Importance of Protein in Pregnancy + Protein-Rich Meal Ideas

When it comes to pregnancy nutrition, there's a lot of noise out there—but one nutrient stands out for just how essential it is: protein. From supporting your baby’s growth and development to helping maintain your energy, mood, and blood sugar balance, protein in pregnancy plays a starring role in keeping both you and baby thriving.

But let’s be real—getting enough protein isn’t always easy. Between morning sickness, unpredictable cravings, and the constant question of “how much protein during pregnancy do I really need?”—many women are left feeling confused and overwhelmed. As a certified nutrition coach for pregnancy and babies, I’m here to simplify it for you.

In this post, I’ll break down exactly why protein matters during pregnancy, how much you actually need (hint: it’s likely more than you think), and give you 15 easy, high protein meal ideas and protein-rich snacks to help you meet your daily protein intake pregnancy goals without overthinking it.

Photo credit: Amina Filkins

Why Protein Matters in Pregnancy

Protein is one of the most important building blocks during pregnancy, not just for your body, but for your baby’s development as well. Throughout those nine months, your body’s needs change, and protein plays a crucial role in supporting your baby’s growth, the development of your placenta and uterus, and the expansion of your blood volume and other critical fluids.

Here’s the thing: nutrition experts have been advocating for higher protein recommendations for the general population for some time, and when it comes to pregnancy, the guidelines are even more underestimated. 

The truth is, many pregnant women aren’t getting nearly enough protein to meet the increased demands of their changing bodies. 

It’s a critical piece of the puzzle that too many people overlook, but understanding your protein needs can make a world of difference for both you and your baby.

Benefits of incorporating more protein throughout pregnancy

• Better blood sugar balance

• Helps manage cravings

• Proper blood volume expansion and development of maternal tissues like the placenta

• Reduced risk of common pregnancy swelling (edema)

• Reduced risk of intrauterine growth restriction-  Two different studies from 2022 (here and here) show that among women who eat lower protein, increasing their animal protein (e.g. meat and dairy) intake specifically decreased the risk of low birth weight and intra uterine growth restriction. Interestingly, the effect was not seen with plant protein increases.

• Increased protein increases intake critical amino acids needed for pregnancy. Amino acids like Glycine, lysine, taurine and phenylalanine needs are higher during pregnancy, so even though some are deemed “non-essential”—a misnomer in fact!—your body likely is not able to produce all that it needs to keep up with increasing demands in pregnancy and ensuring adequate dietary intake is key.

How Much Protein Do You Need?

Protein needs are not constant throughout pregnancy, with small changes needed in the first trimester, compared to much higher demands as you head into the second, and especially the third trimester.

Current guidelines set the recommended daily allowance (RDA) at 1.1 g/kg (or 0.5 g/lb) of body weight per day after the first trimester. This equates to about 75g per day for a 150 lb woman. Note that for the first trimester, only 0.88g/kg/day is recommended officially. 

However, the main placental development is happening in the first trimester, so ensuring optimal protein intake for proper tissue development is important starting from the very beginning.

The shocking fact is that these limits were not based on actual research on pregnant women.

A more thorough 2016 study called these recommendations into question and used advanced methods to show that in later pregnancy at least 1.5g/kg is needed, while in early pregnancy a minimum of 1.2 g/kg a minimum— or 80 g for a 150 lb woman— is optimal in early pregnancy.

Other studies have shown that the percentage of caloric intake as protein with the best pregnancy outcomes and micronutrient profiles is around 14-20% of calories as protein. These increased protein recommendations fall safely within these ranges.

Some studies have actually shown that beyond 20-25% protein, risk of low-birth weight increases, and proper protein intake is actually a U shaped curve.

This is a classic example of more is not always better. 

Now for fertility, the evidence-based range for protein consumption is 25-35% of caloric intake (roughly 125-175g of a 2,000 calorie diet), which is higher than what is suggested is optimal for pregnancy. 

This may be because protein metabolism shifts in pregnancy, leading to more conservation of protein in the body.

It seems as though pregnancy tries to self-regulate optimal protein intake, which is why some women may crave meat while others are averse to even the thought of consuming meat, especially in the first trimester.

To break it down:

More in-depth data show that needs by trimester are much higher and a new requirement is estimated to be:

First trimester - 1.1- 1.2 g/kg (0.5-0.55g/lb) body weight / day

Second trimester - 1.2-1.4 g/kg (0.55-0.64 g/lb) body weight / day

Third trimester -1.5 g/kg (0.68g/lb) body weight / day

So for a woman weighing 150lb pre-pregnancy and carrying a singleton pregnancy, that would equate to roughly minimum 75-80 g in the first trimester, gradually increasing to around 96 g through the second trimester and further increasing to just over 100 g in the third trimester.

If all of this is getting too technical and you don’t want to calculate every little detail here’s the best evidence-based recommendation for you.

Bottom line: based on available research, the sweet spot for protein consumption appears to be aiming for ~100g of protein/day, give or take, based on your weight, activity level and if carrying multiples starting in your second trimester.

