Eating a healthy, balanced diet during pregnancy helps your baby get the nutrients they need to grow at a healthy rate — but how many extra calories do you really need? Despite the popular saying, you are not truly “eating for two.”

In the first trimester most women need no extra calories at all. In the second and third trimesters, the additional requirement is modest — roughly a few hundred calories a day, ideally from nutrient-dense foods rather than sugary or processed snacks. Gaining too much weight in pregnancy can raise the risk of gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, and a more difficult delivery, so steady, moderate gain is the goal.

Focus on vegetables, fruit, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats; stay active within what your doctor advises; and keep hydrated. If you’re unsure how much weight gain is right for you, your doctor can guide you based on your starting weight and health.

المحافظة على نظام غذائي صحي ومتوازن أمر مهم جداً لمساعدة الجنين على الحصول على الغذاء الأساسي لنمو طبيعي. لكنكِ في الحقيقة لا تأكلين “عن شخصين”. ركّزي على الأطعمة الغنية بالعناصر الغذائية، وتجنّبي الإفراط في السكريات والأطعمة المصنّعة، واستشيري طبيبك حول الزيادة المناسبة في الوزن خلال الحمل.