JOIN USAccording to the new guidelines, during the first six months of the pregnancy, women don’t need to drink full-fat milk or change their diet at all.
Even in the last three months they need just 200 extra calories a day — the equivalent of a small sandwich, it said.
The weight management during pregnancy guidance from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), which is now out for consultation, comes as the number of obese mothers rising, with almost one in four women being obese and a further third overweight in the country.
The guidance, which says women should be advised that being fat puts their baby at risk, however stresses that they should not be told to lose weight during pregnancy. Instead they should be helped to shed excess pounds before getting pregnant and after they have given birth, the “Daily Mail” reported.
Prof Mike Kelly of NICE said: “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.
“The aim of developing this new guidance is to provide health professionals with clear recommendations to help them support women prior to and during their pregnancy as well as after they have given birth.”