(HealthDay News) -- Maintaining a healthy diet and an ideal weight are crucial during pregnancy.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics offers these guidelines:
- Depending on your starting weight, most women need to gain between 11 and 40 pounds during pregnancy. If you're overweight or obese, you'll end up on the lower end of what's healthy to gain.
- During the first trimester, stick to your normal caloric intake.
- Increase your intake by about 340 calories per day during the second trimester.
- In the third trimester, you'll need about 450 calories more per day than you get when you're not pregnant.
- Make sure the foods you choose are healthier, such as low-fat dairy, fruit and whole grains.
