When you're pregnant, your doctor weighs you at every visit. This weigh-in helps the doctor assess any potential medical issues, especially nearer the end of the pregnancy. While nausea, typically during the first 12 weeks, can make it difficult to gain weight, a balanced diet is critical for a well-developed baby. If you're having problems gaining enough weight, you may be compromising the health of your baby, as well as your own health. Remember that much of the weight you gain in pregnancy is focused on keeping the baby healthy.
Step 1
Eat nutrient-dense foods. If you're finding food difficult to tolerate, make every bite count. Nuts, whole grains, dairy products and fruits and vegetables provide critical vitamins and minerals to help your baby develop.
Step 2
Eat often, especially if you're nauseated. This may sound contrary to logic, but eating more frequently may help your nausea. Nausea appears to be a response to the elevated levels of hormone pregnancy causes. By keeping your stomach filled with small portions of food, you can minimize the potential for nausea to develop. Carry dried fruit and granola bars with you to ensure you've always got a snack available.
Step 3
Get plenty of protein. Underweight women often eat low-calorie, low-protein foods, notes Epigee.org, a site devoted to women's health. Your growing baby needs calories and lots of protein to develop normally. Add peanut butter to your breakfast and have a cheese stick as a snack.
Step 4
Eat breakfast every day. It will help regulate your blood sugar levels and may alleviate start-of-the-day nausea, if that's a typical struggle for your pregnancy. In addition, it breaks the fast of the night and gets needed nutrients to your baby. Focus on whole grain cereals that are fortified to help get adequate vitamin and folic acid intake.
Tips and Warnings
- Healthy weight women should gain about 25 to 25 pounds throughout the pregnancy. Those underweight should gain about 40 pounds. And those overweight should gain about 20 pounds. But remember that these are just guidelines to help understand the ballpark of weight and pregnancy. Twin or multiple pregnancies have varied guidelines, based on the health and activity level of the mother. The placenta, baby and excess fluids that your body produces are critical to the health of your baby and will be naturally shed in the first three to six weeks after you deliver the baby.