I say starting in your second trimester, because anyone who has been pregnant knows that getting in much protein, let alone anything in your first trimester, can be tricky. And it may be that your body is self-regulating itself giving you more carbohydrates your body needs for rapid development during this time. 

The easiest way to do this is to consume 25-30g at each meal with 1-2 high protein snacks. Keep reading for east, protein-filled meal and snack ideas to keep you fueled all through pregnancy.

Photo credit: Caio

Best high-protein food sources for pregnancy

Some of the best high-protein foods for pregnancy come from animal sources, as they provide all the essential (including conditionally essential!) amino acids your body needs:

• Meats (e.g. beef, chicken, lamb, pork)

• Seafood (e.g. salmon, shrimp, crab, cod, sardines)

• Eggs

• Dairy (e.g. hard cheeses, cottage cheese and greek yogurt/skyr)

• Bone broth and gelatin

Best plant-based protein sources during pregnancy

That being said, a diversity of plant protein sources as well provides not only a diversity of amino acid profiles but a wider-range of critical micronutrients for pregnancy.

• Beans, peas, lentils and peanuts

• Tofu & edamame

• Nuts & seeds (e.g. pumpkin seeds, hemp hearts, almonds)

Protein supplements safe for pregnancy

I always recommend a food-first approach, but if you feel you are struggling to get in enough protein due to dietary aversions, a clean protein supplement can be beneficial, especially when used to boost protein of nutrient-rich foods like a green smoothie or nut and seed granola.

If opting for a protein supplement, I recommend getting ones that have been third-party tested for heavy metals and other contaminants.

A brand I love for collagen, a rich source of the critical pregnancy amino acid glycine, is Perfect Supplements Bovine Collagen. All of their products are tested for heavy metals and other contaminants such as glyphosate. 

For a complete protein source, Transparent Labs has great transparency (hence the name!) and lists their third-party testing results right on their website.

15 Protein-Rich Meal Ideas for Pregnancy

OK, you’ve decided you are going to up your protein goals during pregnancy, but the actual logistics of it can be difficult. To make it easy for you—here are 15 easy, high-protein meals for pregnancy plus some protein-rich snack ideas for all you expecting mama.

These meal ideas also offer a wide-variety of amino acids to support all your body’s and baby’s growing needs.

High-protein breakfast ideas:

1. Greek yogurt parfait with chia, hemp hearts, almond butter and berries

2. Sweet potato and chicken sausage hash with scrambled eggs

3. Three egg and feta cheese, spinach and sun-dried tomato omelet

4. Smoothie with protein powder and nut butter

5. Cottage cheese protein pancakes

High-protein lunch & dinner ideas

1. Salmon, egg and avocado salad

2. Slow-cooked carnitas street tacos

3. Chickpea and salmon salad

4. Egg salad sandwich on sourdough bread

5. Roast chicken and spinach wrap

6. Curried lentils in bone broth

7. Slow-cooked pot roast with sweet potatoes

8. Tofu stir fry with quinoa and veggies

9. Baked salmon with roasted veggies

10. Shepard’s pie

Protein-rich snack ideas for pregnancy

• Hard-boiled eggs topped with hummus

• Hard cheese and almonds

• Pumpkin seeds and chocolate chips

• Peanut butter and celery or apple

• Sardines on whole wheat crackers

• Hummus and crudite

• Cottage cheese on sprouted grain toast

• Greek yogurt with berries

• Roasted chickpeas or edamame

Photo credit: Ecrin

What If You're Struggling to Get Enough Protein?

You should always aim for food first as much as possible, but I know sometimes our cravings or aversions can be hard to combat. Here are some sneaky and convenient ways to boost your protein, especially if you’re struggling with appetite.

• Good options for the first trimester when you are more prone to morning sickness is greek yogurt with fruit, protein powder in smoothies and hummus with crackers. These are great ways to get in easy pregnancy protein while also filling up on other beneficial micronutrients your body needs to support your growing baby.

• Adding in collagen to your coffee or tea can also be a great way to up beneficial amino acids like glycine and your total protein count.

• If you’re only craving carbs, cooking your grains in bone broth can be an easy way to sneak in some protein unnoticed.

• Grabbing a protein bar on the go can be such a convenient way to satisfy your hunger and up your protein content. I like RX-bars for their minimal ingredient, whole-foods profile.

Bringing it all together

Let’s recap the heart of it all: protein is essential—but it doesn’t have to be complicated. With a little awareness and intention, you can meet your growing needs and feel confident that you’re nourishing both yourself and your baby in the best way possible.

Protein supports everything from your baby’s development to your expanding blood volume and your own energy levels. It’s a small shift that can have a big impact on how you feel throughout pregnancy and how your baby thrives.

So aim for ~100g of protein/day give or take based on your weight and activity level by consuming 25-30g at each meal with 1-2 high protein snacks throughout your day. 

Need help building a simple, nourishing pregnancy eating plan? Click here to book 1:1 support during this time.