| As soon as you know of your pregnancy you should | | | | It is important then that you eat sensibly and choose |
| of course visit your doctor or health care provider so | | | | the right foods with the right amount of calories. Foods |
| as to ensure you obtain the best possible care for | | | | with fewer calories if your pregnancy weight gain is |
| both you and your baby. | | | | too much, too soon and of course If you are not |
| Many women among other things do worry however | | | | gaining weight, or gaining too slowly, you need to eat |
| over weight gain during pregnancy and not only for the | | | | foods with more calories. Normally a healthy |
| sake of personal appearance but because it can put | | | | pregnancy weight will mean that you should have |
| additional strain on the heart and lead to back and | | | | increased on average your daily intake by 300 calories |
| ligament problems. | | | | per day. |
| Weight gain during pregnancy is important for a healthy | | | | Eating for two will not necessarily mean you need to |
| pregnancy so if the thought of putting on the extra | | | | eat twice as much, merely eat to follow your appetite |
| pounds does bother you rest assured that it is | | | | needs but your pregnancy diet must mean that you |
| perfectly normal. Following the birth of the baby and in | | | | eat wisely too. |
| the months soon after, most women will find that they | | | | During your pregnancy and whilst you may be nursing |
| lose the extra weight. This is especially so if you are | | | | your new baby good nutritious food is of utmost |
| breast feeding during the three months after the birth. | | | | importance. Good nutrition will help you maintain a |
| However, having said that, if your weight gain during | | | | healthy pregnancy and sustain the correct energy |
| pregnancy is considerably more than 35 pounds it will | | | | levels necessary to give the best care to your baby. |
| be more difficult to loose weight after the birth. | | | | Whilst it is necessary that you choose the foods most |
| Given that your weight before your pregnancy was | | | | beneficial to you and your new baby's health at the |
| within the range of that known as a "healthy weight" | | | | same time you should take care to avoid the risk of |
| your weight gain during pregnancy should not exceed | | | | any infection or illness from undercooked or |
| around the 35 pounds mark with 5 pounds of that | | | | contaminated foods. Eggs for instance, eggs should be |
| gained during the first trimester. Thereafter it would be | | | | slightly over cooked so that both the white and the |
| the norm to gain approximately 1 pound each week | | | | yoke are well done, make sure that you de-frost |
| for the remainder of the pregnancy. | | | | frozen foods properly and cook thoroughly any meat |
| The routine checks carried out by your health care | | | | or poultry. Avoid pates and any unpasteurised milk |
| advisor will of course give you the best indication as to | | | | products including ice creams. |
| whether you are gaining weight too fast or too slowly | | | | To ensure good health for you and your baby during |
| and whether or not your weight gain is more or less | | | | your pregnancy you must pay particular attention to |
| than normal. | | | | food safety. |