How many calories should I eat?

Eating the right number of calories lets you and your baby gain the proper amount of weight. During the first 3 months of your pregnancy, you do not need to change the number of calories you are eating.

Normal-weight women need an extra 300 calories each day during the last 6 months of pregnancy. This totals about 1,900 to 2,500 calories a day. If you were underweight, overweight, or obese before you became pregnant, or if you are pregnant with more than one baby, you may need a different number of calories. Talk to your health care provider about how much weight you should gain and how many calories you need.

Each of these healthy choices has about 300 calories:

• 1 cup of non-fat fruit yogurt and a medium apple
• 1 piece of whole wheat toast spread with 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1 cup of beef and bean chili sprinkled with 1/2 ounce cheddar cheese
• 1 cup of raisin bran cereal with 1/2 cup of non-fat milk and a small banana
• 3 ounces roasted lean ham or chicken breast and 1/2 cup sweet potatoes
• 1 flour tortilla (7-inch), 1/2 cup refried beans, 1/2 cup cooked broccoli, and 1/2 cup cooked red pepper.