The Best Pregnancy Nutrition Calculator + How to Use It

As a pregnant mom, you’re navigating so many changes with your body.

You’re facing mood swings, hormonal acne, and a few extra pounds on the scale that you aren’t ready to embrace.

While all of these symptoms are common, it’s natural to wonder if there are ways to control your mood and weight fluctuations.

There are.

As a pregnancy nutritionist, it’s my job to work with women like you to support a healthy and empowered pregnancy. We’ll use whole foods, lifestyle changes, and hormone-balancing techniques to help you show up as the best version of yourself.

(Yes, even during pregnancy.)

There are many different tools I use to empower women to advocate for themselves and embrace a nutrient-rich pregnancy diet plan. One of my favorites is a pregnancy nutrition calculator.

Why You Should Consider Using a Pregnancy Nutrition Calculator

While a nutrition calculator isn’t the only resource you should use to optimize your pregnancy, it does provide a number of benefits. Here’s why I love recommending a calculator to enhance a pregnancy diet plan…

  • Make Sure You’re Eating Enough

With a diet of processed foods and a cultural emphasis on weight loss (yes, even during pregnancy), eating enough food can feel like an uphill battle. Sure, a holistic prenatal vitamin can offer some support with essential nutrients like folate or choline. But a morning supplement isn’t going to overcome a poor diet.

If you’re not getting enough fuel, you’ll likely experience symptoms like fatigue, brain fog (or “pregnancy brain”), dehydration, and lack of motivation. Tracking your nutrients on a pregnancy nutrition calculator should help remedy this issue. You’ll want to focus on protein, fats, carbs, and veggies while checking in on micronutrients as needed.

  • Get Exact Stats

A pregnancy nutrition calculator removes the guesswork from your pregnancy diet plan. When I work with pregnant moms, I want a broad overview of their current nutritional profile. This can be difficult to find without actual data. But it’s so helpful when creating meal plans that nourish and support women exactly where they’re at.

By tracking your meals for a few weeks, you’ll be able to create a customized meal plan and grocery list that fills nutritional gaps. A pregnancy nutrition calculator helps empower your body to rise to the occasion for a healthy and vibrant pregnancy.

  • Be More Intentional About Food Choices

There’s nothing like a first-time pregnancy to compel you to eat better food. It’s natural to obsess over your diet, supplements, and lifestyle when you’re nurturing another life. But many women are confused and overwhelmed by the amount of conflicting information available.

A pregnancy nutrition calculator can eliminate some of this confusion — and help you hone in on your actual nutritional needs. You’ll be able to make better food choices with real accountability and data.

  • Support a Diet to Avoid Gestational Diabetes 

Special circumstances like gestational diabetes or preeclampsia may call for a prescribed pregnancy diet. Food is one of the most powerful tools you can harness to lower blood sugar and reduce pregnancy symptoms — and it should be one of the first options you turn to.

A pregnancy nutrition calculator can help empower you to follow the right diet using the right data. It can also help your pregnancy nutritionist, who may need specific information about what you’re eating throughout the day.

How Much Weight Should You Gain During Pregnancy?

This is one of the most common questions I get from pregnant moms, and my answer might surprise you.

The average mom will gain around one pound per week in the second trimester, with the weight gain slowing around the third trimester. Some pounds may be due to hormonal changes and your body holding onto nutrients for postpartum. But most weight will account for your baby’s growth, the placenta, and increased fluid.

Since every woman is different, I don’t usually find weight to be an accurate indicator of health. Yes, it plays a role in conditions like gestational diabetes or preeclampsia. But for the average woman, weight gain offers only a small glimpse of a much larger picture.

Instead of focusing on weight gain, I want moms to focus on the nutrient density of their food — both macro and micronutrients. That’s where the pregnancy nutrition calculator comes in.

Who Should (And Shouldn’t) Use a Pregnancy Nutrition Calculator?

A pregnancy nutrition calculator is a helpful tool, but it should be used with care and intentionality.

  • I recommend a pregnancy nutrition calculator for women who feel undernourished and moms navigating a healthy diet for the first time. Tracking your macro and micronutrients gives you amazing insight into your vitamin, mineral, and protein intakes.

  • I don’t recommend pregnancy nutrition calculators for women who experience patterns of disordered eating. For some moms, this can be a trigger that spirals them back into undereating and calorie counting — two things that are usually unhelpful during pregnancy. If this is you, a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) paired with an intentional pregnancy diet plan is the best course of action.

My Favorite Pregnancy Nutrition Calculator

I personally love using Cronometer as a pregnancy nutrition calculator. You can download the app, set your nutrition goals, and easily log your meals throughout the day. Unlike other pregnancy nutrition calculators, Cronometer emphasizes micronutrients (calculating up to eighty-four from your meals).

This is extremely beneficial — especially if you haven’t done any lab testing during pregnancy. The data collected by Cronometer should provide insight into nutrient deficiencies and gaps in your pregnancy diet. It’s also a wonderful accountability tool for moms who are undereating fats and protein (I recommend 30–40 grams per meal).

Don’t Let a Pregnancy Nutrition Calculator Override Your Intuition

Women’s intuition is famous for a reason. And it only grows as you become a mom.

For thousands of years, women have grown and birthed babies without the help of nutrition calculators and trackers. While I love these tools, I also encourage moms to tap into their own intuition.

Over time, you’ll learn to rely less on the calculator and more on your cravings, symptoms, and gut feelings. And hopefully you’ll gain the knowledge and information you need to make empowered decisions about your health and your family’s health.

Another Powerful Way to Track Your Nutrition: The Micronutrient Self-Assessment

A pregnancy nutrition calculator is a helpful tool, but it isn’t a must-have.

There are other resources you can use to achieve the same results.

I always recommend taking a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) a few times during pregnancy to get even more intentional about your nutritional needs. But you can also use a resource like my Micronutrient Self-Assessment.

This is a free guide I created for moms who want to understand the vitamins and minerals they need during pregnancy — without relying on testing or apps. It helps you tap into your intuition and naturally understand your body’s needs.

Get the Free Micronutrient Self-Assessment

About the Author:
Katie Braswell is a holistic nutritionist focused on optimizing women’s health at all stages of pregnancy and motherhood. She believes women’s health recommendations are drastically behind the times and has made it her mission to change that — using real food and ancestral methods that help women regain vibrancy and wellness. Her continued education has led her to graduate from the Lily Nichols Prenatal Nutrition Institute and the Fertility Academy.

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Your Path to Feeling Good This Pregnancy — The Benefits of Working with a Pregnancy Nutritionist