What do you HAVE to make sure you are eating?

[Arimeh]

Ok, I know you're not allowed to diet during pregnancy - but I'm restricting myself to 1200 cals a day because I am ridiculously overweight and something has to be done.

However, I'm not on some stupid fad diet with shakes or whatever, and all my meals do include good stuff (I just don't have a lot of margarine, sauces etc on things that I used to) and my meat portions are down to 100g each.

I think I have my diet pretty well nutted out, well except for the beer, have to take that out now - but am just wondering if there is something that you HAVE to have a lot of during pregnancy? I've never worried about it before obviously, just eaten whatever, but just want to make sure that i'm not missing something important.

If anyone is interested in the things I actually have on my diet plan, I can share it, for "professional" advice if anyone is a nutritionist or anything..

[Rowellen]

I'm not an expert but I would think calcium & iron would be pretty important for a growing bub. Not sure what else but I'm everyone else will have more to say.

Congrats on the pg BTW .

[Michelle71]

There really isn't anything you "have" to eat. Good range of fruit, vegetables, wholegrain foods and protein is fine. If you are taking a pregnancy multivitamin that should cover any deficits but a generally healthy diet is perfectly ok. Think about all of those women who can eat nothing but salt and vinegar chips and coke (for example!!!) through the first trimester due to morning sickness

[beckoes]

For me Iron! so red meat and leafy green casue i get pretty anemic when pg, but il start a suppliment soon. i recon aslong as your eating a ballanced diet your right. i dont think i could live without milk when pg, but thats just my body making me get up at 2am and skull milk from the carton!!
maybe there is a recomened cal intake for when you are pg which is different to non-pg but i dont know

[~clover~]

Yeah, iron is a big one for me too. Have to take supplements.
Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron if this is a problem
I'd say as long as you are eating healthily & getting enough of everything you'll be fine. TBH my girls survived through the first few months on almost nothing coz I was so sick. They were fine...I wasn't so great though.

[Arimeh]

Michelle - thats what I figured, there's lots of people out there that can't eat anything... and in my diet I think I basically eat every 2-3 hours, so its not like I'm starving myself.

May have to revise the chocolate bit though - I added that in to it because, well, I'm an addict, but there is probably something else I could put in there instead of chocolate (gee that was hard for me to type..)

ETA - the only thing I don't have a lot of is milk - is that a problem? I have broccoli about 4 times a week, and thats got calcium in it doesn't it?

[TeniBear]

Didn't you see my thread last week(ish)? Chocolate is GOOD in pregnancy! I'm serious, I posted an article and everything lol

[Michelle71]

I don't drink milk either. Just supplement if you are worried. I really, really need to get rid of the chocolate but it's too hard right now.

[Arimeh]

Didn't you see my thread last week(ish)? Chocolate is GOOD in pregnancy! I'm serious, I posted an article and everything lol

Haha no I didn't - and I ate heaps of chocolate through Kelti's pregnancy and I swear thats why she had to be yanked out - the food was too good and she didn't want to leave.. LOL

Michelle - thanks

[MrsFabuloso]

Mel, I'm not sure what you should have in particular, but for me, I'm not worrying about calories right now, I'm just not eating ****. If I'm hungry I eat, but make sure it's an oragne or something like that rather than chips or chocolate. You need alot more of alot of nutrients when you're pg, though don't need alot of extra calories, but I would think 1200 would be too litte because that is the amount you have to lose weight. Honestly hun, I don't think now is the time to really worry about losing weight, but rather maybe just try to maintain it, kwim? I'm trying to just not put too much on now. With my other two pg, I only put on 8 and 9kg respectively. So having already put on 5kg, I'm pretty worried how huge I will end up being since I'm only 14wks pg, and already being 95kg....(OMG, did I say that out loud??). I don't want to hit the 100kg mark so I am aiming not to put on much more weight by the end of the pg by doing some light exercise like walking or swimming and just not eating the amount of unhealthy foods I had started to eat since getting pg!! Try not to worry too much right now babe. Tiredness and moods and hormones and all of that stuff with mess with your head too, so don't be too hard on yourself. If your not in the right headspace then it is impossible to get anywhere....I think you know that though! Just as much as I do, lol! Good luck hun. Maybe you should see a nutritionist, or maybe even a midwife or OB could give a more of an idea of what to do.

OK, just googled and came up with some info, but dont' know how to post links, so I will PM you the website.

[Lisa]

I've actually dropped over 5kgs through this pregnancy by not drinking anything with flavour! Not by choice though, bub has made that choice for me.

I do try to have mostly protein & vegetable based meals with the occasional carb thrown in for good measure. I am hopeless at eating any fruit that isn't a stone fruit though. I make sure I drink loads of water, which sucks a bit because of how often I am needing the bathroom. It is all worth it in the end though. I will be happy if I can stay at the weight I am for a few weeks more.

Oscar&Grouch is a dietitian/nutritionist, she was in my Babys Born group for her first little man.

[buliej]

I do know about the calcium, you need 3 serves of calcium per day - otherwise take a calcium supplement. As for iron - supplements are only recommended if you are anemic - which is very individual to the person. You should also have your dr test you to make sure you are not vitamin D deficient - this can't be rectified by food but easily can with a vitamin. If you are taking prenatal vitamins, you have covered your folate. You should also check to make sure your prenatal contains iodine which is important - I know Blackmore's has it. I don't think Elevit does.

I am sure if you google, there are sites with detailed info on what you "must" have for a single, twin and triplet pregnancy (I've seen them in the past). They will cover protein serves (and sizes), fruit, veggies, etc. I think if you are eating healthy and small portions every few hours you will probably find that you are doing pretty well in terms of eating the recommended serves.

[BrightSparkles]

folate - in green vegies

[Lisa]

I should add that I take blackmores pregnancy & brest feeding tablets, plus extra folate as recommended by my Dr... I also take calcium & magnesium twice a day.

[Arimeh]

Thanks guys.

Lilias - thanks for the link you PM'd me. I gave it a read, and then realised that my last 3 pregnancies I was never eating what they listed there anyway!! LOL.. In fact, on this plan, I actually eat heaps more vegies and fruit and meat than I did normally.
I'm not on any vitamins at the moment, but I can't take the Blackmores ones, gives me horrid wind and awful belly pains (I remember it from DS!) so I usually take Elevit but my midwife has recommended another vitamin supplement that you get online, so I might check that out.
Might have to look into getting more calcium into my diet - chocolate contains calcium doesn't it?

[Lisa]

I take calcium & magnesium. My midwife with Anelise recommended them for restless legs and to help with SPD. I don't know if it did work but I didn't have SPD with Anelise who weighed 8lb 13oz but I had it with Harrison the pregnancy before and he was 7lb 10oz. I'm not risking it again so definitely taking the calcium & magnesium in case it was that that worked for me last time

[Glamourcide]

Hey. What?! HANG ON! WHEN DID I MISS THIS?!

CONGRATULATIONS!!

No advice hun, I'm still picking my jaw up off the floor! Good on ya!

[Arimeh]

Calcium and magnesium to help with SPD?!!? How interesting, I've never heard that before!!!! I know about the restless legs thing - and have been getting that at night already, so might get some vitamins