because the body undergoes adaptations allowing increased energy needs to be met from only a very small increase in calorie intake.

The recommended increase in energy intake for pregnant women in the UK is just 191kcals per day during the third trimester.

Energy - (Or Lack Of!)

Why Does Pregnancy Make Me So Tired?

Energy requirements during pregnancy will vary from woman to woman according to pre-pregnancy body weight, work and leisure activity levels. Extra energy is needed for fetal growth and development and for extra maternal tissues such as the placenta, amniotic fluids and additional body fat. In addition, an increase in energy expenditure is required to maintain these tissues and carry out physical activities at a higher body weight.

Energy demands are not equally distributed throughout pregnancy, with energy needs being far higher during the second and third trimesters because the bulk of new tissues are laid down as protein or fat in these periods. However, the actual increase in energy needed from the diet is quite low as the body adapts to the increased energy needs of pregnancy. See eating for two (above).

Make sure you also check out the rest of our Pregnacare A-Z Guide to Pregnancy and Nutrition:

A / B / C / D / E / F / G / H / I / J / L / M / N / P / S / T / U / V / W 

While every attempt has been made to ensure that the information contained in this guide is accurate and reliable, this is intended as a guide only and not a substitute for advice from a health professional. Please note: Vitabiotics cannot guarantee the reliability of facts obtained from other third party information sources. Information correct at time of being published (May 2020).