Weight gain
All pregnant women need to have a healthy, well-balanced diet that includes food from all the 5 food groups. However, women with multiple pregnancies need to be especially mindful of eating adequate amounts of carbohydrates, proteins, fruits and vegetables to ensure they obtain the essential minerals and vitamins required to maintain their health throughout the pregnancy and support the growth and development of their babies. Good nutrition also helps to support the woman's physical recovery after the birth, when parenting her babies.
Despite popular belief, you do not need to 'eat for 3 or 4' people when pregnant with multiples. Just as women carrying one baby do not need to 'eat for two'. However, it is important to be conscious of having a nutritious diet and perhaps a little extra of different foods on a regular basis. Information about the 5 food groups and recommended servings for women carrying multiples is explained
here. Alternatively, you or your caregiver may feel it is important to see a
dietician experienced with advising pregnant women having multiples.
The other main aspect of your diet when carrying multiples is your intake of iron and calcium rich foods.
Iron. It is estimated that less than 10% of childbearing women are iron deficient in countries like Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, Europe and the United Kingdom (much higher in developing countries). Women carrying more than one baby are believed to be twice as likely (i.e. 20% of women) to become iron deficient (or lacking iron), particularly as their pregnancy progresses past 28 weeks when the babies are storing iron in their livers. Iron deficiency can lead to low haemoglobin blood levels (red blood cell count - RBC) and is usually referred to as anaemia.
Even though up to 80% of women carrying multiples will not become iron deficient, many caregivers routinely advise every woman with a multiple pregnancy to supplement with
iron and
folic acid