Here are some guidelines you’ll find helpful to incorporate while on your pregnancy, make sure to work with your health care provider to determine what’s right for you.

  • Eat every 3 to 4 hours -plan for 5 to 6 small meals and/or snacks each day.
  • Always include a protein source within each meal or snack.
  • Aim for 90 to 100 grams of protein daily.
  • Drink 64 ounces of liquids per day -equivalent to 8 glasses.
  • Include omega 3’s in your diet. Have at least 2 servings of cooked, small and wild fish on a weekly basis. Consider taking a DHA supplement if consuming less than the recommended amount of fish; make sure it has been tested for mercury and other heavy metals, dioxins, furans, and oxidation values.
  • Since a number of foods in the U.S. are fortified with preformed vitamin A, pregnant women should avoid multivitamin or prenatal supplements that contain more than 1,500 mcg (5,000 IU) of vitamin A. Vitamin A from beta-carotene is not known to increase the risk of birth defects.
  • Avoid sugars and artificial sweeteners.
  • Moderate your sodium consumption and use plenty of herbs and spices to enhance flavor and give a nutritional punch to your dish.
  • Eat calcium and potassium rich foods before going to bed to prevent muscle cramps, some examples are milk with half banana, 1/8“of an avocado with a slice of cheese, or papaya and Greek yogurt.
  • To prevent heartburn, do not lie down soon after eating, wait at least 30 minutes.
  • Walk every day to improve blood circulation.

General guidelines for maximum pregnancy weight gain:

Pre-pregnancy weight Adequate weight gain range

  • Underweight (BMI < 18.5) 28 to 40 lbs.
  • Normal weight (BMI 18.5 to 24.9) 25 to 35 lbs.
  • Overweight (BMI 25 to 29.9) 15 to 25 lbs.
  • Obese (BMI 30 or more) 11 to 20 lbs.

If pregnant with twins or multiples:

Pre-pregnancy weight

Adequate weight gain range

  • Normal weight (BMI 18.5 to 24.9) 37 to 54 lbs.
  • Overweight (BMI 25 to 29.9) 31 to 50 lbs.
  • Obese (BMI 30 or more) 25 to 42 lbs.

These are general recommendations. Follow your Ob/Gyn instructions to determine what’s best in your case and to manage your weight during your pregnancy.

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OCC’s epidemiologist is closely monitoring the COVID-19 status and is actively issuing updates as they are available. The Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization are the most trusted sources online.  While the CDC has announced new mask protocols for vaccinated individuals, there will be no changes for our office protocols for patients, guests, and staff members as the announcement does not apply to hospitals or medical facilities. Masks are still a requirement for all patients, guests and staff at our facility.

As we reinitiate weight loss surgery, we are constantly adapting and installing new and updated safety measures.

Weight loss surgery is medically necessary.

Bariatric Surgery and the clash of two pandemics.   

Major metabolic and bariatric surgery Societies and colleges globally are now calling for the safe resumption of bariatric and metabolic surgery before the COVID-19 pandemic is declared over. 

The sooner bariatric surgery can be safely performed, the quicker obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other diseases can be reduced or resolved as they are not only chronic they are also progressive.  Obesity is also linked to more than 40 diseases including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, stroke, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, and at least 13 different types of cancer.

A recent statement from the ASMBS says “Before COVID-19 began, it was clear that patients with obesity were ‘safer through surgery.’ In the era of COVID-19, ‘safer through surgery’ for patients with obesity may prove to be even more important than before.” Obesity and Metabolic syndrome have been identified as an independent risk factor for adverse outcomes including death among COVID-19 patients.

See here for full COVID-19 update. 

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