Pregnancy is amongst the most significant events a woman can subject her body too. During this lengthy period that usually spans 37 to 41 weeks, a woman's body undergoes a multitude of changes that affect her daily life even after giving birth. A woman is expected to have sore breasts, changes in her mood, nausea and morning sickness, varicose veins, stretch marks and cravings. However amongst the most noticeable change that might stretch even after pregnancy is weight gain.
According to doctors, it is normal for women to gain around 10 kilograms during pregnancy. Most unfortunately take their condition as an excuse to indulge and overeat. Recent research suggest that gaining too much weight through any kind of food might not be the best for neither the baby nor the woman carrying the child.
"Women may think that being pregnant gives them the license to eat anything," quipped Katherine Tallmadge, a registered dietitian.
Tallmadge has since suggested ways women can gain weight during pregnancy without risking their baby and their body after giving birth.
According to Tallmadge, pregnant women are recommended to gain at least one pound a week in their second and third trimesters. To gain that one pound, Tallmadge explains that it only takes 300 additional calories every day. Women can easily get these 300 calories by drinking just two glasses of milk or an extra serving of grain. She suggests that women stay away from garbage food and instead indulge in healthy fats such as avocados and nuts to consume those extra 300 calories.
Furthermore, experts claim that women in the latter part of their term should frequently eat small meals as opposed to eating three big ones. Eating smaller meals would not only guarantee the extra 300 calories but doing so would make eating a more pleasurable experience given the limited space in a woman's midsection as she comes to term.