By Kimberly Tehan

Lesson Title: How Much to Eat When You are Eating for Two
Target Audience: The target audience is women who are either already pregnant or planning to become
pregnant within the near future.
A womans pre-pregnancy weight will affect how much weight gain and additional calories she will need
during her pregnancy. Weight-related pregnancy outcomes include both maternal and child health
outcomes, so this is an important lesson for women struggling with their gestational weight. According
to the 2009 IOM guidelines, less than one third of mothers gain the recommended amount of weight
during pregnancy. About 50% of mothers gain too much weight and 15% of mothers gain too little
weight.
This is a sensitive population as well as a sensitive topic, so that must be taken into consideration during
each part of the lesson. It is important that the lesson relates to the participants needs for a healthy
delivery and child. The lesson will be tailored to address any anxiety or concerns related to gestational
weight gain.
Health Issue: Women are either gaining too little or too much weight during pregnancy.
Learning Objectives:
1. Describe the importance of meeting appropriate caloric needs and weight during pregnancy.
(Cognitive)
2. State the risks associated with improper gestational weight gain. (Cognitive)
3. State individual caloric needs and proper weight gain during each trimester of pregnancy.
(Cognitive and Affective)
Lesson Duration: 45 minutes
Lesson Outline:
1. Introduction (6 minutes)
a. Greet the audience by introducing myself and making a light-hearted joke to break the ice.
What is the most common pregnancy craving? For men to be the ones who get pregnant.
Have the participants introduce themselves by name and which week of pregnancy they are
in.
2. Body:
a. Display and discuss model of the proportions of gestational weight gain (6 minutes)
(25% fetus, 5% placenta, 13% fluid, 7% uterus, 7% breast tissue, 13% blood, 23% fat and
protein, 7% amniotic fluid). Participants can feel how heavy it is (30 pounds, for the average
gestational weight gain)
b. Group Discussion (15 minutes)

What is the most common struggle you have with meeting/exceeding caloric needs and
gaining the proper gestational weight? Do you have any major cravings or do you have times
where you dont have any appetite? What are you concerns regarding these struggles? This
will allow participants to connect with one another and understand the various struggles
related to gestational weight gain.
c. Video (7 minutes)
The importance of proper gestational weight gain and the associated risks of improper
gestational weight gain (gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, miscarriage, high birth weight,
problems with breastfeeding, etc.)
d. Chart (6 minutes) describing individual weight gain and daily caloric needs according to BMI
through each week of pregnancy.
3. Conclusion (5 minutes)
Thank the participants for their time and wish them luck with their pregnancy. Distribute
handout of the chart displayed in the lesson plan describing individual weight gain and caloric
needs.

Materials:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Model of gestational weight proportions

Projection screen to display video
Internet access
Chart for individual weight gain/caloric needs
Handouts of chart for individual weight gain/caloric needs

References:
1. Institute of Medicine (US) and National Research Council (US) Committee to Reexamine IOM
Pregnancy Weight Guidelines; Rasmussen KM, Yaktine AL, editors. Weight Gain During
Pregnancy: Reexamining the Guidelines. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2009.
2, Descriptive Epidemiology and Trends. Available from:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK32810/
2. AmericanPregnancy.org, Pregnancy Weight Gain. Available from:
http://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-health/pregnancy-weight-gain/