Caloric intake for preggers

Who said 900 calories, and who mentioned no carbs? If she is 200 she can eat 1800 and still be on a deficit. Whole grains have basically no nutritional value compared to something like beef liver or a sweet potato with grass fed butter.

You entirely missed the point that we are all explaining to the OP. A calorie deficit is not appropriate for pregnancy. Women who are pregnant need more calories than women who are not, even overweight and obese women.

It's clear that you really don't understand the nutritional needs of pregnancy and have a very anti-grain and sugar agenda. Your information is both bad and downright dangerous.

Tell me, if you wanted to eat the most nutrient-dense diet you could, what would it contain? I'll tell you what it wouldn't contain, it wouldn't contain any nutritionally-void grains for sure. You would be eating tons of offal, whole eggs, full fat dairy, and plenty of vegetables.


It is incorrect to state a calorie deficit is not appropriate for pregnancy. There are plenty of situations where it is in fact appropriate. The concern here is nutrient availability, not calories. I would love to hear your reasons for WHY the mother cannot lose body fat(slowly) as long as she is eating a nutrient-dense diet? (besides your doctor said so(my doctor said squatting is bad for your back))

Please refrain from spewing your anti carb, anti grain nonsense to pregnant women that are already eating too few calories. Seriously, take this nonsense elsewhere.

If you cut out sugar and grains completely, the nutrient density of your food will greatly increase without having to eat maintenance. There are negative health effects to being overweight and pregnant as well

There is no reason for a pregnant woman to cut out whole grains completely, unless she already has an allergy.

A) carbs are often one of the few foods women can easily stomach due to morning sickness and food aversions.

the extra fibre that comes from whole grains can help with constipation, another lovely pregnancy side effect.

Yes, a woman needs to ensure she is eating healthy, nutrient rich foods, but suggesting that she eat at a deficit is poor advice. The amount of nutrients required to grow a healthy baby are not obtained by eating a 900 calorie paleo diet.

^ Everything she said.

Also, here's a good breakdown of where the weight goes:

Baby: 8 pounds
Placenta: 2-3 pounds
Amniotic fluid: 2-3 pounds
Breast tissue: 2-3 pounds
Blood supply: 4 pounds
Stored fat for delivery and breastfeeding: 5-9 pounds
Larger uterus: 2-5 pounds
Total: 25-35 pounds

Yes, this is all so true. A lot of people do not realize how much of the weight is not the mother gaining fat. A few days after giving birth I was about 25 pounds lighter than I was before giving birth. And what little fat I gained was needed for breastfeeding. And I was probably eating around 3000 calories a day.

Who said 900 calories, and who mentioned no carbs? If she is 200 she can eat 1800 and still be on a deficit. Whole grains have basically no nutritional value compared to something like beef liver or a sweet potato with grass fed butter. Might as well eat raw sugar.

Please do not suggest a calorie deficit to a pregnant woman.

Additionally, as others have mentioned, it's hard to eat things like meat and sweet potatoes with butter when dealing with morning sickness.

I, a single male with no experience with pregnancies or even know much about pregnant women feel that the OP should listen to her doctor and other pregnant women with successful child birth versus some 28 year old kid telling her to eat less. I HIGHLY doubt that pregnancy is a time for weight loss...

Right, about the morning sickness. I had to eat whatever I could keep down. If anyone in the house started cooking toast, before I even knew that someone was melting butter I would start to throw up (before my brain could even register why). And I had it for the whole nine months.

I ate a lot of cheesecake in the last trimester (both pregnancies).

You have no personal experience with the specific requirements of pregnancy.

28YO Male...hmmm...you've been pregnant, then? Didn't think so.

Can either of you explain how becoming pregnant gives you a biochemistry degree? If your doctor was a male would you ignore his advice?

Can you explain how saying somebody has a biochemistry degree on the internet should be trusted information?

You have no personal experience with the specific requirements of pregnancy.

28YO Male...hmmm...you've been pregnant, then? Didn't think so.

Can either of you explain how becoming pregnant gives you a biochemistry degree? If your doctor was a male would you ignore his advice?

Can you explain how saying somebody has a biochemistry degree on the internet should be trusted information?

baahahahaha :laugh: Love it. He's just trying to get a rise out of you guys now that he has all the attention. This is probably the highlight of his day

Well I should have gone to bed an hour ago so here is a riddle:

If you're obese, and even overweight, your doctor already recommends fat loss during pregnancy. I'm sure someone will figure this out before morning.

And I refuse to engage with white knights who provide no science. At least make an appeal to authority or something.

Now, back on topic....most of what I said I mentioned in the Private message I sent to you, OP. However, I would also like to add that there is a great group on here called "Fit, Fabulous, and Pregnant". They are a bunch of pregnant, or at least experienced, women who can help you. But, the most important person you can talk to is your Doctor. I tracked my calories through my entire last pregnancy, as opposed to the other 3 before. I feel much healthier and happier now because I did do that. I didn't limit my calories after I found out I was pregnant, but I didn't go overboard and "eat for two" either. And from the time I found out I was pregnant to when I had my child, I only gained 12 pounds. And my Doctor was fine with that because we discussed what I was doing. Talk to your Doctor.

This is really what it comes down to. I would mainly stick to my doctor's and/or nutritiounist's/doula's advice and not really go by what people on MFP are saying. No offense to you guys, but I think that would be the safest alternative. If you're still not sure, get a second opinion from another OB/GYN.

