overeating during pregnancy!

[pinkdaisy]

Hi,
I think, no, I know that I am overeating during this pregnancy and would like to cut back. I lost a lot of weight before I fell pregnant and have let things slide massively since finding out, I am quite gutted about how much I have gained already. Can anybody tell me roughly how many calories I should be consuming at the moment? I would like to stick to a healthy amount of calories and quite like calorie counting!

Before being pregnant I was on a strict diet of 1250 calories a day, so not sure what I should be on and is healthy for the baby!
Many thanks,
Lx

[Wombat33]

Pinkdaisy, I'm not a nutritionist, but I think 2000 a day is considered to be what an avaerage woman should consume a day and the most recent advice I've seen is that you only need to increase from this in the third trimester and then only by 200 calories a day (about one slice of toast I think). Try not to fret too much though. You will put on weight when pg - you're growing a baby (plus breast tissue, fluid and placenta). As long as you're trying to eat a good range of heathy foods I wouldn't worry too much about calorie counting. Congratulations on your pg!

[juneau]

Just eat normally - you don't have to eat for two! Even at the end of pregnancy you only need an extra 200 cals a day or something (which is equivalent to something like a piece of toast with butter).

2000 cals a day for a healthy, normal-weight woman is plenty.

A weight gain of 25-35lbs over the course of your pregnancy is healthy.

If you're really struggling you can get help from your MW. Ask to be referred to a dietician. Obesity in pregnancy can be dangerous both for you (diabetes, difficulty at delivery), and for your baby.

[fatsowhale]

I would only add to this that you should try not to beat yourself up too much. It's so difficult to shift from the body-conscious calorie-controlling mindset (especially if that's how you're used to living) onto the best-for-baby mindset. Pregnancy is hard enough without trying to look good throughout as well. Try to eat healthily, then you know if you put on weight it's because you need to and not because you've 'let yourself go'.

Good luck! And enjoy it!

[lilly13]

Assuming you pre-preg BMI was around 20 (normal), then you should eat around 2000-2200 cal per day in late 2nd/3rd trimesters, provided you excercise. If you have a sedantary lifestyle, around 1800 cal is sufficient... It is definitely not easy...

[bemybebe]

I read that the "healthy" amount one should gain depends on the pre-pregnancy BMI. One considered overweight should gain a little if at all over the whole pregnancy, underweight could be putting on up to 15 kg. It is all very individual. I have not gained anything at all yet (I am 17 weeks), but I can see my boobs are huuuuge and my belly has just started showing. My dh was worried that I do not "gain" as he thought i should, but my MW said not to be concerned at all as I was not skinny to start with (5'6" and size 12).

[vj32]

To be honest, I am not that bothered about how much weight I have put on. My midwife didn't weigh me at all until last check up at 36 weeks, so I think unless you are significantly under or overweight when you start it is not something they worry about. So I didn't look at any scales for about 24 weeks. It has actually been very relaxing not to worry about my weight.

Just try to eat healthy, make sure you are getting a balanced, iron rich diet.

[bemybebe]

I agree with you vj, people should not unnecessarily worry themselves during the time that worry is pushed on us from so many sides. What to eat/not to eat, how much to gain, what is the maternal age, which pre-conditions do I have... I love sushi and I love parma ham, I should be able to eat it a little of it when I feel like it! Fgs!!!

[bemybebe]