Obviously calorie requirements increase during pregnancy...
but it's not quite as black and white as you might expect,
for example you don't need as many calories in your first trimester (when your baby is only
the size of a plum), as you do in your third trimester. So, in this short video, I'm going
to explain to you exactly how to calculate your calorie requirements for pregnancy. Stay tuned!
Hello! If this is our first time connecting, welcome! My name is Melanie McGrice and I'm
a fertility and prenatal dietitian. I help couples boost their fertility and give their
baby's the best start possible with the power of good food. Make sure you connect with me on
my socials... you'll find all the details in the description box below this video.
So, I'd like to start by saying thank you for watching this. The fact that you're watching
this tells me that you're going to be an amazing mumma, and that you really care about the health
of your bubba. You see, gaining the right amount of weight in pregnancy has a big impact on your
pregnancy health AND on the future health of your baby. Too little weight gain puts your
baby at higher risk of malnutrition, being born at a low birth weight, and of obesity later in life
as they often overcompensate and put on too much weight too quickly...
just like when you haven't eaten for hours and feel famished and eat more than you really need to.
Too much weight gain increases your risk of developing gestational
diabetes and/or pre-eclampsia, but most importantly, excessive weight gain during
pregnancy significantly increases your baby's future risk of struggling with weight issues.
Obviously the more calories that are eaten, the more weight you'll gain. And to make things
even more confusing, the amount of weight that needs to be gained varies from woman to woman.
On the positive side, research shows that women who know what their weight gain target is,
have a much greater chance of achieving that weight gain,
than women who just eat whatever they want during pregnancy.
To determine your pregnancy weight gain target, we start by looking at your pre-conception weight
which is your weight at the time you conceived. If you were a healthy weight for your height
(which is known as a heathy Body Mass Index), then you are aiming for between 11.5 -16kg
(which is 25-35 pounds) total weight gain throughout your pregnancy. Ideally you
won't gain more than 2kg (or 4 1/2 pounds) during your first trimester, then you'll
gain approximately 300 grams (10 ounces) per week during your second and third trimesters.
If this is your goal, during your first trimester, you won't need to increase
your calorie requirements at all, as weight gain during your first trimester should be fluid stores
and not fat. Then aim for around 350 calories (or 1400 kilojoules) on top of what you normally eat
during your second trimester and around 450 calories (which is 1800 kilojoules) on top of what
you normally eat during your third trimester. I know that it sounds like a lot, but in reality,
it's only an additional cup and a half of cooked brown rice each day,
so be careful that you don't get misled by people telling you that you're 'eating for two'.
In general, most women who had a healthy
pre-conception pregnancy weight should expect to be eating around
2200-2900 kilocalories (which is 9000-12000 kilojoules) per day during pregnancy. However,
this is just a general goal. If you're undertaking a lot of physical activity, if you're very short
or tall, if you have a very high metabolism or if you're having multiples, your requirements
will change, and to be honest, it's best to get personalised advice from a prenatal dietitian.
Now, if you were higher than your healthiest weight when you conceived, your pregnancy weight
gain goals will be less than this, so consequently you'll probably require less kilojoules during
pregnancy, and vice versa, if your weight was lower than ideal when you conceived,
you'll need to aim for additional weight gain during pregnancy by boosting your calorie intake.
During pregnancy many women crave carbs, and they should be the source of most of your added
calories. Ensure that you are choosing healthy wholegrain carbs such as oats or corn on the cob.
To help you optimise your pregnancy eating, I've created a 2000calorie (9000 kilojoule)
pregnancy meal plan which you can download free of charge from melaniemcgrice.com/pregnancy.
You can add or take away some food to adjust the calories, or if you'd prefer a personally
tailored meal plan, feel free to contact my receptionist to book a consultation.
One last thing, although your calorie intake is a helpful tool during pregnancy, I don't want you
to become obsessed. Your body will go through a lot of changes during pregnancy, and every woman
is unique, so promise me that you won't weigh yourself more than once each week? And please put
a much bigger focus on choosing nourishing foods, rather than just counting calories.
Feel free to ask questions in the comments box below.
I look forward to seeing you in my next video!