Throughout pregnancy:
- Total weight gain goal depends on weight prior to pregnancy
- Normal BMI: Gain 25-35 lbs
- Low BMI (less than 18): Gain 30-40 lbs
- High BMI (more than 25): Gain 15-25 lbs
- Normal BMI: Gain 25-35 lbs
- Average pregnant woman must consume and additional 300 kcal/day beyond baseline
- Try to eat meals high in protein and low in simple carbohydrates and fats
- High fiber is useful as well
- Try to eat meals high in protein and low in simple carbohydrates and fats
- Folic acid: need .4mg/day
- It is recommended that women of childbearing age (not just pregnant women) should take folic acid supplements because neural tube defects from folic acid deficiency occur early in pregnancy and are prevented by high stores of folic acid.
- Ideally start supplementation 3 months before pregnancy.
- It is recommended that women of childbearing age (not just pregnant women) should take folic acid supplements because neural tube defects from folic acid deficiency occur early in pregnancy and are prevented by high stores of folic acid.
- Breastfeeding women need an additional 500 kcal/day
- Iron requirements: increase of 1000mg/day (diet will be insufficient to meet needs)
- Prenatal vitamins and regular appointments with obstetrician are important
- Prenatal vitamins and regular appointments with obstetrician are important
- Calcium requirements: increase 1200mg/day but can be met with diet alone
- Vegans: must supplement zinc, B12, and iron early in pregnancy
- Weight gain should be approximately 1.5-3 lbs
- Weight gain should be about 0.8 lbs/week through to delivery
- 30 mg iron supplementation/ day recommended
- Weight gain should be about 0.8 lbs/week through to delivery
- 30 mg iron supplementation/ day recommended
- Caffeine: >300mg/day increases risk of miscarriage
- Exercise: no evidence that pregnant women need to decrease intensity of exercise. Continue your regimen from prior to pregnancy
- Avoid exercise with high risk of trauma (skiing, skateboarding, so on)
- Exercise may need to change if oxygen deprivation, bleeding, preterm labor, rupture of membranes, or other complications of pregnancy arise.
- Avoid exercise with high risk of trauma (skiing, skateboarding, so on)
- Heartburn: normal in pregnancy but below are tips to decrease incidence
- Decrease intake of spicy foods
- Eat small and frequent meals
- Decrease fluid consumed during meals
- Do not eat right before lying down
- Decrease intake of spicy foods