I was lucky to have an incredibly experienced and excellent OB/GYN (and doula) who helped me through my twin pregnancy (my first and only pregnancy).

I was also 36 at the time and it was considered a "risk pregnancy". I had blood taken every 4-6 weeks and at the end every 2 with regular weekly check-ups. Granted I come from a country where this is all covered by the insurance, but what I want to say is, with all of my liver, blood, cholesterol, iron levels being monitored, I was definitely eating more but never "for 3", if you will, and gained a good amount of weight, but still on good standing.

The babies completely sucked the iron out of me, which I supplemented with pills, and I ate more of certain foods ***by the supervision of my doctor*** and the test results to keep everything in check. I carried them to 39.5 weeks with great success.

Listen to people who have been working with pregnancies for many years. That's what they are paid to do: to guide you with sound advice.

Well I should have gone to bed an hour ago so here is a riddle:

If you're obese, and even overweight, your doctor already recommends fat loss during pregnancy. I'm sure someone will figure this out before morning.

And I refuse to engage with white knights who provide no science. At least make an appeal to authority or something.

A little science - medical research is not performed on pregnant women for various reasons ranging from ethics to variability to fetal risk.
A little authority - as a biomedical engineer with a minor in biology I can assure you that the developmental needs - in terms of nutrition are the real focus that should be had during this period and that, in general, attempting a calorie deficit during pregnancy is not the path that guarantees the best micro nutrient needs. The risk of preeclampsia and eclampsia increases with obesity and under-nourishment - if someone is overweight and pregnant - the pregnancy is not the moment to lose weight for the ideal development of the beastie within.

And from the time I found out I was pregnant to when I had my child, I only gained 12 pounds.

So did you weigh more or less after you had your child from when you first became pregnant?

Yes, some people that are obese gain a smaller amount than average, which means they probably lose a little bit of fat. However, the scale never goes down, it still goes up. And they do this under the guidance of their own midwife or doctor and with the dietary guidelines given by them. It is not appropriate to give this type of advice over the internet. Every woman is fully capable of going to her own doctor or midwife and if she feels the doctor or midwife is not willing to pay attention to this, then she should switch anyway. If the doctor or midwife is not the right match and is not attentive to your specific situation then that's not going to be a good match during the pregnancy and birth anyway.

The doctor may give some dietary guidelines as well. Those guidelines are usually influenced by the blood tests that reveal whether or not the woman has anemia or other issues.

Most doctors are extremely careful about not allowing women to gain too much weight during pregnancy. Especially if there is already a weight problem, but even for people that are bordering on underweight.

When I got pregnant I weighed 100 pounds and I had severe vomiting and could barely keep any food down, so I needed to eat and eat and eat as much as I could keep down. At 6 months pregnant I weighed 115. Then during the last trimester I gained weight more rapidly. During both pregnancies there was one month when I gained 12 pounds. And during the first pregnancy when that happened my doctor had me have a special meeting with a nurse to talk about managing my weight gain. He did not want pregnancy to result in me having a weight problem. Turned out not to be an issue because even at 9 months pregnant I was still within the normal weight guidelines for a non-pregnant person, after the birth I lost 25 pounds within the first week, and breastfeeding actually caused me to begin to get thinner than I wanted.

There can be all kinds of health issues and complications during each person's pregnancy if things are not managed correctly, but if managed correctly turn out just fine. It is important to be working with a good midwife or OB.

I know that personally, even though I have had 2 children, I am not capable of giving specific advice to pregnant women that are overweight because it is very different from my situation. So, I will not attempt to do that. She should see her midwife or doctor.

I think most of us can agree that:

A) Talk to your obgyn/midwife/doula/registered practitioner of choice.
B)Eat at least at maintenance until your doctor says otherwise.
C)It is okay to limit certain foods and eat healthy, but not wise to eat too little so as to lose weight without proper knowledge

I am nine months pregnant and was obese when I became pregnant. I lost 15 lbs during the first trimester bc I didn't know I was pregnant, and because of that my doctor told me the baby would grow at a slower rate because I was not taking in enough nutrients. She set me up with a dietitian, (HUGE HELP) and so far I have gained only 21 lbs, with four weeks to go. In the beginning, I was incredibly frustrated at not being able to lose the weight. I soon realized that I needed to accept what my body was doing and just eat as healthy as I could for my baby and I. I haven't used it as an excuse to eat junk 24/7, and I am the healthiest I have ever been my entire life.

Congratulations on your pregnancy, and please listen to these wonderful ladies and up your intake a little and go see a doctor asap. The next 9 months are about your baby, not your weight loss. Not saying this to be rude, but a bit of tough love.

Whether or not the scale moves up or down is just an indication of calories consumed. If an obese lady only gains 10lbs that's 15lbs of fat loss over 9 months. To go to zero weight gain and 25lbs of fat lost is a difference of 140 calories a day. It is preposterous to suggest that cutting out 140 calories a day is going to nutritionally starve a fetus.

Since I know nothing about male castration, erectile dysfunction, or prostate cancer, I do not give advice on them. Please, take your rhetoric somewhere else. Just because you believe you are correct doesn't actually mean you are. Just leave the woman alone to speak to her doctor.

I probably shouldn't address you but why do you think your sex prevents you having knowledge regarding health issues of men? I think feminists everywhere just shed a tear.