calorie consumption

Quick question: Are you all trying to stick to your intake goals prior to pregnancy but adding the 300 calories for the baby? Or are you just trying to eat a balanced variety of foods daily? I guess my question really should be, what is the ideal caloric intake for an expectant mother?

Some links from the Pregnancy forum:

http://www.ahealthyme.com/topic/calburncalc

https://www.caremark.com/wps/portal/HEALTH_RE SOURCES?topic=calneed SOURCES?topic=calneed

And here is a good article to check out:

http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit/nu trition/eating_pregnancy.html

I shoot for maintenance plus 300 calories but don't always log them to see how much I've consumed.

Thanks!!

While I hadn't discovered this calorie counter site at the time I was very careful to eat an extra healthy snack along with an extra 2nd prenatal vitamin in the evening before bed.  Dried fruit, fresh fruit, or peanut butter crackers were my usuals.  I wanted to be sure the baby was getting something useful at all times - even while I slept.

He was born 8 lbs 1 oz, 21 1/2 inches long, & is doing very well.  :)

So, just to clarify, eat what you burn + 300 carolies?

And also focus on healthy food :) ?

thanks very much

Eat what you burn plus the 300-up to 500 calories for the baby. I would say that you should eat no less than 1800 a day to no more than 2500, unless you are very active!

And remember that it is okay a gain a little extra weight then just baby during pregnancy, you should have a little maternal fat. But the good news is that breastfeeding will take that away!

I was really healthy my whole pregnancy, and then toward the end I let my self go a bit and now I am having a hard time losing, therefore its great that you are keeping track of your calories during pregnancy, I just didn't have the will power!

My son weighed 10"11 at birth and is still a huge baby at 5 months old!

Good luck!

I try to eat healthy foods and then treat myself in moderation up to 2000 calories per day.  We are expecting our baby in about a month and I've already gained 30 pounds!

The most useful tip I can give is how I shop at the grocery store. I stick to the outside: fresh produce, meat and whole grain breads.  The interior aisles always consist of the prepackaged foods with lots of preservatives and usually added calories.  If most of your food intake is from the outside 30% of the store you will find it really easy to eat healthy meals all day!

Hope this helps!

im 6.5 weeks and morning sickness kicked in recently. ive read its not as important to increase your caloric intake the first trimester. but to do so in the 2nd and 3rd. ive been tracking my meals on this site and im only averaging about 1100 a day. should i be worried about trying to get more calories in my diet this early? my first dr appointment isnt for 2 more weeks. im 24, i am at a pretty healthy wieght. i wouldnt say i burn a lot of calories with my daily activities. i have an office job, i take walks in the evenings with my husband. modetate activities/lifestyle

1100 calories is not enough for most pregnant women. Even when you aren't pregnant you shouldn't drop below 1200 calories.

In your first trimester, an extra 300 calories really isn't necessary. 100 calories extra should suffice. You should definitely not have a caloric deficiency during this time. I know that most of us are worried about gaining too much weight during pregnancy, but you need to gain some for your baby's sake.

I agree with your post. 1100 is too low. I know most women are worried about calorie intake, but brain growth is crucial at the early stages. You also have to remember that much of the weight gained is baby, placenta, and fluid. I don't think it should be about counting calories when your pregnant, but more about making sure you eat when your hungry and making good choices. There is a lot of risk to not getting enough nutrition when you are pregnant. You can see this a lot more often in developing countries where women don't get enough good food to eat. Their babies are underweight and underdeveloped. You will lose the weight after baby, especially with counting calories and healthy choices and you both will be healthy.