On average, women gain 10-12kg during pregnancy; 0.5kg-2kg in trimester 1, about 5kg in trimesters 2, and about 5kg in trimester 3. Putting on weight slowly and steadily is best. Don't worry too much if you gain a little more or a little less than you think you should in any week. You may have a few growth spurts when you gain several pounds in a short time, and then level off. And while you don't want to gain too much weight, don’t ever try to lose weight during pregnancy.

 

Most pregnant women need only about 300 extra calories per day. Use these tips when planning your meals to make sure they are healthy and help you gain the right amount of weight when pregnant:

1. Eat foods from the five food groups at every meal.
2. Choose whole-grain bread and pasta, low-fat or skim milk and lean meat, like chicken, fish and pork. Eat 8 to 12 ounces of fish that are low in mercury each week.
3. Put as much color on your plate as you can, with all different kinds of fruits and vegetables. Make half of your plate fruits and vegetables.
4. Plan on eating four to six smaller meals a day instead of three bigger ones. This can help relieve heartburn and discomfort you may feel as your baby gets bigger.
5. Make sure your whole meal fits on one plate. Don’t make huge portions.
6. Drink six to eight glasses of water each day.
7. Take your prenatal vitamin each day. This is a multivitamin made just for pregnant women.

• Share:
• Facebook
• Twitter