I am on the low carb diet and I am now 4 months pregnant. I was wondering if anyone else has been on the diet and pregnant. Please write back.

hi Miistii, welcome to the forum!

The major low-carb programs advise AGAINST strict lowcarbing - ie, weight-loss levels - during pregnancy. You can check them out -

• Atkins
  
• Protein Power
  
• Carbohydrate Addicts

It's recommended that you keep carb intake above ketosis levels, at least 50 grams a day, probably closer to 100 would be ideal. Atkins and Protein Power suggest following the Maintenance Level of their programs. I've read on other lowcarb sites, where women have successfully followed a lower carb program like Sugar Busters or The Zone during their pregnancies, and they found they lost the weight much quicker and easier after delivery. The important thing is to keep blood sugar and insulin levels stable. Make sure you're getting plenty of protein and FIBER. Eat your daily carb allowance in the form of veggies and more veggies, maybe some lowcarb fruits like berries and melon, and small portions of whole grains and starchy veggies like peas, lentils and yams. Lots of water too!!

If you're planning to nurse, it should be safe to resume lower carb levels soon after delivery. But again, keep to above ketosis level (minimum 40g per day). Ketones do pass into the breastmilk, and though they are not harmful - the baby is producing her own ketones - it's best not to overload the system. Make sure you get plenty of protein, and if your Ob/Gyn hasn't already prescribed them for you, get yerself on a good Prenatal vitamin and mineral supplement with iron, folate and calcium.

As for artificial sweeteners, avoid anything with aspartame / nutrasweet --- it will cross the placenta, and the phenylalanine in it can harm the baby. Splenda / sucralose is safe to use during pregnancy and nursing. If you'd rather not use an artificial sweetener, you should be able to find Stevia (an herbal sweetener) at a health food store. It comes in liquid or powder form.

Good luck to you for a happy healthy pregnancy, and happy healthy baby! ..

Doreen

i wish i had a proper reference for this, but i have never been good at keeping references! but i swear i read it in a book!

the extra calories required by a pregnant woman, or rather her bub, is roughly the same as found in a slice or two of bread. i also remember that in utero, your baby needs carbs for energy as he cant use fat. but seriously... how much energy does something that small really need!?!

other than that i would just say ditto doreen!

i have been breastfeeding while in ketosis, but Lucy is over one year old and eating plenty of family food and drinking plenty of water. so i think i would be aiming for maintenence levels when we are ready to TTC again and until my next bub was well into family food.

hth
mel.

Hi Im bambi, and am 21 weeks pregnant, so I asked a few questions and got sent to your post, I was wondering weither you decied to stay on the diet or stop?

Hi ,
I just read your post. I am just rebegining my plan again after having a miscarriage. I would have to say a couple of things. Please do not get upset if I step on toes. I am just posting my thoughts as having just gone through this.
Number one a fetus requires more protein than carbos in its development of growth. Also alot of water is needed cause of the constant replacement of amnoitic fluid. However, after knowing this I still would increase my carbos to normal limit but make sure I ate more protien than carbs. In my mind I feel the creation of a baby is only 9 months. And this creation will last for many years. Why not do the very best that you can for your child. It is only for 9 months.
Hope you find what is best for you,

Kelly Ann

Great advice, and no toe-stepping at all!

Yes protein is definitely the nutrient needed to provide the building blocks to make a new person .. .. Increasing carbs to 80 or 100g per day will meet the increased energy demands on the mother's body, without causing sharp swings in blood sugar and insulin. 100g of carbohydrate would be approx. 400 calories or 25% of a 2,000 cal per day diet. That's a far cry from the 60% or higher level of carbs recommended by most "experts". (that would be 300g carbs or more per day!!)

Doreen

Hi there all,

found out yesterday that I am pregnant with number 3 . Had been having some cravings since Xmas and thought it was because I had been a little naughty over Xmas and had that slice of pudding and an ice cream or two. (I have been on maintenance). So guess this might partially explain things, but I am onto it now.

Would appreciate any other tips anyone may have, particularly in regards to the effects of artificial sweetners on unborn babies. I avoid aspartame like the plague, but was wondering about some of the others. I mainly use Splenda, for a couple of reasons... choice is limited in Australia, and it has a reputation for being safe. Does anybody know of any research on this?

Cheers,

Jo