You don't need to eat for two when you're pregnant, but you do need to make sure your baby gets the right amount of nutrients while he's still in the womb. A healthy and balanced diet will ensure the fetus grows at a healthy pace. At the same time, overeating during pregnancy can affect the health of you and your baby, so you should still eat within the recommended limits. How much weight you should gain during pregnancy depends on your pre-pregnancy weight.
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Method 1 of 3: Setting the Right Weight Target
Step 1. Find the right weight during pregnancy for your size and height
- You should gain 12 to 16 kg while pregnant if you were at a healthy pre-pregnancy weight, with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 18.5 or 24.9.
- You can add more if you are underweight before pregnancy, with a BMI of less than 18.5. Women in this category are not uncommon to gain 13 to 18 kg during pregnancy.
- Women who were overweight before pregnancy with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 should add 7 to 12 kg.
- Women who are considered obese with a BMI above 30 should add 5 to 9 kg.
- Your doctor may recommend gaining weight at a rate that is appropriate for your health condition.
- Keep in mind that on average, most women have a harder time gaining too much than too little. However, both problems do exist, and this article provides suggestions for adding more and adding less, depending on your condition.
Step 2. Understand why you should watch your weight during pregnancy
This is not only beneficial for the baby, but also for you when you enter the postpartum period (after pregnancy).
- While it's important for your baby to get enough nutrition to grow and develop, being overweight can also be dangerous for him. This condition can cause the baby to be too large and complications that may arise when the baby is born due to being overweight, such as a tendency to obesity and a greater chance of developing diabetes.
- Similarly, although the mother must ensure adequate calories to support the growing baby, gaining too much weight can make it difficult to lose weight after delivery. It can also increase the chances of diabetes, heart disease, and obesity in the mother, as well as other long-term health consequences.
- Remember that you should not lose weight during pregnancy. If you think you are losing weight, see your doctor immediately for a checkup as it may indicate complications in pregnancy or problems with the baby's growth. However, a slight decline in the first 12 weeks is still considered reasonable.
Step 3. Know how much weight you should gain each trimester of pregnancy
- You should gain a total of 1 to 2 kg in the first trimester. After that, you should gain 0.5 kg per week.
- Your calorie needs increase with each trimester. In the second trimester, it is recommended to consume approximately 340 calories above the normal amount (before pregnancy), and in the third trimester 452 calories above the normal amount (before pregnancy). However, you should know that this figure is an average and that there will be slight differences from one woman to another, depending on her pre-pregnancy weight and general health and metabolism.
Step 4. Realize that weight gain during pregnancy is a necessary part and not all weight gain is stored as fat
- About 3 to 4 kg of your weight gain is a baby. In addition, 0.5 to 1 kg is placenta, 0.5 to 1 kg is amniotic fluid, 0.5 kg or more is breast tissue, 2 kg or more is due to an enlarged uterus, 1 to 1.5 kg is extra fluid stored in the body, and 1 to 1.5 kg comes from the greater blood supply.
- At the end of pregnancy, the average woman has gained 12 to 13 kg from before pregnancy.
Step 5. Know the recommended calorie share for pregnant women
On average, pregnant women should consume 300 more calories per day than before pregnancy.
- Proper nutritional proportions are important for optimizing baby development. Current medical guidelines recommend a diet consisting of 20% protein, 30% fat, and 50% carbohydrates.
- To divide it by food pyramid, examples of healthy eating patterns during pregnancy are as follows: 6–11 servings of cereals, 3–5 servings of vegetables, 2–4 servings of fruit, 3–4 servings of dairy products, and 2–3 servings of meat or beans. beans. Note that whole grains (and sources of carbohydrates that are not heavily processed) are better choices, especially for keeping blood sugar in a healthy range.
Method 2 of 3: Gaining Weight
Step 1. Recognize that food choices are very important
If you must gain weight to support your baby's growth, the key is that the foods you choose must be rich in nutrients.
- It's easy to gain weight by eating junk food or empty calories, but your goal here is to provide the nutrients you need to support your baby's growth and optimize your baby's ability to develop. As already mentioned, the recommendation is a balanced amount of 20% protein, 30% fat, and 50% carbohydrates, focusing on nutrient-rich foods whenever possible.
- Sodas and juices should be avoided as they are major sources of empty calories in the form of sugar. Most of the fluids you drink during pregnancy should be water.
Step 2. Eat more often
Generally women who are trying to gain weight while pregnant eat five or six small meals each day. For most pregnant women who struggle to gain adequate weight, this approach is more doable and the extra (nutrient-rich) calories are also easier to come by.
- When choosing foods, make sure you include more carbohydrates to help with weight gain. Carbohydrates include pasta, rice, potatoes, breads, cereals, and other cereal products.
- In addition to carbohydrates that help with weight gain, make sure you also eat a balanced diet with protein sources (meat, nuts, eggs, fish, etc.) and a variety of vegetables and fruits.
Step 3. Choose full-fat cheese and crackers, ice cream and yogurt, dried fruit or nuts for snacks that will help you gain weight during pregnancy
This snack preserves the nutritional value of the food and adds to the calorie count.
Step 4. Add more fat to the diet by using flavorings such as sour cream, cheese, or butter
Again, this extra will add to your calorie consumption but doesn't essentially require you to "eat more".
Method 3 of 3: Slowing Weight Gain
Step 1. Choose healthy, low-fat foods and avoid flavorings and sauces to help you achieve the right weight during pregnancy
Examples are replacing whole, full-fat milk with skim or 1% milk, or replacing full-fat cheese with fat-free cheese. Continue to eat three to four servings of dairy products each day
Step 2. Stop consuming unneeded “excess calories”
If you keep track of your daily diet, you may notice that there are foods that provide unwanted calories (no added nutritional value) that can be removed from your diet.
- For example, choose water over soda, juice, and sugary drinks, which can increase calorie intake and lead to unhealthy weight gain during pregnancy.
- Avoiding high-calorie snacks like tarts, pastries, candy, and chips can also help. These snacks do not add valuable nutrients to the baby.
- Reducing the consumption of carbohydrates will also be very helpful, such as pasta, rice, potatoes, breads, cereals, and other cereal products. Carbohydrates are high in calories and usually contribute to unwanted weight gain.
Step 3. Limit salt intake
Salt makes the body retain fluids.
Step 4. Change the way you cook to help keep your weight within a healthy range
Instead of fried foods in oil, try grilling, grilling, or braising.
Step 5. Ask your doctor about what types of exercise you can do while pregnant
Moderate exercise such as swimming and walking will benefit you and your baby, and help burn extra calories.
- Exercise has actually been shown to reduce potential complications of pregnancy, such as preeclampsia and/or gestational diabetes (problems with blood pressure and/or blood sugar).
- In addition to avoiding being overweight during pregnancy, exercise can also help you lose weight faster after pregnancy because you're used to exercising so it's easier to continue the routine after delivery.
- The types of sports to avoid are sports that have a high risk of falling or accidents (such as skiing, diving, horseback riding, or gymnastics), or sports that have a high risk of getting hit by a ball (such as baseball or tennis), which can threaten the safety of the baby.
