When a woman is pregnant, she may be unhappy about the amount of weight she’s gaining.  She may consider doing something about it but wonders: dieting and pregnancy - is it safe?  Upon first thought, it might seem it couldn’t do any harm, but the facts may tell differently.

Of course an expectant mother wants to take care of herself while she’s pregnant.  She wants to look and feel healthy; she wants to look good without sacrificing too much of her figure.  Thoughts of actually dieting while pregnant should be dismissed, however, as the mother is providing nutrients for two people instead of just one.

Medical professionals agree that a diet to lose weight during pregnancy is ill advised.  It could be harmful to you and definitely to your developing child.  Not only will diets cut much needed calories, they will also cut iron, folic acid, and other vitamins and minerals that are so important for your child’s development.

To increase your chances of a healthy pregnancy, you want to start off at a healthy weight.  If you are obese when trying to conceive, it might be a good idea to drop some weight before conceiving.  However, no woman is told to lose weight when she becomes pregnant or at any point in her pregnancy without specific health reasons being the cause.

You want to maintain a healthy diet while pregnant.  Just because your body is supplying nutrients for two, that doesn’t mean you should eat enough for two grown adults.  Your diet affects not only you, but also the developing child.  Poor diet may be the cause of birth defects, neural tube defects, and failure to thrive after birth.  No mother wants these health issues for their child, and the best bet to avoid them is to eat a healthy, varied diet to meet all of their nutritional needs.

Your whole life will change when you become pregnant.  Not only is it possible you’ll have morning sickness in the first trimester – which in itself may cause you to lose weight, but your body will be changing as well.  Plan on making some dietary changes, but changes to help you, not harm you and your unborn child.

Well balanced is the key to a healthy pregnancy.  Take the prenatal vitamins the doctor recommends, possibly adding some additional folic acid.  Fruits, vegetables, and lean meats are items you just can’t go wrong with, unless you eat huge quantities.  Doctors recommend an additional 300-500 calories be added to a woman’s normal diet, but those items must be healthy additions.  It doesn’t give you carte blanche to pig out on your favorite snacks.

Many women wonder about dieting and pregnancy.  Is it safe?  Should I consider it?  The answer is no; it isn’t safe and you shouldn’t consider it while pregnant.  You want to give your unborn child the best chance and that only comes by eating a healthy diet, drinking plenty of water, exercising, and following your doctor’s advice.