It’s a fallacy that a pregnant woman should eat for two people. What is true is that during pregnancy a woman has to provide good nutrition for herself and her baby. The growing baby gets all its nourishment through the umbilical cord, so diet is very important. If the mother lacks any vitamins and nutrients, her baby also might lack them. If a woman had trouble keeping her weight up or down before pregnancy, she should make a nutritional plan with the guidance of her doctor. Generally, a woman who is not pregnant needs about 2,100 calories per day for adequate energy. A pregnant woman needs about 2,500 calories daily and a breastfeeding woman should have approximately 3,000 calories. To get the proper amount of energy, a pregnant woman should eat foods containing proteins, fats and carbohydrates each day.

Approximately 10% of calories should come from protein, which mainly is found in meat, fish, eggs, dairy products and beans. About 35% of calories should come from fat, which mainly is found in butter, oils, margarine, dairy products and nuts. The remaining 55% of calories should be supplied by carbohydrates, which are found in bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, corn and other grain products.