Most pregnant women need about 1,800 calories per day in the first trimester, 2,200 in the second, and 2,400 in the third. That’s a smaller increase than many people expect. During the first trimester, you don’t need any extra calories at all compared to what a moderately active woman typically eats. The real increases come later, and they amount to roughly one or two extra snacks per day.
Calorie Needs by Trimester
Your body’s energy demands shift as your pregnancy progresses. Here’s what that looks like for a woman who was at a normal weight before pregnancy:
- First trimester: About 1,800 calories per day. This is roughly the same as a typical pre-pregnancy intake for many women. Your baby is tiny at this stage, and calorie demands haven’t meaningfully increased yet.
- Second trimester: About 2,200 calories per day, or roughly 340 extra calories compared to your pre-pregnancy baseline.
- Third trimester: About 2,400 calories per day, or roughly 450 extra calories above baseline.
These numbers come from general guidelines for normal-weight women. Your actual needs depend on your pre-pregnancy weight, height, age, and activity level. A woman who was already eating 2,200 calories before pregnancy won’t suddenly drop to 1,800 in the first trimester. Think of these as reference points, not rigid prescriptions.
How Your Pre-Pregnancy Weight Changes the Math
Your starting weight matters because it shapes how much total weight gain is healthy during pregnancy. The CDC’s current recommendations, based on pre-pregnancy BMI, break down like this:
- Underweight (BMI under 18.5): 28 to 40 pounds total gain
- Normal weight (BMI 18.5 to 24.9): 25 to 35 pounds
- Overweight (BMI 25.0 to 29.9): 15 to 25 pounds
- Obese (BMI 30.0 to 39.9): 11 to 20 pounds
If you started pregnancy at a higher weight, you’ll likely need fewer additional calories than someone who started underweight. Gaining too much increases the risk of complications like gestational diabetes and having a larger baby that complicates delivery. Gaining too little can restrict your baby’s growth. Tracking your weight gain over time is a better real-world gauge than counting every calorie.
Twin and Multiple Pregnancies
Carrying twins or triplets changes the equation significantly. Brigham and Women’s Hospital recommends increasing your intake by 300 calories per baby in the first trimester, 340 per baby in the second, and 452 per baby in the third. For twins, that means roughly 600 extra calories in early pregnancy and up to 900 extra by the end.
Weight gain targets are also higher. Women at a normal pre-pregnancy weight carrying twins should expect to gain 37 to 54 pounds total. Even women with obesity are recommended to gain 25 to 42 pounds with twins.
What Those Extra Calories Look Like
The 340 to 450 extra calories you need in the second and third trimesters sounds like a lot, but it’s really just one to two snacks. What matters is choosing foods that pull double duty, giving you both calories and the nutrients your baby needs. Johns Hopkins Medicine suggests a few options that hit this mark well:
- A yogurt smoothie with berries, nut butter, or greens blended in
- A couple of hard-boiled eggs, which are filling and easy to prep ahead
- A handful of walnuts, which provide omega-3 fatty acids that support brain development
- Roasted chickpeas or fava beans when you’re craving something crunchy
- Hummus with raw vegetables like carrots and broccoli for fiber and protein
The goal isn’t to eat dramatically more food. It’s to eat a little more of the right food. A peanut butter sandwich and a glass of milk covers your extra calorie needs for the entire day in the second trimester.
Where Your Calories Should Come From
Federal dietary guidelines recommend the same general balance of nutrients for pregnant women as for the general population, with a few shifts in emphasis. Aim for roughly 45 to 65 percent of your calories from carbohydrates, 20 to 35 percent from fats, and 10 to 35 percent from protein. In practice, this means building meals around whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats rather than trying to hit exact percentages.
Protein becomes especially important as pregnancy progresses, since it’s the primary building block for your baby’s rapidly growing tissues. Most women can meet their protein needs through regular meals that include eggs, beans, dairy, poultry, or fish without needing supplements or special products.
If You’re Physically Active
Women who exercise regularly during pregnancy need to eat more to compensate. Your body is already burning extra energy just to sustain the pregnancy (the metabolic demands of growing a baby have been compared to running 30 marathons over the course of nine months). Layering workouts on top of that means you need additional fuel beyond the standard trimester recommendations.
Active women in the second trimester may need around 350 or more extra calories per day, and those in the third trimester may need 500 or more. The key signal is how you feel. If you’re consistently exhausted, lightheaded during or after exercise, or losing weight, you’re not eating enough. Prioritize calorie-dense, nutrient-rich foods and stay well hydrated rather than trying to “earn” meals through activity.