Food nourishes both the growing baby and the pregnant woman. You need protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins and minerals to grow a healthy baby. Focus MORE on healthy eating and moderate exercise than on a specific weight gain and you will likely eat the correct amount for you and your baby.
If you have eaten a poor diet, you may actually lose a little bit of weight as you change the chips and soda for fresh fruit and vegetables! If you are eating well and losing weight, you may be in this category. Not sure if you are eating right? Keep a food diary and compare it with recommendations.
In general, pregnant women need an additional 100-300 more calories per day than what they needed before becoming pregnant. That isn’t really that much, so look for foods that give you a lot of nutrients for the calories.
Most obstetricians recommend that:
You don’t need to gain much weight during early pregnancy. For a woman with average weight, 2-3 Lbs during the entire first trimester is sufficient. Then, as the baby begins to grow expect to gain about 3-4 Lbs each month.
Good nutrition during pregnancy is VERY important but food nourishes more than just the body. What foods “feed” the inner you? Make a list. Cross out foods that could be dangerous to your baby or cause too much weight gain. Now look at your list. Regularly include foods that are nutrient dense. Occasionally enjoy a small serving of foods that you really enjoy even if they are not as nutrient dense as other foods.
Nourish yourself and your baby!
This is a great link to general recommendations by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology:
http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp001.cfm
This section contains articles and guidance for healthy eating whether you are working on becoming pregnant, expecting or have a new baby. Articles cover information including what to eat, controlling nausea, breastfeeding and vitamins.