Although there are a lot of things that women hate about being pregnant, the idea that they can eat whatever they want because they are “eating for two” isn’t one of them. But, sadly, researchers now say women shouldn’t be doing that because it could actually be dangerous.
A study out of Monash University, Australia finds that 47% of women put on too much weight during pregnancy, and that could put not only the mother’s, but also the child’s health at risk. Mothers who gain too much weight are more likely to need a C-section, and are twice as likely to have an overweight baby, and heavy babies will likely need more medical attention and are more likely to have health problems throughout their life.
Overall, it is recommended that moms-to-be put on about 25 pounds, although that number varies depending on the weight of the mother, with heavier mothers cautioned to put on less.
- As for that whole “eating for two” thing, Dr. Aaron Caughey from the Oregon Health & Science University, says it “overestimates” how many additional calories a mom-to-be actually needs, while Dr. Daghni Rajasingam, from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, says women’s “energy needs” don’t actually change until the final trimester, and then they only need about an “extra 200 calories a day.”