It is fact that pregnant women need to provide good nutrition for two people, but it is fiction that she should eat for two. The unborn baby gets all the nutrients they need from its mother through the umbilical cord, so a healthy and balanced diet is important. If the mother is lacking any vitamins or nutrients, then this could be passed on to the baby. It is advised by nutritional experts that a woman who is not pregnant needs around 2100 calories per day, and that a pregnant lady should consume around 2500 calories per day. If the mother is breast feeding, they need around 3000 calories per day.