By Claire Perry
When it comes to carrying a child for nine months, most women expect to put on a few extra kilograms during their pregnancy. But how much is normal? How much of pregnancy weight gain is caused by indulging in calorie-rich and fatty foods? Often, we focus on post-natal weight loss, but what can you do during your pregnancy to ensure your weight gain is from the baby and not from piling on excess fat?
Pregnancy food cravings:
American women surveyed by Baby Centre were asked which types of foods they craved most during their pregnancy. In order of popularity, they responded: Something sweet (40 percent), Salty snacks (33 percent), Spicy food (17 percent) and Citrus fruit, tart or sour foods (10 percent). These cravings are thought to be the result of extreme fluctuations in the hormone levels that women experience during pregnancy, which alter their sense of taste and smell.
Cravings are also unpredictable and vary between trimesters. Experts deny they are the body’s way of getting the nutrients it’s lacking. As nice as it would be to believe, cravings for a bucket of ice-cream for breakfast and a thickshake for lunch are not brought on by a calcium deficiency. The main problem with sweet and salty foods is they’re high in calories and low in nutritional value.
How much weight?
Women who start off with a healthy preconception weight can expect to put on between 12 and 14 kilograms during their pregnancy.
Foods to eat:
During the early stages of pregnancy, more folate and iron is required for healthy fetal development. Folic acid (folate) intake should be increased to 1000ug per day and iron intake to 27mg per day.
Excellent sources of folate include asparagus, bran flakes, broccoli, brussel sprouts, chick peas, dried beans, lentils and spinach. Iron can be found in lean beef, duck, chicken, fish, green vegetables and cooked legumes. Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron, so drink a glass of orange juice with your green vegetables and steak.
Foods to avoid:
Pregnant women experience suppressed immunity, making them more susceptible to illness and infection. Some foods should be avoided all together to protect against listeria, which causes miscarriage or still birth, and salmonella, which causes nausea, vomiting and abdominal cramps.
Foods to avoid
include: soft and semi-soft cheese, cold cooked chicken, cold processed meats, pre-prepared cold salads, raw seafood, soft serve ice-cream, unpasteurised dairy products, pate, foods containing raw egg and all types of sprouts, either raw or cooked. Also, limit your deep sea fish consumption to one 150g serve per fortnight.
Should cravings be ignored?
Experts say to pay attention to pregnancy cravings, but don’t necessarily give in to them. Food is often consumed to comfort, rather than to satisfy hunger. Experts suggest cravings are mainly emotional. So next time a craving arises, try having a hug before digging in!
More information
Find great pregnancy menus and recipes
