"I'm pregnant and get to eat whatever I want now, right?"
"When you are pregnant, you get to eat for two!"
Many pregnant women have thought or said this before. Some new moms think that pregnancy is going to be the time to let go, enjoy all foods, and eat as much as they want. They will just lose the weight after baby arrives, right? Wrong. Pregnancy is actually one of the most important times to eat healthy foods and not gain too much weight. Gaining too much weight during pregnancy can cause problems for your baby later in life. In fact, 3-year-old children born to moms who gained too much weight during pregnancy are much more likely to struggle with obesity than those born to moms who gained a healthy amount of weight.
To give your child the best start:
* Try to be at a healthy weight before getting pregnant.
* Keep your weight gain to 25-35 pounds.
* Fill your plate with lots of nutritious fruits and vegetables.
Ask your doctor if you have concerns about your weight gain, or need help planning healthy meals.
PSA adapted from the following study:
Olsen, Strawderman, & Dennison (2009). Maternal Weight Gain During Pregnancy and Child Weight at Age 3 Years.The Journal of Maternal and Child Health.
Katie,
ReplyDeleteI had never heard of the link between weight gain during pregnancy to the weight of a toddler. I wonder what other consequences it could have on a child's health.
I look forward to your future posts.
-VL
Katie,
ReplyDeleteThis PSA is incredibly helpful in addressing some of the myths often associated with weight and pregnancy. Healthy eating is so important in keeping both mom and baby safe. You did a great job of providing a connection between mom's health choices and baby's health outcomes. This is a great approach to effectively inform soon-to-be mom's on the importance of nutrition and a healthy lifestyle.
Thank you!
Emily
Katie,
ReplyDeleteYou are correct, there are many women who have said "I am eating for two now" when they are pregnant. I remember taking a Nurtition throughout Lifespan course during undergrad and I remember discussing pregnancy, and how much weight should be gained whether you are underweight, normal weight, or overweight and if you were having one baby or twins. I thought it was interesting. It is extremely important that women make healthy choices to have a positive health outcome for their child.
Thank you for sharing!
Keshia