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Step 1
Eat 75 to 100 grams of protein each day unless you have a health condition preventing you from doing so. Proper intake of protein has been shown to help women gain healthy weight during pregnancy while assisting in the prevention of toxemia. Make sure that you eat two eggs per day as part of your 75 to 100 grams of protein.
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Step 2
Use the salt shaker. Many pregnant women avoid the salt shaker, fearing that it will make their blood pressure rise in pregnancy. Studies have actually shown that salting food to taste while pregnant increases blood volume in healthy ways so that the heart does not have to work as hard, resulting in a lowering of blood pressure. This is different than for non-pregnant women, where salt should be limited. As blood volume increases, so will your weight.
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Step 3
Eat healthy fats. Pregnancy is not the time to limit consumption of healthy fats. Stay away from trans fats and other unhealthy fats. Look for healthier fats from sources such as olive oil and avocados. Keeping your fat intake up will help to ensure that your baby receives vital nutrients and that you gain sufficient weight during your pregnancy.
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Step 4
Consume at least 2,600 calories per day to make sure you are consuming the diversity of nutrients required by you and your baby. Studies, such as seen in the practice of Dr. Brewer, have shown that this is the minimum caloric requirement for pregnant women. Since 2,600 calories is substantially higher than what most non-pregnant women eat, your caloric intake will help to ensure that you gain enough weight to keep both you and your baby healthy throughout pregnancy and beyond.
