put on 25 to 35 pounds by the end of your pregnancy. If you’re underweight to start, you should aim to gain 28 to 40 pounds.
Need further assistance in managing your diet? A dietician can help make sure you get a well-balanced diet.
Take your prenatal vitamins
Prenatal vitamins are essential for women while trying to get pregnant as well as during pregnancy. This is no different for women living with ulcerative colitis. If the iron in prenatal vitamins is affecting your system, ask your doctor about different formulations.
Get your iron levels checked
Women with ulcerative colitis are at high risk of developing anemia, so it is important to have your iron levels checked.
Take folic acid
Ulcerative colitis as well as the medication you use to treat it can make it harder for the body to absorb folic acid, which helps to prevent birth defects. In this case, you may need to take extra folic acid.
Taking these steps can put you on the path to safely adding that new addition to your family. Just remember, the path to being healthy and keeping your ulcerative colitis under control doesn’t stop once you become pregnant. You will still need to make sure you get the nutrients you and your baby need.
RELATED: Tips For Boosting Diet Quality During Conception (For Men and Women)
If you stick to the basics and follow this guideline, you should be fine:
- Fill half your plate with fruits and veggies.
- Make half the grains you eat whole grains.
- Trade high-fat dairy, such as whole milk, for fat-free or low-fat options.
- Eat less salt.
- Swap sugary sodas for water.
- Avoid greasy, fried, high-sugar, and spicy foods.
- Stay away from nuts, popcorn, and corn, because they can make swelling worse.
- Make sure you drink plenty of water, since diarrhea can cause dehydration.
- Sometimes, five or six small meals a day are easier to handle than three big ones.