How Many Calories Should I Consume While Pregnant?

Pregnancy doesn't really mean eating for two. In fact, for most women, the additional calories needed each day are only equivalent to a piece of whole wheat toast and 2 tbsp of peanut butter, or a medium apple and a cup of yogurt.

Considerations

To figure out how many calories you will need while pregnant, you will first need to determine your total non-pregnant calorie intake based on your activity level and metabolism. A doctor can help you determine your specific caloric needs or you can use a calorie calculator such as the one found at MayoClinic.com.

Calories Needed

During the first trimester, a pregnant woman should not need any additional calories to sustain the developing baby, but should concentrate on eating healthy foods. During the second trimester, she should add an additional 300 calories per day to her basic caloric needs. For most women, the total calories needed will be between 2,200 to 2,800 per day.

Total Weight Gain

By consuming an additional 300 calories a day in the second and third trimester, you should gain 25 to 35 pounds over the course of your pregnancy if you were of normal weight when you became pregnant. If you are underweight, you will need to gain between 28 and 40 pounds, so your doctor may suggest raising your calorie intake slightly higher. Overweight or obese pregnant women should keep total weight gain below 25 pounds and may need slightly less calories than 300 per day.

References

Article reviewed by Melanie Zoltan Last updated on: Jun 14, 2011

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