Prenatal Nutritionist

As a pregnant woman, you want your baby to be as healthy as possible. Prenatal nutrition is key for the baby's growth and development. Certain pregnancy complications can prompt the need for specialized nutrition counseling. A visit with a prenatal nutritionist can ensure you are giving your baby the best possible start in life. Ask your doctor or midwife for a referral to a prenatal nutritionist if you have questions about prenatal nutrition.

Weight Gain

Women at a normal prepregnancy weight should gain 25 to 35 lbs. over the course of the pregnancy. Underweight women should aim for 28 to 40 lbs. Women who are overweight before pregnancy should try to gain 15 to 25 lbs., and women who started the pregnancy obese should gain 11 to 20 lbs. A prenatal nutritionist can help you devise an eating plan that meets all of your nutritional requirements within an appropriate weight gain parameter. If you gain too much or too little weight, you can be at risk for pregnancy complications ranging from preterm labor to a difficult or prolonged delivery.

Multiples

Growing one baby is challenging enough, but if you are growing twins, triplets or more, you must be vigilant about getting the right amount and types of nutrients. Proper prenatal nutrition for women carrying multiples is clearly associated with healthier pregnancy outcomes, primarily improved birth weights for the babies. Your prenatal nutritionist will focus on adequate calorie intake and vitamin and mineral supplementation.

Obesity

Obese women are at a higher risk of delivering a baby that is too large and that might have a hard time passing through the birth canal. This can cause trauma to the baby and the mother. Obese women should follow a diet tailored to them by a prenatal nutritionist and take care to eat the right types and amounts of food to meet both the baby's needs and their own body's needs.

Diabetes

Gestational diabetes affects approximately 7 percent of pregnancies, and women of certain ethnic backgrounds, such as Native-American, Hispanic and African-American women, are at a higher risk than other women. Women who have gestational diabetes are at a higher risk of having babies who are large compared to other babies, as well as an increased risk for developing Type 2 diabetes later in life. Women who take control of their diabetes in pregnancy through glucose monitoring, exercise and diet maximize their babies' chances of being a normal size at birth and may reduce the risk of birth complications. A prenatal nutritionist can help you manage your blood sugar during pregnancy if you have diabetes.