Eating for Two During Pregnancy: Myth or Reality?

You’ve probably heard the saying, “When you're pregnant, you’re eating for two,” implying that you need to eat once for yourself and once for your baby. But is this really true?

A new study from Australia’s largest university, Monash University, reveals that pregnancy demands an additional total of almost 50,000 calories. This amount is equivalent to about 200 chocolate bars, each containing around 250 calories.

One of the researchers told CNN, “While most women probably feel the high energy demands of carrying a baby, our work assigns explicit values to these costs across a wide range of species—from insects to lizards and all the way up to humans. We found that the total energy required to reproduce is much more significant than previously thought. Most of the extra energy a pregnant woman needs is for developing and carrying the baby.”

A co-author of the study added, “Most energy mammals use in reproduction ‘cooks’ as metabolic heat, with only 10% actually reaching the baby. When factoring in lactation and metabolic strains, the baby itself represents less than 5% of the total caloric investment in reproduction.”

According to the research, women consume fewer calories in the early stages of pregnancy and significantly more later on. On average, a woman needs an additional 182 calories per day over the course of her pregnancy—roughly equivalent to a light meal or snack.

Dietitian Natalie Mokari explained that recommendations change as pregnancy progresses. “Once you hit the second trimester, you need about 350 extra calories a day, and by the third trimester, that increases to 450 extra calories,” she said.

The researchers also note that breastfeeding requires a woman to increase her daily food intake by around 450 to 500 calories, typically the amount in a small meal. They explain that this increased calorie consumption occurs because “your body is in overdrive. Your metabolism is working hard to build another human.”

And in the end, the message is clear: if you feel hungrier during pregnancy, it’s not in your head — your body truly needs the extra fuel, so make sure to give it the nourishment it’s asking for.