What is the recommended increase in energy intake for the second and third trimesters of pregnancy?

Overview

A balanced, nutritious diet during pregnancy is important to maintain your health and nourish your fetus. In general, pregnant women need to increase their daily caloric intake by 340 calories in the second trimester and 450 calories in the third trimester.footnote 1

Most women who are pregnant need 2,200 to 2,900 calories a day in their second and third trimesters.footnote 1 If you are carrying twins, triplets, or more, your calorie needs will increase. Talk to your doctor or a dietitian about your daily calorie needs because your needs depend on your height, weight, and activity level.

Your doctor may give you a nutrition plan to follow throughout pregnancy and while breastfeeding. You may also receive a prescription for a vitamin and mineral supplement or a list of recommended non-prescription supplements.

Healthy eating

Eating a variety of foods can help you get all the nutrients you need. Your body needs protein, carbohydrate, and fats for energy. Good sources of nutrients are:

• Unsaturated fats like olive oil and canola oil, nuts, and fish.
• Carbohydrate from whole grain foods, fruits, vegetables, legumes (peas, beans, and lentils), and low-fat milk products.
• Lean protein such as fish that are low in mercury, poultry without skin, low-fat milk products, and legumes.

Eating healthy foods during pregnancy is good for your overall health and for the health of your baby. You may already have a healthy diet, or you may need to make some changes to eat healthier.

• Healthy Eating: Changing Your Eating Habits
• Healthy Eating: Making Healthy Choices When You Shop
• Healthy Eating: Cutting Unhealthy Fats From Your Diet

It's also important to eat plenty of vegetables and fruits. These not only give you necessary nutrients but also help you get fibre. Planning your meals can help you add healthy foods to your diet.

• Quick Tips: Adding Fruits and Vegetables to Your Diet
• Meal Planning: Menu and Grocery List

Limit how much liver and liver products (such as liverwurst or liver sausage) you eat. Liver is high in iron, folate, and vitamin A. Too much vitamin A may cause birth defects. If you eat liver, do not eat more than 75 g (2 1/2 ounces) of cooked liver every 2 weeks.

Folic acid

Folic acid is a B vitamin. Taking folic acid before and during early pregnancy reduces the chance of having a baby with a neural tube defect or other birth defects.

Choose foods high in folate (whole grains, leafy green vegetables, beans, lentils and fortified grains).

Take a multivitamin with folate in it. Take at least 0.4 mg (400 mcg) of folic acid every day for at least 2 to 3 months before trying to get pregnant and while you are pregnant.footnote 3 Some women need higher doses. Talk with your health professional about how much folic acid you need.

Follow your health professional's advice about how to get higher amounts of folic acid. Don't just take more multivitamins. You could get too much of the other substances that are in the multivitamin.

Iron

You will need twice as much iron in your second and third trimesters as you did before pregnancy. This extra iron supports the extra blood in your system and helps with the growth of the placenta and the fetus. Your iron requirements are slight during the first trimester of pregnancy, and taking iron supplements in the first trimester may aggravate morning sickness.

Eat foods high in iron (beef, pork, chicken, fish, legumes, lentils, chickpeas, and fortified grains). Most pregnant women need 16 to 20 mg of iron from a prenatal vitamin supplement each day.footnote 2 Most prenatal vitamins include iron. Women who are pregnant with twins or more may need more iron. Talk to your doctor about the amount of iron that is right for you.

Iron supplements can cause an upset stomach and constipation. Taking your iron at bedtime may decrease the chance of stomach upset. Your body absorbs iron best in small amounts when you eat it with vitamin C, so you may want to take your iron throughout the day.

Calcium

Calcium is needed for the development of the fetus's skeleton (bones and teeth). You can get enough calcium in your diet by eating or drinking foods from the milk and alternatives group each day. Good sources include:

• Milk and yogurt.
• Soy and rice beverages that are calcium fortified.

• Other sources:
  • Cheese.
  • Greens (such as mustard and turnip greens), bok choy, kale, and watercress.
  • Broccoli and cauliflower.
  • Tofu that is "calcium-set."
  • Corn tortillas made with lime.
  • Calcium-fortified orange juice.
  • Canned fish with bones (such as salmon and sardines).
  • Cooked beans, legumes, and lentils.

How much energy does it take in third trimester?

What is the recommended increase in calories during the second trimester of pregnancy?

What is considered healthy weight gain for a pregnant woman during the 2nd and 3rd trimesters?

What are the energy need recommendations during pregnancy?