Welcome to the second trimester
You will hopefully start to leave behind the worries of morning sickness, and gain some extra energy. The second trimester (spanning weeks 13 – 26) is all about the growth of your baby and your bump. Your baby grows from the size of a peach to the size of a 35 cm long baby by the end of the second trimester.
Nutritional requirements in Second Trimester
There’s still no increase in energy (calorie) requirements this trimester, so you don’t need to eat extra calories. Eating a good variety of protein-rich foods twice a day will help you meet your increased protein needs. Folic acid requirements are slightly raised, so include green leafy veggies and starchy foods in your diet and check the labels of your breakfast cereals to make sure they are stimulated with added vitamins and minerals. Throughout pregnancy, vitamin D supplements are required to ensure you meet your increased requirements.
What should you be eating?
Eating a healthy balanced diet continues to be important during second trimester. Try to include the following in your diet: 5 portions fruits and vegetables a day. Include a variety of green leafy vegetables (e.g. broccoli, kale, spinach, cabbage) to improve your folic acid and iron intake. Starchy wholegrain carbohydrates at every meal, e.g. bread, cereals, potatoes, pasta and rice, dairy products 2-3 times a day – this will ensure you eat enough calcium and protein.
How much weight should you gain during second trimester?
Although there being no additional calorie needs, you will likely gain just over half of your pregnancy weight this second trimester. During pregnancy, you become more efficient at absorbing the nutrients you need from your diet, meaning you can gain weight without the need to eat too much more. If you were a healthy weight (BMI 18.5 – 24.9) at the start of your pregnancy, you should put on around 1lb per week during this trimester (half of this if you are overweight). A simple rule is to be your hunger, try to include exercise in your daily routine, e.g. swimming, and walk to work or special pregnancy classes. Start slowly, gradually increasing to a target of 30 minutes at least 5 days a week.
Supplements during second trimester
You don’t need to take folic acid after week 12 if you’d prefer not to, but many women continue taking it in the form of pregnancy multivitamins or Healthy Start Vitamins. You still need to take vitamin D supplements (10 micrograms per day) throughout your pregnancy. Even if you are pregnant during the summer months, you may not get enough vitamin D through the action of sunlight on skin and by eating foods containing vitamin D (e.g. oily fish, fortified breakfast cereals and eggs). Vitamin D is found in pregnancy multi-vitamin supplements and Healthy Start Vitamins, or you may decide to take a single supplement.
