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Start Healthy, Stay Healthy Nutrition Guide

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Prenatal Nutrition

Question

Now that I'm pregnant, should I cut down on salt?

Answer

In the past, pregnant women were warned to limit their salt intake to manage their weight gain and prevent swelling and high blood pressure. But that’s not true anymore.

Pregnant women need salt in their diets to maintain their expanding blood volume, which increases by up to 50%. Your cells also hold more water during pregnancy, so a little bit of swelling is normal starting in the second trimester—especially in the last few weeks of pregnancy.

This mild fluid retention is unrelated to salt intake and shouldn’t be treated by restricting salt or taking diuretic medications (also called water pills) without your doctor’s approval. So unless you’re advised otherwise by your physician, continue to salt your foods to taste.

MEET OUR EXPERTS

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Meet Our Experts

The START HEALTHY, STAY HEALTHY™ Resource Center panel of experts offers practical advice, answering many questions typically asked by parents and expecting parents.

Lillian M. Beard, M.D. Pediatric Health

Lillian M. Beard, M.D., is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and an associate clinical professor at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. She is a frequent guest expert and spokesperson on national TV programs, discussing issues related to children's health. Dr. Beard practices pediatrics in the Washington, D.C., area.

José M. Saavedra, M.D., FAAP Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition

José M. Saavedra, M.D., a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, is a pediatric gastroenterologist with long-term experience and expertise in nutrition. Medical and Scientific Director of Nestlé Nutrition North America, Dr. Saavedra is board-certified by the American Board of Pediatrics, the Sub-board of Gastroenterology and Nutrition, and the American Board of Nutrition. He is also an Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Gastroenterology and Nutrition, at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and the Johns Hopkins-Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Roy M. Pitkin, M.D. Prenatal Health

Roy M. Pitkin, M.D. is professor of obstetrics and gynecology and is former chairperson of the ob/gyn department at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), School of Medicine. He is a frequent advisor to national health agencies concerned with women's health issues and has received numerous international honors for this work.

Robert N. Hamburger, M.D. Food Intolerances

Robert N. Hamburger, M.D. is professor of pediatrics emeritus and former head of the pediatric immunology and allergy division at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) in La Jolla, California. Professor Hamburger is a consultant and continues as an educator and clinician in the UCSD Free Clinics in San Diego and Tijuana, Baja California.

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