Pregnant! How many calories should I eat?

Im sure your own Dr has all the answers to these highly sensitive questions!

kimondo666 wrote: »

Don't eat fish, cause they have lot of mercury in them. It is bad for kid. Try omega-3 from walnuts.

no. just no.

I am also currently pregnant and have PCOS, so I am at a higher risk for gestational diabetes. (It doesn't help that my BMI is in the obese range still.) I am very concerned about gaining too much weight and putting my baby at risk. The research I did (on sites like the Mayo Clinic) suggested only gaining 10-15 pounds. When I brought it up to my OB, he did not seem concerned about my weight at all. He is still suggesting I gain 20-25 pounds, although I have lost 6 in the first trimester. Luckily this has not been due to morning sickness but to just being mindful that the calories I consume have actual nutritional value. I also try and eat 1800-2000 calories per day (my OB said this was a good range for me), days that I get some exercise in my net calories are lower but never below 1500. So far it is working. Now that I am in my 2nd trimester, I expect to start gaining some weight but I am hoping to keep it under control so I don't add too much more to my frame and make it that much harder to lose once the baby is here.
I think most of the replies have echoed what I have read with single pregnancies, only about an extra 300 calories is needed and like you my OB is not concerned about my diet/weight so I don't blame you for wanting some extra advice. I feel that you are doing what is right by doing your own research, which includes asking the myfitnesspal support community, and then going over your thoughts with your doctor just to make sure he/she is ok with it. Congratulations and good luck!!!

First of all, congratulations!!!!

I would focus more on WHAT you eat than HOW MUCH you eat when you are pregnant. Eat when you are hungry, and stop when you're not. Listen to your body. Provide your baby with as much healthy and nutrient-dense food as you can and limit treats (although everyone needs a treat every now and then!) I know it can be tough in the beginning if you have a lot of nausea... I basically subsisted off of Cheez-itz, dry cheerios, and ginger ale for a few weeks... but once you feel better, eat as healthfully as you can.

If you listen to your body and eat when you need to eat, you'll be good to go. Everyone is different and it's not good to deprive yourself at all nutritionally (or eat at any sort of deficit) when you're pregnant.

And I know it's different for everyone, but I spent so much time during my pregnancy stressing over weight gain, especially since I gained a lot in the beginning... but in the end I gained 30 total pounds and very quickly lost it after my son was born. So try not to stress too much, and don't forget to enjoy your pregnancy!

You shouldn't gain anything but bloat your first trimester.

You should gain less your second trimester than your third. If you're really gaining a ton in the 2nd...it's fat.

By the end of your third, you'll be gaining a pound a week. If go late, sometimes more. Only some of that will be fat/baby/placenta. Some will be liquid weight--blood volume and amniotic fluid. So expect to gain 14lbs in your last trimester. And back-plan from there.

When women gain a TON of weight, it's usually because they gain way too much in the 1st and 2nd trimester. You can't go, "Okay, that's enough!" in the 3rd. I don't know why many doctors recommend eating as much in the 2nd trimester as you need in the 3rd because that's a sure-fire way to gain too much.

New studies reveal that 25-35 lbs is bad advice for normal-weight women. A max of 30 is better. Over 30lbs greatly raises the chances of women unable to lose baby weight...and over 40 dramatically raises the chances of dystocia (causing C-sections). (BTW, 25-35 was a fairly new recommendation. Before that, it was 15-25, which they decided was too little!)

MamaBirdBoss wrote: »

You shouldn't gain anything but bloat your first trimester.

You should gain less your second trimester than your third. If you're really gaining a ton in the 2nd...it's fat.

By the end of your third, you'll be gaining a pound a week. If go late, sometimes more. Only some of that will be fat/baby/placenta. Some will be liquid weight--blood volume and amniotic fluid. So expect to gain 14lbs in your last trimester. And back-plan from there.

When women gain a TON of weight, it's usually because they gain way too much in the 1st and 2nd trimester. You can't go, "Okay, that's enough!" in the 3rd. I don't know why many doctors recommend eating as much in the 2nd trimester as you need in the 3rd because that's a sure-fire way to gain too much.

New studies reveal that 25-35 lbs is bad advice for normal-weight women. A max of 30 is better. Over 30lbs greatly raises the chances of women unable to lose baby weight...and over 40 dramatically raises the chances of dystocia (causing C-sections). (BTW, 25-35 was a fairly new recommendation. Before that, it was 15-25, which they decided was too little!)

This is all very true, statistically speaking. But, op, don't get overly anxious if your weight gain pattern differs from "average". This pregnancy I put on most of my weight in the first 20 weeks, and for the past 6 weeks I've maintained, while baby has continued to grow normally (I'll be 33 weeks on Monday). My doc isn't concerned. Not everybody's body gets the memo from the books about how to gain weight . Also, don't let the doomsday admonitions about not gaining over 30 lbs scare you - I'm taller than you, op, but this is my 4th pregnancy and I always gain between 45-50 lbs, and this time is gearing up to be no exception. All three previous children were born after uncomplicated vaginal deliveries (2 of which were intervention-free, the first was a post dates induction that went very well). And I lost all the weight, and then some, in between each pregnancy. In fact, this time I started out at the lowest weight I've been since high school! Which probably explains why my metabolism tanked in the first half... I'd never been so thin whilst pregnant.

Congratulations op! Eat sensibly, talk to your doc about your specific calorie needs, and don't stress too much about it. Stay active and hydrated. And get plenty of rest. You'll need it!