Should Pregnant Women Skip Dinner? Expert Weighs In

Pregnancy is a time when each of your meals is important to ensure your body and unborn baby are getting complete nourishment. It supports your mental, physical, emotional, and overall well-being. Therefore, if you think or have read that skipping a meal, especially dinner, will in any way help you, it’s a piece of misinformation.

HerZindagi spoke to Dr Madhu Juneja, Senior Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, Pune, to bust this myth floating on the internet. She said, “Proper nutrition during this period is paramount.”

The expert added that dinner is among the key meals that ensure a balanced intake of nutrients, the demand of which escalates when you are pregnant. If you skip this meal, it can lead to an insufficient supply of essentials to the body and affect you as well as the life of your baby.

Here are the reasons why pregnant women must not skip dinner.

Dinner Replenishes Energy Among Pregnant Women

The expert said that dinner replenishes your energy because one of the biggest challenges with pregnancy is fatigue due to increased metabolic demand. Hormonal changes also add to this issue.

If you skip dinner, you are depriving your body of the chance to load up on energy, further adding to a lack of stamina and elevated levels of tiredness. Adding this to the physical strain of carrying a baby in the womb can leave pregnant women severely lethargic.

Skipping Dinner Can Lead To Spike In Blood Sugar Levels Among Pregnant Women

According to Dr Juneja, if you skip dinner, it increases the chances of disruption in the blood sugar levels. However, it is crucial during pregnancy that the level of glucose remains in the standard range so that women can avoid the chances of gestational diabetes.

Regular and frequent meals ensure that blood sugar levels remain consistent in a healthy range so that both the mother and baby are safe. It also helps to reduce complications during childbirth.

Dinner Is Crucial To Foetal Development During Pregnancy

The doctor said that skipping dinner hampers the development of the baby during pregnancy. It is a source of nutrients, including calcium, protein, and iron, needed for the fetus to develop healthy organs, tissues, and bones.

If you eat a well-balanced dinner, your body will receive the optimum amount of nourishment, which will pass on to the baby. It will reduce the risks of the fetus developing any issues.

Dinner Helps To Deal With Discomfort During Pregnancy

According to Dr Juneja, dinner can help to address health concerns during pregnancy, including discomfort, heartburn, and nausea. A light meal before bed can help to do away with these symptoms and promote digestive health.

Moreover, a balanced dinner can also help you prevent excessive weight gain during pregnancy. She added, “Skipping meals can lead to unhealthy snacking or overeating later in the evening, contributing to undesired weight fluctuations.”

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Skipping Dinner Can Lead To Stress

Dr Juneja said that dinner can ensure emotional well-being because when you enjoy a meal with your loved one, it leads to the secretion of happy hormones in the body. However, if you skip the meal, it can contribute to stress and increase anxiety (What Is Anxiety Disorder) levels.

“Prioritizing this mealtime can contribute to a more relaxed and enjoyable pregnancy experience,” she added.

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The doctor concluded by saying, “A well-balanced dinner is a cornerstone for a healthy pregnancy.” It will ensure that you and your baby are healthy, therefore, skipping it is not a good idea.