What to Do When You're 10 Weeks Pregnant and Haven't Been Eating 'Right': From A Pregnancy Nutrition Coach
By Nicole Roggow, Certified Pregnancy Nutrition Coach | Published: October 20, 2025
It is incredibly common in the pregnancy nutrition world to hear how important nutrition in the first trimester is. There is alot of talk of the "most important nutrients" and "best practices" for first trimester nutrition and while there is validity to this idea, the REALITY is that there are many, many women who do not find out/figure out they are pregnant until the very end of the first trimester. For those women, panic can strike that maybe they have "ruined it" or set themselves and their baby back by not executing perfect first trimester nutrition in those crucial weeks of development.
If this sounds familiar and you're reading this with similar panic in your chest, take a deep breath. As a pregnancy nutrition coach who has been offering personalized nutrition coaching to women for years now, I can tell you: you haven't ruined anything.
The "Crucial Window" Myth
Yes, the first trimester is when major organ development happens. But this doesn't mean you needed to be eating perfectly from the moment of conception for that development to happen as it should.
Here's what actually happens during early pregnancy:
Weeks 1-4: Your baby is essentially a cluster of rapidly dividing cells. It's not even technically an embryo yet. Your body is still running on the nutrients you have stored before pregnancy (which is why it can be so beneficial to ensure your baseline nutrition is of high quality, no matter the season of life you are in!).
Weeks 4-8: Major organ systems begin forming. Your baby weighs less than a grape and gets most nutrients from your body's existing stores.
Weeks 8-12: Organ development continues and your baby is still tiny. This is when placental function really kicks in and personalized nutrition coaching becomes more directly important to navigate the aversions, cravings, and intense nausea that most women face during these weeks.
Notice something? Even at 10 weeks, you're not "too late." You're actually right on time for making adjustments and working to improve your nutrition so you and your baby can both benefit in really positive ways.
Your Body Has Reserves
Unless you were severely malnourished before pregnancy, your body had stores of most essential nutrients. Your baby was already drawing from these reserves to form from a group of cells while you were unknowingly pregnant.
The Placenta Is Protective
The placenta acts as a filter and prioritizes your baby's needs. It's designed to extract nutrients from whatever you're eating and protect your baby from many harmful substances.
Babies Are Resilient
Human pregnancy has survived famines, food shortages, and countless generations of women who didn't know they were pregnant for weeks. Your body and your baby are tougher than you think!
So, What Can You Do Right Now
Instead of dwelling on what you did or didn't do, focus on what you can control moving forward:
Start Taking a Prenatal Vitamin: If you haven't already, start a high-quality prenatal vitamin immediately. The folic acid will help prevent neural tube defects, and other nutrients will support ongoing development. Can't keep pills down? Try gummy vitamins, liquid vitamins, or splitting your dose throughout the day.
Stop the Obvious Risk Factors: Don't panic about what you consumed before you knew. Just stop now. Eliminate alcohol completely. Avoid raw fish, raw meat, and unpasteurized dairy. Limit high-mercury fish
Focus on Three Simple Goals: Don't overwhelm yourself with a complete diet overhaul. Pick three achievable goals:
Eat something every 3–4 hours
Drink water throughout the day
Include one protein source per meal
Understand that even those simple tasks can feel overwhelming early on in pregnancy (especially if you are not feeling well) and this is where a coach can come in to continue to help guide you in practicing positive and helpful nutrition habits throughout the duration of your pregnancy.
Okay so we talked about the early weeks, but here is what to look forward to (in broad terms of course):
Weeks 10–14: Stabilization:
Focus on consistent eating rather than perfect eating. Your baby is still small and your improved nutrition habits will quickly make a difference.
Weeks 14–20: Building Momentum:
Most women feel better during this period. Use this energy to establish stronger nutrition routines that will carry you through the rest of pregnancy.
Weeks 20–40: Optimization:
This is when your baby's growth really accelerates. The foundation you're building now through personalized nutrition coaching will pay off during this crucial growth period.
Common Fears and Reality Checks from a Nutrition Coach
"I drank alcohol before I knew I was pregnant"
Reality: Many women drink before they know they're pregnant. While alcohol is harmful during pregnancy, the risk from consumption in the first few weeks (before you knew) is generally low. Stop now and mention it to your doctor.
"I've been living on junk food"
Reality: Even food that is not the most nutrient dense provides calories and will have some amount of nutrients your body will know how to use. Your baby was getting what it needed from your body's stores (it actually has first priority on those nutrients by design!). Improving your diet now (especially with the guidance of a personalized nutrition coach) will highly benefit the remainder of your pregnancy.
"I haven't been taking folic acid"
Reality: While folic acid is important for preventing neural tube defects, many foods are fortified with folate (breads, cereals, ect). Starting supplementation (usually this can already be found in your prenatal vitamins!) at 10 weeks is still beneficial for ongoing development.
"I've lost weight from morning sickness"
Reality: Weight loss in the first trimester is common and usually not harmful. Focus on eating what you can keep down and staying hydrated, this is a big area a pregnancy nutrition coach can help as they can help you find foods that work for you and make the most sense nutritionally.
Moving Forward Without Guilt: The Core of Personalized Nutrition Coaching
The most important thing you can do for your baby right now isn't perfecting your diet overnight. It's releasing the guilt and stress about what you did or didn't do before you knew you were pregnant. Chronic stress and anxiety are actually more harmful to your developing baby than a few weeks of less-than-optimal nutrition. If you are reading this at 10 weeks pregnant, you have 30 weeks left to nourish your baby well and personalized nutrition coaching can skyrocket that opportunity. Consider Week 10 your fresh start! Not because you did anything wrong before, but because this is when you gained the knowledge and awareness to make intentional choices.
This is when your real pregnancy nutrition journey begins and we would love to join you with support, encouragement, and personal adjustments and recommendations you may need along the way.
Starting your pregnancy nutrition journey at 10+ weeks and need personalized nutrition coaching without the guilt? You haven't missed your chance for a healthy pregnancy. Get pregnancy nutrition coaching that focuses on moving forward, not dwelling on the past.
