Eating well when you are pregnant helps you to cope with the demands the growing baby puts on your body. According to Dr André van Rooyen, Gynaecologist & Obstetrician, “The goal is to balance getting enough nutrients to support a growing baby and maintain a healthy weight. The popular saying is that a pregnant woman “eats for two”, but we now know that it is dangerous for you to eat twice the normal amount of food during pregnancy.”
Dr Van Rooyen explains that if you are pregnant with one baby, you need an extra 340 calories a day starting from the second trimester. That is roughly the calorie count of a glass of low fat milk and half a sandwich.
Vitamins and minerals play a vital role in all your body functions. During pregnancy you need folic acid, iron, vitamin D, calcium, choline, omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins and vitamin C. Eating healthy foods and taking a prenatal vitamin each day should supply all the vitamins and minerals you need during pregnancy.
“Excess weight during pregnancy is associated with several pregnancy and childbirth complications like high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia, preterm birth and gestational diabetes,” says Dr Van Rooyen.
Obesity during pregnancy also increases the risk of macrosomia (baby more than 4 kg), birth injury, caesarean delivery and birth defects (especially neural tube defects).
Healthy weight gain during pregnancy depends on your health and your prenatal body mass index (BMI). If you were underweight before pregnancy you may need to put on more weight than if you were of normal weight. If you were overweight or obese before your pregnancy you should gain less weight.
Recommendations for healthy weight gain according to pre-pregnancy or early pregnancy BMI
Pre-pregnancy or early pregnancy (less than 10 weeks) BMI (kg/m2) | Total weight gain range
|
Underweight (<18.5) | 12.5 kg–18 kg |
Healthy weight (18.5 - 24.9) | 11.5 kg–16 kg |
Overweight (25.0 - 29.9) | 7 kg–11.5 kg |
Obese (≥ 30.0) | 5 kg–9 kg |
Trying to lose weight by dieting is not recommended during pregnancy as it may harm the health of you unborn baby. If you are concerned about your weight, your obstetrician or midwife can advise you and may refer you to a dietician.
A final recommendation from Dr Van Rooyen, “Please remember to stop smoking and refrain from taking alcohol when you are pregnant.”