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How to Eat When Pregnant: Take Care of Your Baby, Indulge Yourself, Too!

If you’re seeking a prenatal-diet role model, don’t look to me. Before I was pregnant I was the kind of girl who generally ate very well. I regularly cooked with organic ingredients, steered clear of processed foods, stuck with a mostly wheat-flour-free regime due to an allergic reaction to the stuff, and indulged modestly by finishing the day with a bowl of Häagen Dazs ice cream. But the minute I became a walking incubator, my willpower went out the window with tampons and birth control. I feasted on what ever I wanted whenever I wanted, was drawn toward junk food and wheat like never before (I ignored my allergies), and ended up practically wiping cake crumbs off of my own face with pregnancy book pages that discussed the “make every bite count” theory.

When pregnancy books suggested that I gain between 25 and 35 pounds over the whole duration, I reflected on my many mommy friends who packed on double those amounts and lived to slip back into their pre-pregnancy clothes. So I gave myself a generous top-out weight goal of 35 pounds and abided by a simple rule: eat whatever appeals to me whenever I’m hungry – with the exception of the handful of pregnancy no-nos ( I didn’t abide by all of them; I ate sushi and sipped wine on occasion).

Often I ate very healthfully – broiled chicken, sautéed vegetables, and my favorite pregnancy salad. But other times it was at least 12 Oreos with two tall glasses of milk in one sitting. As the indulgence menu mounted, I reasoned that devouring a trough of chicken enchiladas or a few handfuls of Cheetos didn’t block the benefits of the broccoli and the other very healthful food I was eating; it just added a little more cottage cheese to my quickly expanding thighs.

And boy was I right. I passed the magic weight-gain number at 33 ½ weeks – and ultimately headed for the delivery room towing an extra 41 pounds. But I didn’t feel badly about it. I reveled in the notion that for the first and only time in my life I was supposed to gain weight. I reasoned that my body was telling me what it wanted and, as a good mother, it was my job to respond. I was probably fooling myself as I imagined my daughter begging for a uterine delivery of chocolate cake and milk. But the truth is, I simply couldn’t help myself. I felt a little better knowing that despite doubling up on dessert I still ate a lot of the good stuff and waited for that promised day when the baby would be so big I’d permanently feel “full” for the rest of the pregnancy. Unfortunately, that day never came.

Looking back, I know that some of my cravings were very real and undeniable. But other factors that contributed to my diet were convenience and comfort.
Whenever split-second starvation descended upon me and a meal was not within arm’s reach, I did not think to stop by a health food store and get nourished on beet salad, grilled tofu, and quinoa. I dashed, mouth agape, toward my favorite comfort foods. Thankfully, stocking up on healthy snacks and bringing my lunch wherever I went stopped me from making a habit of desperation dining.

Do I wish that I had eaten with more restraint? Absolutely. Am I kicking myself for it now? Not at all. I had a healthy, seven-pound, three-and-a-half ounce girl, and a year and a half, a couple of cleanses, and many yoga classes later, I am four pounds away from my pre-pregnancy weight. If I were to do it all over again, I’d like to think that I would limit my indulgences and look as fabulous as those celebrity moms parading around in slinky dresses five seconds before – and after – they push out a golden child. But who am I kidding? First off, I didn’t look like a superstar to begin with. Secondly, I’m betting I’d mainline Oreos all over again, and at the end of the day I can live with that.

I’m not recommending you use my convenient rationale to have your way with a whole sheet of cake. But if you do find yourself uncontrollably shoveling in your favorite snacks, at least you’ll know you are in good company.

What ever the case, remember this: What you put in your body right now directly affects the growth and health of your fetus, so good nutrition is critical. But just as essential is that if and when you fall prey to the seduction of ridiculous treats, you give yourself some slack and go on with your fabulously fattened and satisfied self.

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