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Weight gain in pregnancy

Although many women worry about gaining weight during pregnancy, it's important to remember that this is both unavoidable and, more importantly, it's crucial for your unborn baby. A mum-to-be needs to keep her strength up in order to carry her baby, who relies on his mum for important nutrients which he takes in through the umbilical cord. If you eat too little during pregnancy, then your baby is at a higher risk of being born prematurely or of being born with a low birth-weight.

However, putting on too much weight also has health implications, both for mum and baby. Mums-to-be who put on too much weight are more likely to suffer from gestational diabetes and their baby is at greater risk of suffering from heart disease, diabetes or blood pressure problems later in life. Here are some key points to use as a guide on how to gain an appropriate amount of weight during pregnancy:

-   Calorie intake:

o   Try to think of your diet in terms of 250-300 calories per day instead of 'eating for two'
o   Examples of 300-calorie meals include: cereal, milk and a banana; chicken salad with low-fat dressing, or grilled fish, peas, and mashed potato

-   Important points to remember about weight gain:

o   The amount of gained weight differs from one pregnant woman to the next
o   Most women tend to put on around 1.8kg (4lbs) in the first trimester, 0.5kg (1lb) in the
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