Can a pregnant woman not eat if she is not hungry?

Pregnancy is a special period. Usually, special attention should be paid to diet. It is necessary to maintain a balanced nutrition and eat more fruits and vegetables, which is very beneficial for the growth and development of the baby. In most cases, pregnant women are generally very hungry, so it is necessary to replenish energy in time to avoid affecting the health of the baby. Some pregnant women may not feel hungry. Can pregnant women not eat if they are not hungry?

Can pregnant women not eat if they are not hungry?

If you are not hungry once or twice, it is okay not to eat, but if you do not eat for a long time, it will affect the growth and development of the baby. The diet during pregnancy not only needs to supply the consumption of the pregnant woman herself, but also needs to provide nutrition for the baby. Frequent skipping meals can easily affect the baby's development. You can eat small meals and eat some light and easily digestible foods to regulate your body. Do not smoke or drink during pregnancy, as both tobacco and alcohol will affect the development of the fetus.

If a pregnant woman doesn't eat, will the fetus be hungry?

Pregnant women do need to eat when they are hungry to avoid affecting the normal development of the baby. However, a pregnant woman’s hunger does not mean the baby is hungry. It is impossible for pregnant women to absorb all the nutrients from their daily diet at once, so they will accumulate in the body. Therefore, when the pregnant mother is occasionally hungry, the nutrients stored in the body will be mobilized for the baby to absorb. Therefore, even if a pregnant woman is hungry for a while, the baby will not necessarily be hungry. However, if pregnant mothers are often hungry but do not eat, the nutrients stored in the body will have been emptied and the fetus may starve. The fetus will adapt to the mother's eating habits and get the nutrients he needs from the diet consumed by the mother. Expectant mothers who eat too little will often have their babies in their bellies go hungry and therefore grow more slowly. Of course, the expectant mother's body organs will try their best to prevent this from happening and will "attack" her with a strong sense of hunger. This is most evident during the last three months of pregnancy. Because this stage is when the fetus gains weight the fastest, it requires more energy. In addition, experts have found that babies who do not get enough food in their mother's belly are more likely to be obese in the future.

It is very important to supplement minerals in the late pregnancy, especially calcium, iron, iodine, zinc, etc. If the pregnant woman lacks minerals, she will experience anemia, leg cramps, sweating, waking up in shock, etc.; the incidence of congenital diseases in the fetus will increase. The intake of various trace elements should also increase accordingly. The appetite of pregnant women increases, and as long as they adjust the food, it usually will not affect the intake of various trace elements.

What to pay attention to in early pregnancy diet

1. Protein intake. This period is when the body stores relatively more protein, with the fetus retaining about 170g and the mother retaining about 375g. This requires that pregnant women's dietary protein supply increase by 25g compared to non-pregnant women, and they should consume more animal and soy foods.

2. Essential fatty acids. This period is the peak period for fetal brain cell proliferation. Adequate essential fatty acids such as arachidonic acid are needed to meet the needs of brain development. Eating more marine fish can help supply DHA.

3. Intake of calcium and iron. More than half of the calcium in the fetus is stored in the late pregnancy. Pregnant women should consume 1500 mg of calcium daily and supplement with an appropriate amount of vitamin D. The fetal liver stores iron at a rate of 5 mg per day during this period, reaching 300-400 mg of iron by birth. Pregnant women should consume 28 mg of iron per day, and should consume more hemoglobin-type iron from animal foods.

4. Pregnant women should regularly consume milk, fish and soy products. It is best to fry small fish or crisp them with vinegar and eat them with bones, and drink pork rib soup. Shrimp skin is rich in calcium, so a small amount can be added to the soup; animal liver and blood are high in iron and have a high utilization rate, so they should be used frequently.