To eat well during pregnancy you must do more than simply increase how much
you eat. You must also consider what you eat. Although you need about 300
extra calories a day - especially later in your pregnancy, when your baby grows
quickly - those calories should come from nutritious foods so they can
contribute to your baby's growth and development.
Why It's Important to Eat Well When You're
Pregnant
Do you wonder how it's reasonable to gain 25 to 35 pounds
(on average) during your pregnancy when a newborn baby weighs only a fraction of that?
Although it varies from woman to woman, this is how those pounds may add up:
- 7.5 pounds - average baby's weight
- 2 pounds - breast enlargement
- 7 pounds - your body's extra stored protein, fat, and other nutrients
- 1.5 pounds - the placenta
- 2 pounds - enlargement of your uterus
- 2 pounds - amniotic fluid surrounding your baby
- 4 pounds - your extra blood
- 4 pounds - your other extra body fluids
Of course, patterns of weight gain during pregnancy vary. It's normal to gain less if
you start out heavier and more if you're having twins or triplets - or if you
were underweight before becoming pregnant. More important than how much weight
you gain is what makes up those extra pounds.
When you're pregnant, what you eat and drink is the main source of
nourishment for your baby. In fact, the link between what you consume and the
health of your baby is much stronger than once thought. That's why doctors now
say, for example, that no amount of alcohol consumption should be
considered safe during pregnancy.
The extra food you eat shouldn't just be empty calories - it should provide
the nutrients your growing baby needs. For example, calcium helps make and keep
bones and teeth strong. While you're pregnant, you still need calcium for your
body, plus extra calcium for your developing baby. Similarly, you require
more of all the essential nutrients than you did before you became
pregnant.