Nutrition and Weight Gain during Pregnancy

In order to bring a healthy child, a high nutrient diet is recommended during pregnancy. As pregnancy progress it’s important to understand the requirements as weight gain is different during different stages of pregnancy.

• During pregnancy the mother is encouraged to gain 3 Kg over the first 20 weeks and 0.5 Kg every week until term.
• During the second trimester, much of the weight gained is used to increase the mother’s blood plasma volume and laying down of fat stores.
• During the third trimester, weight gained is used to increase the weight of the fetus.
  So therefore, an average of 10-13 kgs is required to be gained during pregnancy.
  
  Maternal weight gain
  Fetus 3-4 Kg
  Placenta 0.5-1 Kg
  Extracellular fluid 1-1.75 Kg
  Amniotic fluid 1.0-2 Kg
  Uterus + Breast 0 .75 Kg + 0.5 Kg
  Other tissue + fat stores 2-2.5 Kg
  Blood 1-1.5 Kg
  Total 10-13 Kg
  
  
  Food groups
  Grain products - 4 to 6 serves per day
  Sample Foods +Sample Serves
  -2 slices of bread-1 cup of porridge-1 cup breakfast cereal flakes-1 cup cooked rice, pasta, noodles
  
  Vegetables - 5 to 6 serves per day
  Sample Foods +Sample Serves
  -1 medium potato-1 cup of salad-½ cup of peas, lentils, green beans. Tomatoes, lettuce, capsicum, cucumber, sweetcorn, celery, sprouts etc.
  
  Fruits - 4 serves per day
  Sample Foods +Sample Serves
  -1 piece medium sized fruit e.g. apple, orange, mango, mandarin, pear, peach etc.-2 pieces of small fruit e.g. apricots, kiwi fruit, plums etc.-1 cup chopped or canned fruit-½ cup fruit juice-¼ medium melon-Approx 20 grapes or cherries-1 ½ tablespoons sultanas
  
  Milk and milk products - 2 serves per day
  Sample Foods +Sample Serves
  -250 ml glass or 1 cup of milk (fresh, long life or reconstituted milk)-40g (2 slices) of cheese-50ml (1 cup) custard-200g of yoghurt-1 cup almonds-½ cup of pink salmon with bones-A cup of calcium-fortified soy milk
  
  Meat and protein foods - 1.5 serves per day
  Sample Foods +Sample Serves
  -2 small eggs-65-100g cooked meat or chicken (e.g. ½ cup mince, 2 small chops or 2 slices roast meat)-80-120g cooked fish fillet-1/3 cup cooked dried beans, lentils, chick peas, split peas or canned beans-1/3 cup peanuts or almonds
  
  
  For more information contact:
  The Environmental Health Officer at your local council Environmental Health Service, Department of Health WA Food standards Australia & New ZealandCentre for Disease Control