I might as well be dining with my grandmother because my pregnant wife now likes to eat dinner at 4:30; It's like an early bird special at my own house. I don't even have the laptop bag off my shoulder yet when I get home from work and she's asking me if I'm ready to sit down and eat.

"Where ya' been? I'm starving," she asks as if I'd gone missing for days.
"I always get home at this time," I answer in defense.
"Yeah, but I'm hungry. Come on lets eat." I have no response, logic would do me no good.

So, if you're used to eating meals together with your pregnant partner, you may have to bend that habit a little bit for her sake, and the baby's. As I'm sure any of you expectant fathers know, pregnant women have significantly increased appetites, no surprise there. However, the key to satiating her hunger is small portions on a frequent basis.

A regular, three squares a day schedule won't suit her very well. Rather , little mini-meals eaten several times a day are the key to managing her hunger and nutritional needs. One primary function of eating frequently is that it helps regulate her blood sugar levels by keeping them from ever dropping too low or spiking after large meals. Low blood sugar levels often cause people to be cranky, so stack that on top of crazy hormones and you have a dangerous individual on your hands. Get the woman some food.

The moral of the story is that you should encourage your wife to eat manageable amounts of food frequently. The only schedule that truly matters is the baby's. When he or she wants to eat, he or she needs to eat. (Like mac and cheese at 10:45.)This may mean that you eat by yourself, but it also means she'll be healthier and happier.