You only need about 340 to 450 extra calories a day, and this is later in your pregnancy, when your baby grows quickly. This isn’t a lot — a cup of cereal and 2% milk will get you there quickly. It’s important is to make sure that the calories you eat come from nutritious foods that will help your baby’s growth and development.
Eating Well When You’re Pregnant
Do you wonder how it’s reasonable to gain 25 to 35 pounds (on average) during your pregnancy when a newborn baby weighs only a fraction of that? Although it varies from woman to woman, this is how those pounds may add up:
- 7.5 pounds: average baby’s weight
- 7 pounds: extra stored protein, fat, and other nutrients
- 4 pounds: extra blood
- 4 pounds: other extra body fluids
- 2 pounds: breast enlargement
- 2 pounds: enlargement of your uterus
- 2 pounds: amniotic fluid surrounding your baby
- 1.5 pounds: the placenta
