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The quality of what you consume will be as crucial as the quantity. In fact, excellent nutrition during a multiple pregnancy influences baby birth weight more than it does during a singleton pregnancy.
Even with the best intentions, eating more healthy food during pregnancy has its adverse effects. As your pregnancy progresses, your stomach will have less room for meals as your babies will occupy space that would otherwise be occupied by your stomach and oesophagus.
You'll still have to try your best to consume the meals you and your babies need the most, so you'll need a smart strategy. Eat many smaller meals each day. Make sure that you select food items that are packed with a lot of nutrients.
How Much Should You Eat While Pregnant With Twins Or Multiples?
Dr Shaily Sharma, Gynaecologist, Cloudnine Hospital, Faridabad recommends that women carrying multiples consume an additional 300 calories for each additional baby. If you're expecting twins, you'll need to eat 600 more calories per day than you did before the pregnancy.Moms-to-be of multiples, like singletons, should take a daily prenatal vitamin to help their infants grow and thrive. However, because your requirements for certain nutrients, particularly iron, folate, calcium, magnesium, and zinc are increased while you're carrying two or more, your practitioner may advise you to take additional supplements to fill in the gaps.
What Foods Should You Eat While Pregnant With Twins Or Multiples?
The focus is on nutrient-dense, whole foods. While it's great to indulge in the occasional treat or splurge, make sure the majority of those additional calories come from nutritional foods that will benefit your babies and pregnancy.In general, mothers with multiples should consume the same foods that promote a healthy singleton pregnancy. Regardless of how many babies you are bearing, they all require the same nutrition. However, twin pregnancies require higher nutritional requirements. It is also crucial to eat food that has more vitamins and minerals.
Lean proteins
Protein is a mother-to-be's closest friend, especially when carrying multiples. Eating plenty may help prevent preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and premature labour (all of which are more prevalent with multiple pregnancies). Protein is also required for the development of uterine muscle fibre and to power the increased blood volume needed to sustain two or more babies.Women who are pregnant with twins should consume approximately 100 grams of protein daily.
Lean meats
Lean meats, such as turkey, and chicken, provide the best protein value (7 grams). They're also high in iron, which is important for twin mothers.Low-fat yoghurt
Low-fat yoghurt (particularly Greek yoghurt, which is higher in protein), milk, cheese, and cottage cheese all contain calcium. You can increase the protein value of your milk, muesli or smoothies by adding a tablespoon or two of powdered milk.Seafood
Seafood, particularly omega-3 fatty fish such as salmon, anchovies, and canned light tuna are good options. Other low-mercury seafood options include prawns, tilapia, and cod. Aim for two or three servings of low-mercury fish per week.Eggs
Eggs include 6 to 8 grammes of protein, vitamin D, and choline.Beans
Beans include chickpeas, lentils, black beans, kidney beans, and white beans. Each ½-cup portion contains 7 grams of protein, equivalent to an ounce of meat.Tofu
Tofu contains approximately 10 grams of protein per ½-cup dose plus brain-boosting elements such as choline.Iron-Rich Foods
Iron helps in the production of red blood cells which prevents maternal anaemia, prevalent in multiple pregnancies. Anaemia (which occurs when the quantity of red blood cells falls below normal) can lessen your appetite, increase your fatigue, and reduce the amount of oxygen that reaches your organs and growing infants.Take 30 milligrams of iron per day during the first trimester and 60 grams per day during the second and third trimesters. Your prenatal vitamin will almost certainly help, but iron-rich foods are also essential.
Some of your best options are:
- Lean, crimson, dark flesh poultry
- Fish
- Beans and legumes, including lentils, chickpeas, and black beans
- Iron-fortified cereal
- Prunes or prune juice
Even if you take prenatal vitamins daily and maintain an iron-rich diet, your doctor may still recommend an iron supplement. These can cause constipation and nausea, so take them with food. If the supplements upset your stomach, consider taking numerous small doses throughout the day rather than one large one, or search for a slow-release supplement. This may not only assist in soothing your digestive difficulties, but it may also help your body absorb and use iron more efficiently.
Fruits and Vegetables
Here's another food group that needs some valuable stomach space. Your growing babies require micronutrients (such as folate, vitamin C, and vitamin A), and you require fibre. Hormonal changes during pregnancy impede your gastrointestinal activity, but you can reduce or eliminate constipation (and the pleasant side effect of haemorrhoids) by making room for fresh fruits and vegetables every day.Instead of eating large salads, pack your fridge and purse with little, easy-to-eat snacks like berries, grapes, baby carrots, and grape tomatoes and snack all day. Dried fruit, such as prunes, figs, apricots, or dates, is another excellent choice because it contains all of the nutrients and fibre in a smaller package. However, don't go overboard; dried fruits might cause gas.
