What you eat is an important part of pregnancy since you’re eating for two! Learn what to eat, and find out how a healthy diet can help ensure a healthy baby and less postpartum weight to lose later.
Recommended Weight Gain During Pregnancy
If your normal range is: And your body mass index* is: You should gain:
Underweight < 19.8 28 to 40 pounds
Normal weight 19.8 to 26.0 25 to 35 pounds
Overweight 26.0 to 29.0 15 to 25 pounds
Obese >29.0 0 to 15 pounds
* Body mass index can be calculated with use of the following equation: weight (in kilograms) / [height (in meters)]2.
Your Body’s Nutritional Needs
During pregnancy your body has increased nutritional needs. Although the old adage ?eating for two? isn’t entirely correct, you do require more macronutrients (for example, calories, protein, and fluids) and micronutrients (for example, calcium, folate, and iron).
Nutrient Additional daily requirements for pregnant women
Calories 300 (in the second and third trimesters)
Protein 60 mg
Calcium 1200 mg
Folate (folic acid) 15 mg
Iron 30 mg
In general, most women can meet these increased nutritional needs by choosing a diet that includes a variety of nutritious foods, including 8 to 10 glasses of water a day, and by taking a prenatal vitamin prescribed by their health care provider. A simple way to ensure that you are getting all the nutrients that you and your baby need is by eating a variety of foods from each of the food groups every day.