Pregnant, what should my calorie intake be?

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  • RaenaLynn
    RaenaLynn Posts: 87 Member
    DomesticKat wrote: »
    The idea of maintaining one's weight during pregnancy is also misunderstood. If the same woman "maintains" her weight during pregnancy, she LOST 23 pounds. True maintenance would show a 23 pound gain on the scale, and her weight would return to start after birth. As most people understand, pregnant women have special nutritional needs and maternal illness and premature birth can be mitigated by a nutritious diet. Calorie restriction can make it difficult to check all of the nutrition boxes that allow her baby to thrive in utero. An obese woman who allows for a small gain (which is actually a loss) during pregnancy increases the odds that she is getting enough macro and micronutrients in her diet to help herself and her baby thrive, and nutritional counseling during pregnancy can help with that.

    This is what happened to me. I was obese prepregnancy. I was told to gain maybe 15lbs. I didn't gain all that, but after having the baby, I had lost about 26lbs. My baby was born small, but healthy.

    Please OP, consult your Dr. Some ob/gyns have nutritionists in house to answer any dietry questions you may have and how to meet your personal needs, as well as the baby's. Good luck.
  • DomesticKat
    DomesticKat Posts: 565 Member
    Pregnant women aren't immune to the laws of physics. I'm really surprised more people don't seem to understand this and have such a difficult time interpreting the data around pregnancy weight gain.
  • Marbles93
    Marbles93 Posts: 11 Member
    At this point make good food choices. As soon as morning sickness hits, gaining won’t be an issue. ;)
    I always lost in my first trimester because food just wouldn’t stay down. Even though I was overweight, my doctor got a little concerned by the time I had lost 17 pounds. I tried to eat healthfully, but nothing stayed down. My doctor told me to eat what I was craving because it was more likely to stay down.

    So, talk to your doctor. Your doctor will evaluate your situation and advise you.
  • PokeyBug
    PokeyBug Posts: 482 Member
    Just eat healthy foods, in healthy amounts. I already weighed 20 lbs. more than I should when I began both pregnancies, but I was determined to eat healthy foods for my babies. I ditched the junk food (for the most part; I had a few candy bars with my second daughter), and didn't stuff my face. I just made sure I was properly nourishing us. I didn't gain extra weight while I was pregnant (just 20 lbs for each baby and all the extra fluid and placenta, etc.), but I didn't lose any, either. It took a couple of months to lose all the extra water and for my hormones to normalize. I think it helped that I breastfed. I actually didn't diet until I'd finished breastfeeding, 18 months later.

    And, yes, talk to your doctor about your concerns. From your photo, you don't look terribly overweight to begin with, so putting off weight loss for 9 months, while you're pregnant, or longer, if you want to breastfeed, is, IMO, just what you'll have to do for your baby. But, being pregnant doesn't mean you can't start eating healthier foods and get into the habit of nourishing yourself properly, which will make weight loss easier for you afterwards.
  • FlyingMolly
    FlyingMolly Posts: 490 Member
    Congratulations on your pregnancy! Don't panic. ;)

    Eat a filling variety of healthy foods and talk to your doctor when you can about calories and weight gain. The best information for you will come from a qualified professional who can actually see and examine you.
  • Skinny_Kitty
    Skinny_Kitty Posts: 136 Member
    Congrats on the new pregnancy! I am right there with you- 5'11" tall. Starting weight was 240 lbs. I am now 22 weeks pregnant and weigh 250 lbs.. My doctor says I am right on track.

    This link (https://www.freedieting.com/pregnancy-calorie-calculator) is fantastic for setting a calorie goal during pregnancy. It will break it down by trimester as well as give some really great information.

    Don't stress. Eat healthy. Eat when hungry. Indulge a little. Drink lots of water. Rest as much as possible. Enjoy this amazing journey! :)

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