Folate-Rich Foods
Folic acid (or folate in food) is crucial in lowering your baby's chance of brain or spinal cord birth abnormalities, such as spina bifida. And if you're carrying twins or multiples, you'll need more than the typical 400 to 600 milligrams per day recommended for single mothers.Some practitioners believe that mothers of multiples should strive for 1,000 milligrams of folic acid per day, and your doctor may advise you to augment this with an additional prenatal vitamin. However, you should also consume enough folate-rich foods. Some of the best are:
- Green veggies like leafy greens, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and asparagus
- Fortified cereals
- Fortified grains, such as pasta, rice, and bread.
- Avocado
- Kidney beans
Nuts and Seeds
They may be small, but their nutritional profile is impressive. Nuts and seeds are high in magnesium, which helps in the production and repair of body tissue, regulates insulin and blood sugar levels, and strengthens your babies' bones and teeth.They also include zinc, potassium, vitamin E, protein, fibre, and healthy fats, all in a small package that won't take up much space in your stomach.
Stock up on your favourite snacks and rotate them regularly. Walnuts, almonds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds are especially nutritious options. Flaxseed is also beneficial because it contains omega-3 fatty acids. Try mixing it into muesli or smoothies.
Fatty Fish
Fatty fish, such as salmon, canned light tuna, and anchovies, are not just high in protein. They're also high in omega-3 fatty acids, which help your baby's eyes and brain develop, along with vitamin D, which aids in the formation of healthy bones and teeth.Low-Fat Dairy
You know it's essential for developing those small bones and teeth. However, consuming adequate calcium is important for you as well, because if your infants don't get enough, your body will deplete your supply. Yoghurt (particularly Greek yoghurt), milk, cheese, and cottage cheese are all excellent options.Moms bearing twins and multiples require considerably more calcium — around 1,200 milligrams during the first and second trimesters, and 1,600 milligrams during the third. If you're not getting enough food, talk to your doctor about taking a supplement.
Water
Drink water all day, not just when you are thirsty. Dehydration can cause premature labour, which is already a risk for mothers expecting multiples.Drink eight to twelve glasses of water each day, and don't wait until lunch, drink between meals. Constant trips to the toilet are one symptom of optimal hydration.
Which Foods Should You Avoid While Pregnant With Twins Or Multiples?
No matter how many babies you're carrying, the list of foods to avoid remains the same. Certain things are more likely to harbour bacteria or chemicals that could make you or your baby sick. You should avoid the following:High-mercury seafood
This includes swordfish, king mackerel, orange roughy, bigeye tuna, and tilefish from the Gulf of Mexico. Choose low-mercury options such as wild salmon, shrimp, catfish, tilapia, canned light tuna, lobster, or crab.Raw or undercooked meat, eggs, and seafood
This includes runny eggs, sushi, and uncooked smoked fish such as nova or lox. Smoked seafood is acceptable if it is part of a prepared dish, such as a casserole. Raw or undercooked proteins can contain bacteria that cause serious sickness. Use a meat thermometer to determine the temperature of meats or seafood, and cook eggs until the yolks and whites are solid.Hot dogs or deli meat
Both can be carriers of listeria, a germ that can lead to serious sickness. The only exception is that hot dogs or deli meat can be eaten if they've been cooked well.Unpasteurised foods
This includes raw milk, unpasteurised juice, and raw milk-based cheeses. (Soft cheeses such as brie, feta and blue cheese are the most common culprits, so avoid them or check the label to ensure they are manufactured with pasteurised milk.)Unwashed fruits, veggies, and raw sprouts
Unwashed fruits and vegetables are more likely to contain disease-causing bacteria than washed ones. Experts recommend washing or scrubbing fruits and vegetables under running water, even if you don't plan to consume the peel, because bacteria on the outer skin might enter the fruit or vegetable when cut. Raw sprouts are dangerous even after they have been washed, so avoid them entirely.Alcohol
Drinking alcohol while pregnant raises the chance of miscarriage, stillbirth, and some birth abnormalities. Because no amount of alcohol is known to be safe during pregnancy, the best option is to avoid it entirely.Excess caffeine
Most expectant mothers can safely consume up to 200 milligrams of caffeine per day. However, drinking more than that may slightly raise the risk of miscarriage. Pay attention to how much caffeine you consume each day, and to other sources such as tea, energy drinks, chocolate, or soda.Meeting your nutritional requirements during a twin or multiple pregnancy is critical. However, don't let it become overpowering. You'll get all your babies need to grow and thrive if you take your prenatal vitamins and any supplements advised by your provider, eat a diverse range of healthy foods, and avoid empty-calorie snacks (such as chips and cookies). And you'll feel your best!
FAQs on What to Eat While Pregnant With Twins and Triplets?
- What foods should a triplet pregnant mother eat?
If you're carrying triplets, eat 450 more calories in the first trimester, 1,020 in the second, and 1,350 in the third. Keep in mind that the source of the calories is more significant than the number consumed. - When do twins begin kicking?
Most first-time twin parents do not experience foetal movement, or quickening, until 18 to 20 weeks, which is similar to the norm for singletons. However, if this is your second or later pregnancy, you are more likely to experience the flutterings sooner.
