In the early months of pregnancy, you hopefully had the “eating for two” myth dispelled quickly. Pregnant women in the first two trimesters just don’t need to increase their intake of food because, despite having a tiny human growing inside them, their energy needs don’t change too much during the first six months.

How much extra should I be eating?

The average woman only needs about 250-300 extra calories during her third trimester (same as the second trimester). This was easy to do by adding extra snacks throughout the day or having a slightly bigger meal. you can eat 5-6 times per day so just slightly increasing the portion size can  work best. 2)

What to eat:

The third trimester is a very important time in the development of your baby’s metabolism. It’s when the brain develops connections associated with metabolic processes.

Healthy Fats are important in the third trimester to support your pregnancy and prepare for lactation The key is focusing on fats that come from whole foods (like nuts, seeds, avocados, olive oil, eggs, salmon, yogurt and cheese), rather than the processed saturated and trans fats you’ll find in packaged foods. “Whole foods supply vitamins and minerals, along with healthy fat.

DHA is particularly important for fetal development of the brain and retina during the third trimester and up to 18 months of life. 1)

What to avoid:

It’s important to be aware of what to do and what to avoid as your pregnancy continues in order to take care of yourself and your developing baby.

• strenuous exercise or strength training that could cause an injury to your stomach
• caffeine (no more than one cup of coffee or tea per day)
• smoking
• raw fish or smoked seafood
• cat litter, which can carry a parasite that causes toxoplasmosis
• unpasteurized milk or other dairy products