Can eating small, frequent meals in the late stages of pregnancy help control weight?
Feb 11, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Zhang Lu
Introduction
For pregnant women experiencing rapid weight gain or at risk of gestational diabetes, eating smaller, more frequent meals is beneficial. This approach helps stabilize blood sugar levels and prevents excessive calorie intake at one time, which can lead to rapid weight gain. Additionally, spreading out meals can reduce the burden on the stomach and decrease the occurrence of indigestion and acid reflux.
In the late stages of pregnancy, eating small meals frequently can usually help control weight, and maintaining reasonable eating habits is recommended.
For pregnant women experiencing rapid weight gain or at risk of gestational diabetes, eating small meals frequently is beneficial. This approach can help stabilize blood sugar levels and prevent rapid weight gain caused by excessive calorie intake at one time. Additionally, distributing meals throughout the day can reduce the burden on the stomach and decrease the occurrence of indigestion and acid reflux. It is important to ensure each meal contains balanced nutrition, selecting foods rich in protein, dietary fiber, and vitamins.
When choosing foods, options such as lean meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, legumes, fresh vegetables, and fruits can be selected. Pregnant women should control their portion sizes and avoid overeating. Attention should also be paid to food hygiene, avoiding expired, spoiled, or unclean foods. During late pregnancy, a larger water intake is required, so maintaining adequate hydration is necessary.
In daily life, it is recommended to maintain a balanced diet, follow a regular routine, and attend regular medical check-ups to support both maternal and fetal health.
