Now that you’ve found out you’re pregnant, your whole outlook on life and the way you are living it begins to change—-and you begin to take notice of all the pieces of advice that people around you are dropping as if on cue. All those motherly types who know what’s best for you, even more than your doctor does, will tell you that eating for two is just what you need to do now, to build up your strength and make sure the baby is well fed. But the other side of the coin is just as adamant: “don’t overeat, no no no—be careful, don’t gain too much weight, you must stick to a diet during pregnancy”.

Well, yada yada yada. What did our great- grandmothers do way back when, when there was no rampant technology, nor fast foods, nor any modern conveniences—–what did they do? Did they meticulously count their calories, watch their weight, fret over a gained pound or two? Naw—they went for a walk, worked their rear ends off doing daily chores and working, and ate mostly food grown locally and purchased fresh in the market. They probably had hardly ever heard of something called a calorie, never mind worried about it.

The main factor in the difference between their lives and ours was and is the fact that they had no fast food joints beckoning to them on every corner; with fat, grease, salt and sugar pouring their messages into our psyches: there was much less technology, so the mother-to-be was physically exerting a lot more energy and burning calories on a regular hard-working basis: and pregnancy was a fact of life, not a celebration of the correct clothes to wear, or sonograms, or rounds of baby showers—life was much simpler then, and no one really worried too much about weight gain.

So, here we are today with all our conveniences and stressors and in some cases, whacked out ways of looking at pregnancy. What kind of a diet during pregnancy should we be following since our bodies have not yet genetically caught up with our technologically supported lifestyles. The emphasis here is on the word “diet”—-which way you take it to mean. Some of us who look at food and the calories jump from the food to our hips and thighs regard the word “diet” to mean just that—reduction of intake of calories so the weight gain during pregnancy is minimal.

So, what to do. Those of us that look at food and it jumps from plate to thigh in an instant, are the ones who seriously consider a diet during pregnancy—-but those who are eternally slim, regard the word diet as an eating plan, and not a weight loss plan. They strive to eat normally, balance out everything that goes into their mouths, don’t eat a lot of fatty foods or salt, drink lots of water, take vitamins, eat fresh fruits and veggies, and make sure they get plenty of fiber. They don’t even think about calories, they just make sure they are eating right and that they feel good.

For the rest of us, and really for all of us that feel we should be maintaining the best diet during pregnancy that is possible, we should be following pretty much the same rules. No fatty, greasy fast foods that pile on pounds with empty calories and clog up your system, lots of fresh foods with emphasis on fruits and veggies, good protein sources, lowered salt intake—you swell up enough without adding the effects of too much salt—-lots of water, vitamins, and fiber. If you are a calorie and fat magnet, then you would want to watch your calorie intake for sure; but if you eat a well balanced plan for food and get in some meaningful exercise, you will find there’s not a whole lot of out-of-control weight gain.

If you are at all a thinking person, this is not rocket science nor is it difficult to remember. What you have been hearing all your life about how to stay healthy and keep your weight within recommended limits also applies when you are pregnant. Why should it be any different? You are growing a tiny life inside you that needs the same nutrients and care as your own body does, so by adhering to a healthy mode of diet during pregnancy, you can take care of both of you just fine.

Dawn Eastman writes, discusses and publishes works regarding Pregnancy Calender. For more information on Pregnancy Nutrition visit our site.

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