There are many reasons why a person may choose not to eat.
Many people around the world participate in fasting at certain times for religious reasons. Others fast for their health or to lose a few pounds. But can a person still participate in fasting if they’re pregnant?
Pregnant women need to increase their calorie intake to support the development of their babies. Fasting or skipping meals can put the infant at risk.
Today, we will discuss how long a woman can go without eating while pregnant. Read on for everything you need to know.
How Long Can I Go Without Eating While Pregnant?
Pregnant women like you must eat something every 2 to 3 hours while awake. The increased nutritional demand is to support your baby’s health and development.
Your baby has specific nutrient needs for development. It will obtain these needs from the food you consume. Any excess nutrients that don’t go to your baby are used to support your body at this time.
During pregnancy, your body will undergo many changes and do a lot of work. You will need to increase your calorie intake to support this. Eating regularly is also important because your baby needs specific nutrients (calcium, iron, folic acid, protein, omega-3 fatty acids, etc.).
While you need to eat more than you did pre-pregnancy, you shouldn’t consume too many calories in one sitting.
It’s recommended that pregnant women eat several small meals or snacks throughout the day to meet their nutritional requirements.
This way, they can have a steady stream of fuel for their bodies and prevent burnout.
Intermittent Fasting While Pregnant
Intermittent fasting is not recommended during pregnancy. As mentioned above, your developing baby relies on your food intake for nutrients.
When you fast, you cut the baby off from nutrients. This can affect their growth and put your baby’s health at risk.
There are different types of fasting that you may want to try. However, even the styles of fasting that are considered less dangerous could have health risks for your baby.
Dieting in any form is not recommended during pregnancy. Instead, women should focus on eating a healthy and balanced diet.
Is It Safe To Fast While Breastfeeding?
When breastfeeding, you won’t need to eat as frequently as you did while pregnant. However, it’s still not recommended to fast if you’re breastfeeding. This is because your body needs an intake of nutrients for milk production.
If you have one day where you fast or eat fewer calories, that shouldn’t affect your milk supply. However, complications can arise if you fast for multiple days.
Some women are tempted to fast immediately after birth to manage their pregnancy weight gain. However, this can cause complications for both you and your milk supply.
Is It Safe To Fast If I’m Trying To Get Pregnant?
Always speak to your doctor about fasting if you are trying to get pregnant. In most situations, fasting is okay.
Overweight women may benefit from pre-pregnancy fasting because it lowers the risk of gestational diabetes.
What Are The Risks Of Not Eating While Pregnant?
Eating a balanced diet is a big part of a healthy pregnancy. If you don’t eat enough nutrients or eat frequently enough, you could risk your unborn baby’s health.
Here are some of the risks of not eating during pregnancy.
1. Nutrient Deficiencies
Your baby needs a steady supply of nutrients for healthy growth.
If you go for prolonged periods without eating, your baby will have a nutrient deficiency. This is very dangerous to your baby’s health because it will affect their development.
A pregnant woman must consume plenty of nutrient-dense foods for her baby. Another thing to consider is speaking to a doctor about taking prenatal vitamins.
These vitamins will ensure that the woman and baby get essential nutrients that may have been missed in the diet.
2. Poor Fetal Growth
Frequent meals aren’t just crucial for your own health during pregnancy.
Not regularly eating can affect the growth of the unborn baby. Your baby’s brain and spinal cord could become damaged without proper nutrients.
Another issue is that your baby’s teeth and bones may not develop properly. This can occur if the mother doesn’t consume enough calcium.
If a mother is malnourished, she puts her unborn baby at a higher risk of congenital disabilities.
3. Dehydration
Malnourishment can lead to dehydration, which causes many problems during pregnancy.
Dehydration can lead to complications like neural tube defects or low amniotic fluid. In extreme cases, it can lead to premature birth.
Dehydration can also cause extreme discomfort for pregnant women.
One issue that’s common during pregnancy is constipation. If you don’t have a steady fluid intake, it can make constipation worse.
4. Change In Fetal Movement
During the third trimester, you may notice that your baby moves around after you’ve eaten. However, if you aren’t eating enough nutrients, you may notice that you don’t feel your baby moving as often.
This is because your unborn baby needs the nutrients from food for energy. If you’re not eating enough, your baby isn’t getting fuel for energy to move around.
5. Anemia
A lack of nutrients, like iron, folic acid, and vitamin B12, can lead to anemia during pregnancy. This occurs when there aren’t enough red blood cells to transport oxygen throughout your body.
You may feel tired, cold, or dizzy if you suffer from anemia. You may also feel out of breath easily.
Untreated anemia can lead to birth complications. It can affect your baby’s growth and put them at a higher risk of being born with anemia.
6. Preterm Birth
You should avoid intermediate fasting while pregnant because it puts you at a higher risk of preterm delivery. Women that fast during the second trimester are at the highest risk of preterm births.
A premature birth puts your baby at risk of health complications and low birth weight.
7. Miscarriage
In extreme cases, not eating can lead to a miscarriage. This can happen if a pregnant woman frequently goes 24 to 48 hours without eating.
Is It Normal For Pregnant Women To Lose Their Appetite?
It is normal for women to lose their appetite during the first trimester. As your body starts to go through changes, you’ll deal with several symptoms.
Morning sickness and nausea are expected during the early weeks of pregnancy. It’s common to experience food aversions to things that were part of your regular pre-pregnancy diet.
When you’re dealing with morning sickness, it’s normal to lose your appetite. However, you will still need to get your nutrients.
Some ways to that can get your appetite back when you have morning sickness include:
- Sip on cold water frequently throughout the day.
- Eat food cold. When food is hot, it has a more fragrant aroma. This can trigger morning sickness. When you eat the food cold, it won’t have an odor.
- Eat papaya. The enzymes contain pepsin, which is known to prepare your body for digestion naturally.
- Eat small snacks frequently to prevent your stomach from becoming empty. An empty stomach can make your nausea feel worse.
- Choose bland foods, like butter toast or saltine crackers. Avoid greasy or high-fat foods, undercooked meat, and spicy foods.
Is It Normal To Lose Your Appetite Later On In Pregnancy?
In some cases, women may lose their appetite in the third trimester. This can happen because there is more pressure on your stomach, and constipation is usually worse later in pregnancy.
When you’re constipated, it can affect your appetite and trick you into thinking you don’t need anything to eat. Although you may feel like your stomach is full, you still require essential nutrients for your baby.
Luckily, you can manage constipation on your own. There are three tips that every pregnant woman should follow to avoid constipation during pregnancy.
- Increase your water intake. You will need more fluids to support a healthy pregnancy. You must increase your water intake to 8 to 10 glasses daily.
- Exercise daily. Light to moderate physical activity daily is known to prevent constipation.
- Eat more fiber. Try to include fiber-rich foods in your daily diet. This includes plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, barley, oats, and seeds.
Can I Skip A Day Of Eating While Pregnant?
It’s perilous to not eat for 24 hours. When a pregnant woman doesn’t eat for a prolonged period, it can increase the maternal corticotropin hormone.
This is a hormone that’s derived from the placenta and gets released in the third trimester. It’s known for helping to induce labor.
However, maternal corticotropin can also be released if there aren’t enough nutrients in the body. This can cause the woman to go into premature labor, and the baby will have a very low birth weight, among other health complications.
Final Words
During pregnancy, you should eat something every 2 to 3 hours.
You must increase your calorie intake and consume a healthy diet throughout your pregnancy to support your baby’s development.
If you don’t eat enough, it can lead to congenital disabilities and other complications.
Do you have any more questions about eating enough while pregnant? Let us know in the comments below.