Being pregnant as a vegan
How much weight you gain during your pregnancy has a marked impact on the baby's size and health at birth. If you were underweight prior to your pregnancy, you should try to gain 28-40 pounds. Average weight women should aim for a 25-35 pound weight gain, and overweight women should strive to gain 15-25 pounds. Adolescents may need to gain 30-45 pounds. A general trend is to have little weight gain for the first 12 weeks. Then, in the second and third trimesters, a weight gain of a pound a week is common. Your weight gain will not necessarily fall on the dashed line but should be approximately parallel to the line .Many vegans begin pregnancy on the slim side and may gain weight very slowly. If this sounds like you, you will need to eat more food. Perhaps eating more often or eating foods higher in fat and lower in bulk will help. I found it easiest to drink extra calories and treated myself to a soy milk shake (soy milk blended with fruit and tofu or soy yogurt) in the evening for a few weeks when weight gain was low. Other concentrated sources of calories include nuts and nut butters, dried fruits, soy products, and bean dips. You need about 340 extra calories per day in the second and 450 calories per day in the third trimester. If, on the other hand, your weight gain seems too high to you and your health care provider, look at the types of food you are eating. Simply replacing sweets and fatty foods with fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes can lead to more moderate weight gain. Daily exercise, as approved by your health care provider, can also help.
