The Facts about Dieting and Pregnancy

Dieting and pregnancy can be a very sticky (and risky) thing to deal with. Almost everyone agrees that dieting during pregnancy should not be done. However, dieting before and after pregnancy can be healthy. If you do choose to diet in conjunction with a pregnancy, it is highly advisable to consult your gynecologist to learn the best and most recent information concerning dieting and pregnancy.

In general, losing weight before a pregnancy is healthy if you should be losing weight anyway. If you are overweight, which can generally be determined by checking your BMI, losing weight before pregnancy will either be healthy or benign. Overweight women often experience complications with their pregnancy, specifically an increased risk of gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia, a disorder which manifests itself with convulsions during pregnancy. 

On the other hand, it is not advisable for women of a healthy weight to lose weight prior to pregnancy. Many women who live at a healthy weight feel pressure to lose weight prior to pregnancy in order to offset the weight-gaining effects of pregnancy. As your unborn baby develops inside you, it will need as many nutrients as you can provide. Going from a healthy weight to underweight will decrease the nutrients you have available, and will also make your pregnancy more uncomfortable than necessary for your own body.

Virtually all experts agree that dieting during pregnancy is a mistake. As has already been mentioned, your unborn child needs as much nutrition as possible as it develops. Your body will also be undergoing so many changes during pregnancy that adding a weight loss change can just be too many changes for you body to handle. While you shouldn’t worry about your weight during pregnancy (you will gain weight), you should watch what you’re eating. It’s usually a good idea to reduce your intake of sugars and simple carbs, as these tend to give you a quick boost in energy and then sap your much-needed energy for long period at a time.

Finally, dieting after pregnancy can be healthy, but should also be done cautiously. Especially if you’re breastfeeding, a significant change in your diet or caloric intake can be detrimental to you and the child. You should also know that many of your pregnancy pounds will come off naturally and easily within two months of birth. For that reason, you should not start a dieting regimen until those two months have passed. If you still think that you would like to lose weight, consult a doctor to make sure that you choose the healthiest diet that will have no ill effects for you or your new child.