How many calories needed while pregnant?

shoppingqueen34
shoppingqueen34 Posts: 226 Member
edited September 20 in Food and Nutrition
I just found out that I'm expecting our first kiddo :)

I've been doing some research and I found that you only need to consume about 300 more calories than normal. Does this sound correct?

Replies

  • karleen
    karleen Posts: 260
    yes but dont be surprised if youre way hungrier than that haha
  • karleen
    karleen Posts: 260
    ps congrats!
  • PureAndHealthy
    PureAndHealthy Posts: 539
    I understand that it's 300-500, and that would be over MAINTENANCE calories. So if your numbers on here are for LOSING a pound a week or whatever, you'll need to first change it to maintenance and then add another 300-500 calories. And remember you're growing a baby with those calories, so give the little one some vitamins and minerals, calcium, proteins, healthy fats, and whole grain carbs, etc to make healthy bones, brain, eyes, organs, etc, etc etc. He/She is what YOU eat! Congrats! :drinker:
  • auntbliz
    auntbliz Posts: 173 Member
    Don't they have a setting on here for gaining weight too? I thought I saw something to that effect when I signed up months ago. You could set it for .5 pound a week and that might make your calories what they should be, if they have it anyway. Maybe you'd have to set it at your ideal weight, and then say gain .5 per week? Just some ideas, so that it would add in the extra calories for you, so you wouldn't have to mentally add them daily. Oh, and congratulations!
  • PureAndHealthy
    PureAndHealthy Posts: 539
    Don't they have a setting on here for gaining weight too? I thought I saw something to that effect when I signed up months ago. You could set it for .5 pound a week and that might make your calories what they should be, if they have it anyway. Maybe you'd have to set it at your ideal weight, and then say gain .5 per week? Just some ideas, so that it would add in the extra calories for you, so you wouldn't have to mentally add them daily. Oh, and congratulations!

    Yeah.. that might be an option. If not, you can add it as an exercise everyday. Add "Growing a Baby" as a cardio activity and say it burns 400 calories for 10 minutes or whatever, then put 10 minutes of growing a baby under exercise everyday. :smile: That should also help make you laugh everyday... it would me. :laugh:
  • rachi20024
    rachi20024 Posts: 229 Member
    Typically it's an additional 300 cals while pregnant and 500 extra while breastfeeding. So I get to eat more now after pregnancy (I'm breastfeeding)and not feel nearly as guilty...weird but I'm still losing.
  • Chenoachem
    Chenoachem Posts: 1,758 Member
    There is a whole pregnant group on here:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/64762-the-preggo-platform

    I would suggest asking what they have done.

    Congrats. :flowerforyou:
  • amymeenieminymo
    amymeenieminymo Posts: 2,394 Member
    Congratulations! I have heard the 300 thing as well, but make sure to tell your doctor how much you currently eat, how much you've lost and he/she should be able to steer you in the right direction so that you get enough nutrients for the baby, but not gain too much unncessary weight.

    To everyone else, I am just curious....is that an extra 300 calories for the entire pregnancy, or does that come into play in the second or third trimester?
  • Chenoachem
    Chenoachem Posts: 1,758 Member
    Congratulations! I have heard the 300 thing as well, but make sure to tell your doctor how much you currently eat, how much you've lost and he/she should be able to steer you in the right direction so that you get enough nutrients for the baby, but not gain too much unncessary weight.

    To everyone else, I am just curious....is that an extra 300 calories for the entire pregnancy, or does that come into play in the second or third trimester?

    I had read it was for the whole pregnancy. However, I had such bad morning sickness my first trimester that too many calories wasn't an issue. I did keep exercising and eating healthy and when my daughter was born I weighed 10lbs less than I did when I got pregnant.

    My weight gain was from after I stopped breast feeding full time. I was still eating the number of calories I was when I was feeding. I didn't adjust for the change.
  • Mina133842
    Mina133842 Posts: 1,573 Member
    when I was pregnant, I was allowed to still lose weight (I am listed as obese) but was not allowed to gain any weight. So, with that said, you are typically allowed 300 extra calories, I calculated those in, but with the extra dairy, and protein, I was supposed to be eating, it took away some of my "useless snack" calories - I had to give up the 100 calorie pack snacks I was eating to fit in some of the extra things I needed to eat for a healthy pregnancy. Ask your doctor, and if you haven't seen the doctor yet, here are a few things I suggest:
    1. Make a list of all your questions, because you will forget more than half of them when you go to the doctor, and take that list with you - I gave mine to the doctor, so I wouldn't be too embarrassed, or whatever to ask stuff (or forget).
    2. Get the book - What to Expect While You're Expecting- it has A LOT of answers in it. many 2nd hand stores have several copies, especially if you go to "Other Mothers" or some other baby consignment stores.
    3. Avoid hot dogs- I know, weird, huh? However, you're not supposed to have anything with nitrates in it during your pregnancy.
    4. Eat very nutritious food - sounds like a no-brainer, but I see many pregnant women eat "whatever they want" because they're pregnant, and really, you should be eating nutrient rich foods, high in vitamins, etc, keep the sweets at bay if you can. (my sister in law was one of those teeny little cheerleaders, and ice cream was a staple food to her- she gained almost 90 pounds).
    5. Enjoy your pregnancy - Congratulations!
  • cds2327
    cds2327 Posts: 439
    Im hyper superstitious and careful when I'm preggers. Not that I don't trust anyone here, but with a baby....don't trust anyone on here, they are not doctors.
    Call your doctors office and ask them for the best medical advice. No taking chances with baby!
    And CONGRATS!!!
  • BroiledNotFried
    BroiledNotFried Posts: 446 Member
    Dr. Oz just had a whole show on pregnancy, and alot of it was on nutrition and exercise. Try to find a copy of it.

    Congratulations! I've had two kids. The morning sickness was sooo bad, that I didn't gain much weight in the first trimester. Just make every bite count, as the nutrition goes to the baby. The first baby, i was very careful and only gained 30 pounds and lost 40 pounds after. The second, i was not so careful and gained 45 pounds....still with 15 pounds left to lose. By the way, I breasted both kids for a total of 3 years. 500 calories a day to breastfeed.

    Be very careful of fish with high mercury counts. Limit fish and, especially, tuna. I know a few women who ate lots of tuna fish sandwiches and ended up with autistic kids. Correlation, I don't know.

    Most of all, ask your doctor what to exercise. Gets more oxygen to the baby, and helps you feel better.

    Drink alot of water and water with juice splashes.

    MOST OF ALL, ENJOY, THIS TIME!
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