For some reason, when I turned 26 weeks pregnant, I started feeling hungry during pregnancy for the first time in a while. I know that because I have a growing baby in my womb that my increase in my appetite would be a natural progression but I honestly didn’t think that it would all of a sudden kick up a few notches so suddenly.

During the first trimester, I had a lack of appetite in general due to the morning sickness and in the second trimester so far, I had only felt like I regained my normal appetite. The hunger meant that every time I had finished a meal, I would be hungry again in about an hour regardless of the amount I ate. Since I have found I get more hungry, I have increased the amount I eat per day, but having 2 additional meals.

I know this sounds a little excessive but I find that during the afternoon and after dinner until I go to bed, I get more hungry. If I don’t eat enough, I can’t sleep and am more tired and distracted throughout the day. It is already difficult to maintain a decent level of energy throughout the day but the hunger makes it impossible to get anything done including any work.

When reading online about the stages of pregnancy, I did read that I should increase my calories in the second trimester, third trimester as well as after giving birth. I also read that feeling hungry during pregnancy is completely normal. I also took a look at my intake of certain vitamins and minerals that the baby needs to ensure I am taking in enough. This is important because I am not taking any supplements like prenatal vitamins or multivitamins.

I also had to ensure that what I ate was filling but needed to steer away from anything that had high content of sugar specifically in liquid form. As my doctor said I should minimize this to ensure the baby does not get too big, making it difficult for me to give birth and as a result, I may require a c-section instead of a natural birth.

Things I have added to my diet included:
– More carbs (breads, brown rice, cereals, oatmeal)
– More Vegetables (Dark greens specifically)
– More Protein (Tofu and Eggs)
– More Diary (I now drink 4 cups of milk per day)

Though feeling hungry during pregnancy is completely normal, for moms to be it is a balancing act of working out what foods will keep you full and what foods will be healthy for you and your baby. Eating more isn’t a bad thing and I never encourage anyone who is pregnant to diet or to worry about their body image and weight gain. For me at 26 weeks pregnant, it is important to watch what I’m eating to ensure my baby is healthy and to eat enough to keep my energy levels up.