15/09/2015
Healthful tips for you and your little one! {Expectant Mothers}
1. How much weight should I gain?
The amount of weight gain will vary depending on your pre-pregnancy weight. If you are at a healthy weight (BMI between 18.5 and 25), your weight increase over the pregnancy period should be between 11-16kg. If you are overweight (BMI between 25 and 30), you should not gain more than 7-11kg. If you were underweight prior to conception (BMI less than 18.5), you should gain between 12-18kg. Adequate weight gain as well as following a healthy, balanced diet is required to ensure the health of your baby.
2. Should pregnant women really be eating for two?
Eating for two from the beginning of your pregnancy is a common myth which, if followed, can result in unnecessary weight gain. During the first trimester, you should only gain about one or two kilograms of body weight as nutritional requirements only increase from the second trimester onwards (i.e. from the fourth month). To put this into perspective, during the second trimester, energy intakes should increase by about 340kcal (equivalent to 2 dairy and 2 starch servings) per day and a further 112kcal (equivalent to 1 starch and 1 fruit serving) per day in the fourth trimester (this being for someone who had a healthy BMI prior to conception).
Note: energy requirements increase due to foetal growth and increased maternal body weight. Additional energy requirements will differ from person to person and is also dependent on the mother’s level of physical activity.
3.What kinds of foods should be included, limited and avoided?
It is recommended including a variety of foods from the different food groups (dairy, starch, protein, vegetables, fruit and fats) before conception as well as during pregnancy.
The minimum number of servings per food group should be as follows:-
Low fat or fat free dairy (milk, yoghurt, cheese, buttermilk or maas) - to provide adequate calcium and protein (3 servings per day)
Unrefined starches (whole wheat bread, rolls, cereals, rice, pasta and potatoes) - to provide fibre, proteins and B vitamins (7 servings per day)
Lean proteins (meat, fish, chicken, turkey, ostrich, soya, eggs, legumes and lentils) - to provide protein, iron and B vitamins (7 servings per day)
Vegetables and fruit to provide vitamins and minerals (at least 5 servings per day)
Healthy fats (mono and polyunsaturated such as vegetable oils, soft-tub margarines, avocado, olives, nuts and seeds) (around 3 servings per day)
Note: the quantities of food should be adjusted to meet individual requirements to promote appropriate weight gain.
4. Water: drink plenty of clean, safe water daily. Increasing fibre intake without drinking adequate water can lead to constipation.
5. Artificial Sweeteners: Moderate use of these sweeteners has been deemed safe even though some sweeteners can be transmitted over the placenta. It must be noted though that women with a rare metabolic condition, phenylketonuria (PKU) should avoid these sweeteners.
6. Caffeine: Caffeine intake should be limited to no more than 2 cups of coffee or 5 cups of tea per day.
7. Alcohol: No alcohol should be consumed during pregnancy as it can lead to fetal alcohol syndrome (resulting in slow growth, slow mental development, eye problems, face and skull abnormalities and low birth weight).
Clean water and fruits are highly recommended.
At Tiny Toes Baby shower planner we wish all expectant Mothers a healthy journey to motherhood!
