The ideal weight for a pregnant woman has been modified over time by diet, fashion and political correctness.
In the early 70’s and 80’s the myth of eating for two was used an as excuse for women to eat to “their heart’s content.” But in this century it’s fashionable to be “slim ‘n trim” whilst pregnant.
Fashionistas and stars like Kimora Lee Simmons, Heidi Klum among others flaunt their baby bumps and still look slim and sleek as they trot up and down the red carpet.
So what is the ideal weight for a pregnant woman?
According to the committee on nutritional status, a weight gain of 25-35 pounds is the most that any woman should gain whilst pregnant. Some women like me take advantage of every opportunity to “let it rip” and eat recklessly. Needless to say, gaining 60 pounds is unhealthy for both mother and child.
Newborns with a healthy weight stand a better chance of remaining healthy and growing stronger, but when a baby is born underweight so many other complications can occur because most likely the baby’s immunity will be low and she might not even have enough strength to feed! That’s not a great way to start a new phase.
Large babies on the other hand complicate labour, it’s hell to discover after 15 hours of labour that you can’t push the baby out coz he’s too big, you then have to consider alternatives like a c- section.
Avoid the two extremes of eating excessively and starving. There must be a healthy middle ground that suits your body type and weight. The ideal is to gain weight slowly and steadily; I must emphasise that “binging on snickers, burgers, pizza and krispy kreams is NOT an ideal diet.
What you need is a healthy combination of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals and vitamins. In other words, potatoes, pasta, rice, bread, meat, fish, eggs, beans, margarine, peanut butter, granola, cereals, shredded wheat, bran, fresh vegetables, fruits and pre-natal vitamins like folic acid, B12, B1, 2, 6, vitamin C and calcium.
We have a wide range of healthy foods to combine for a healthy diet. After your eating habits are sorted out you can then focus on other ways to stay fit and maintain a healthy weight.
These are a few examples of how to plan your meals and balance your body’s nutritional requirements. These are just suggestions to guide you and give you a fair idea of what your meals should entail.
- Breakfast: a bowl of shredded wheat, 1 slice of whole wheat bread plus 1 scrambled egg, and 1 banana.
- Lunch: 1 cup of fresh orange juice, 1 baked potato, 1 piece of chicken breast, 1 apple, 2 slices of whole wheat bread with a mayonnaise spread, 2 pieces of crackers with cheese.
- Supper: rice with shredded turkey in aubergine sauce, 1 low fat milk, half a cup of peas, salad (lettuce, tomatoes, green pepper, cucumber) with a light oil and vinegar dressing.
With these examples I trust that you can find your way round your personal preferences. You are encouraged to eat as much healthy food as possible but this doesn’t mean you can’t sneak in a piece of cake, a mini snickers bar or a scoop of ice cream within this plan as long as you don’t have all three sweets in one day, one treat in a day or two should be fine. Slow and steady is the key!
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