Pregnant women do not need to "eat for two", drink full fat milk or even change how much food they eat for the first six months.
And according to NHS experts they only need an extra 200 calories a day even in the last 3 months. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence also urges women to have a "realistic expectation" of how long it will take to lose weight after birth.
Women trying to get pregnant who are obese, that is those with a body mass index over 30, should be advised about the increased risk to themselves and their babies and encouragement and advice on losing weight before pregnancy should be offered to them.
All pregnant women, but especially those who are overweight or obese, should be encouraged to eat a healthy diet and do exercise. Weight loss during pregnancy, however, should not be advocated. Women must ne made aware that a moderate amount of exercise will not harm their baby and women who exercised before pregnancy should be able to continue with no adverse effects.
Women should be sensitively encouraged to lose excess weight but be warned that sensible gradual weight loss will take time. The recommendations also point out that eating healthily and taking regular exercise will not affect the quality or quantity of breast milk.
Professor Mike Kelly, director of the centre for public health excellence at NICE, said: "In today's society women are bombarded by often conflicting advice on what constitutes a healthy diet and how much physical activity they should do during pregnancy and after birth......We want all women to be supported before, during and after they have children so that both they and their babies have the healthiest outcome possible."
He added that advice on healthy eating and physical activity for women after they have had a baby should take into account the demands of looking after a small baby and how tired the women are and any health problems they may have.
Jane Munro, from the Royal College of Midwives, said weight was often an issue of concern for most women.
"It will be particularly helpful in dispelling post-pregnancy myths......Women need to understand that losing weight after giving birth can be a slow process and that physical exercise and gradual weight loss will not impact on their ability to breastfeed."
March 2010 | 
Essential Food And Nutrients For Your Pregnancy
