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Getting Ready

Trying To Conceive

Am I Pregnant?
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5 years 6-7 years 8-9 years 10-13 years 14-18 years

Peg Plumbo‚ CNM ON May 7, 2002 at 11:35AM

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Pregnancy Intros, Concerns & Chat

It always seemed reasonable to me, especially when I was pregnant, that pregnancy would require about an additional 1,000 calories per day to meet the requirements of a growing baby. But this is not the case. Caloric requirements of pregnancy only increase by about 300 calories per day.

A common refrain in pregnancy is, "I can't believe I gained all that weight." But with only 300 calories a day to spare, making wise food choices becomes an art in pregnancy.

Though it is smart to start living a healthy lifestyle well before pregnancy begins, it is never too late to start eating correctly. Improvements in maternal nutrition have been linked to preterm birth prevention, prevention of intrauterine fetal growth restriction and a decrease in newborn and childhood illnesses.

Page two: Your pregnancy food plan
Page three: Snack ideas and common pitfalls

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