DIET AND WEIGHT DURING PREGNANCY
In the first few weeks of pregnancy, there may be a slight loss of weight, especially if there is any morning sickness. Then the increase begins, and it usually becomes a problem to keep the weight down.
If you are of normal weight, an ideal increase during the course of your pregnancy would be 20 pounds. If you are underweight, the doctor may decide that this is a good time for you to pick up a few permanent extra pounds. But if you are already too heavy, he may actually put you on a reducing diet.
You should watch the quality and the amount of food that you eat. You should consume about 2000 calories a day. These should come mainly from meats and other proteins, green vegetables, and fruit. Starches, fats, and sugars—bread, rice, potatoes, spaghetti, butter, and desserts—should usually be restricted. Most nutrition experts believe that the pregnant woman needs one and a half times as much protein as the non-pregnant one.
Drink plenty of fluid, at least eight glasses a day. This may be water, but anything liquid—milk, coffee, tea, fruit juices, and soups —counts, too. Avoid fattening beverages like sweetened sodas and soft drinks. You need a large amount of fluid to flush the kidneys and bladder frequently. This greatly reduces the danger of infection to the urinary tract. You may have heard of women who retain an unusual amount of water and suddenly become large and puffy in appearance. This is not due to the fluid they have been drinking, but it is a sign that something is wrong, and it requires the immediate attention of the obstetrician.
Diet problems
You may experience acute cravings for certain foods, such as pickles, lobster, and sweets. Do not be upset if you have an intense desire for something you may never have been interested in before. Provided it is edible, it will do no harm to eat it. But it will not hurt you or the baby if you do not!
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