Once you tell people that you are planning on becoming pregnant or you are pregnant, well-meaning advice will come flooding in. Most are based on some truth, but some are just speculations based on tradition only. Old lady tales and traditions aside, pregnancy nutrition (whether or not you need supplements, ie. Similac MUM) comes down to individual needs. Here are a couple of most commonly believed myths newly pregnant moms would have had offered to them as advice.^{1, 5}

Debate on Pre-Pregnancy Health

The Tale: If you were unfit before, trying to be healthy because you want to be pregnant won’t help.

The Pro Tip: There is no such thing as ‘being too late to be healthy’. Choosing to be healthy and sticking with it is better than doing nothing. While you want to do your best, you do not have to go as far as avoiding anything processed or limit yourself to expensive ‘organic’ labeled foods. Focus on meeting your individual dietary needs and aim to eat at least 4 servings of vegetables and 2 to 4 servings of fruit each day.³

Packing on the Pounds

The Tale: Every woman has to gain weight during her pregnancy because she needs energy for two.

The Pro Tip: The ideal weight for an expecting mother has developed over time as our knowledge of health evolves. How much weight a woman has to gain all depends on her starting weight before pregnancy. This is because an expecting mother can become easily overweight by attempting to eat for two. Also, with the fact that many may struggle with losing their pregnancy weight gain, which increases their risk for obesity. Please check with your preferred medical professional about your ideal weight gain during pregnancy.^{1, 2}

Eat Smart, Not Necessarily More

The Tale: Food is food! It is normal to crave, so long as I don’t eat too much!

The Pro Tip: The thing is, most people do not know that they are consuming way more than they think they are. And even if they are eating till, they are stuffed, the food choices can still be nutritionally poor. You shoot for the best and hope your body will magically pull the nutrients it needs for the pregnancy and you. Yes, you can still have coffee, but limit it to 2 or 3 cups of coffee (≌ 300mg of caffeine).⁴ Too much caffeine can cause increased anxiousness and sleep deprivation, additional added stress a pregnant mother does not need. The main focus of calories should come from whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats to not cause too much weight gain. The most important nutrients a pregnant person should get enough are folic acid, iron, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium and Vitamin D to help control weight, support bone health, and heart health.⁴

Try your best to support yourself and the pregnancy is a good start. For extra help, even garner the help of your loved ones to help you plan, to limit your empty-calorie foods and swap out for healthy options when cravings occur. What diet you should follow all depends on your starting health and so as long as you get your daily nutrients, you should be fine. Even if you feel your nutritional vigilance is not quite enough yet, Similac Mum can help. It is scientifically formulated to help support the nutritional needs of pregnant and breastfeeding mums without causing excessive weight gain. ^ Also contains 27 essential vitamins and minerals, of which prebiotics scFOS helps support bowel regularity, while the Zinc, Vitamin C, D (to help support calcium absorption), E, and Selenium aids in supporting the immune system and bone health. ^

To see if Similac MUM is right for you, please visit Similac Myanmar today to sign up for samples.⁵