eating for two

[dearest22]

can your baby survive in you even if you don't eat anything? I heard that there are enough nutrients inside you.. or something?... that your baby will be fine even if you don't eat enough. I'm asking because my friend says she only eats about 1 full meal a day and then snacks the rest of the day. ( Shes about 5 months pregnant.) I think she gets sick and diarehha really easily if she eats to much. Is the baby okay?

[colo1278]

my mom was very very sick with me the whole time- she threw up multiple times per day and at the 6 month mark, was negative weight from when she got pregnant. She said all she could manage to eat most days was sprite and saltines.

I turned out great! :p

Also, there are babies born in this world everyday in African refugee camps, crackhouses, with mothers in less-than-optimal conditions. Granted, they don't have as great of a chance of thriving or survival, but some turn out fine. I think your friend most likely will have a healthy pregnancy, and will hopefully eat as much HEALTHY food as she can manage.

Oh and the "nutrients inside you" issue- yes, basically there is "maternal fat stores" that will help out, but mostly, if you friend eats say, a sandwich, most of the nutrients will go to the baby first and then what's left over, if anythig goes to her. So, what prob happened with my mom is she was nutritionally empty or lacking for her pregnancy. She could have problems later on, like osteoporosis.

[mcv]

I have always heard that too - the baby gets all the nutrients first - anything left over goes to the mom. My sister's doctor always told her not to worry, that the baby would take anything it needed.

[NCfitnessgirl]

My sister was an OB/GYN and she said that the baby takes what it needs from the mother. Making sure you get proper nutrition is more for restoring the mother's health than the baby's.

[jrb1980]

Originally posted by NCfitnessgirl@May 8 2006, 08:11 PM
My sister was an OB/GYN and she said that the baby takes what it needs from the mother. Making sure you get proper nutrition is more for restoring the mother's health than the baby's.
That was a common thought in the literature in the past, but a lot of recent studies say that this is B.S.

[theresak]

What about the babies born in starving nations? The mothers certainly don't get optimum nutrition, and yet the babies are okay in the womb. Out of the womb is a different story of course.

It does stand to reason that our bodies will do it's best to protect the baby not us.

[jrb1980]

Originally posted by theresak@May 12 2006, 07:37 PM
What about the babies born in starving nations? The mothers certainly don't get optimum nutrition, and yet the babies are okay in the womb. Out of the womb is a different story of course.

It does stand to reason that our bodies will do it's best to protect the baby not us.
Well, many survive without proper nutrition for sure, but miscarriages in third world countries are very, very high, and so are birth defects and...well I do NOT agree, many authors argue intelligence levels.

[strongchick]

Originally posted by jrb1980@May 12 2006, 02:48 PM
That was a common thought in the literature in the past, but a lot of recent studies say that this is B.S.
I agree. I'm reading a lot about pregnancy nutrition, and it is very important to try to get as much as you can in. Especially early in pregnancy.

Just do your best. :)

[3sweeties]

With all of my pg I was sick everyday for about the first trimester and lost weight. All my babies were very healthy and of normal weight. My twins were 5lbs 14oz and 6lbs and 7oz. I gained less with them than with my singleton.


I have always heard that too - the baby gets all the nutrients first - anything left over goes to the mom. My sister's doctor always told her not to worry, that the baby would take anything it needed. That is the same thing my ob said. The first time I was pg I was worried because I had read about pg nutrition.

[trigirl]

Originally posted by dearest22@May 8 2006, 11:38 AM
can your baby survive in you even if you don't eat anything? I heard that there are enough nutrients inside you.. or something?... that your baby will be fine even if you don't eat enough. I'm asking because my friend says she only eats about 1 full meal a day and then snacks the rest of the day. ( Shes about 5 months pregnant.) I think she gets sick and diarehha really easily if she eats to much. Is the baby okay?
It's amazing how many calories add up when you "don't eat anything" or "snack all day". I'm pretty sure that your friend and her baby are doing fine....and that she's gaining weight. I was constantly sick and throwing up in my 1st-2nd tri, and thought I wasnt "eating anything", yet still managed to gain 25 lbs!!! (and still packing on the lbs!!:))

[rogmel]

I have a friend with many food issues, one of them being that she manipulates her husband by not eating....ever....she is a skeleton, her skin is grey and gross and her hair looks like straw, and she just had her 4th healthy baby...all of them over 7 lbs....so I guess even moms with the worst nutrition can carry a healthy baby...but I do think she is worse from it!!!!

[dearest22]

Originally posted by rogmel@May 27 2006, 02:53 PM
I have a friend with many food issues, one of them being that she manipulates her husband by not eating....ever....she is a skeleton, her skin is grey and gross and her hair looks like straw, and she just had her 4th healthy baby...all of them over 7 lbs....so I guess even moms with the worst nutrition can carry a healthy baby...but I do think she is worse from it!!!!
Oh, that poor girl. That's sad. :(

[Leah]

Originally posted by dearest22@May 8 2006, 12:38 PM
can your baby survive in you even if you don't eat anything? I heard that there are enough nutrients inside you.. or something?... that your baby will be fine even if you don't eat enough. I'm asking because my friend says she only eats about 1 full meal a day and then snacks the rest of the day. ( Shes about 5 months pregnant.) I think she gets sick and diarehha really easily if she eats to much. Is the baby okay?
I was in complete denial for the first 5 months of my first pregnancy and didn't eat well at all :sad: He was still born big and healthy.