Being pregnant was such a trip. Everything swelled – my belly, my feet, my face. I felt like a big marshmallow. I also must confess, I really freaked out as I saw the dial on the scale continuing to rise. It was hard keeping my mind and my emotions in check fearing the extra pounds would remain for ever as a sacrifice to my new bundle of joy.

Many women share these types of fears. In fact, the term “pregorexia” is beginning to make its rounds. I was excited to interview Jessica Setnick, eating disorders specialist. She shed some light into this new phenomenon and provided insights into what newly pregnant moms need to understand about weight gain and baby.

Q: What is the scoop on “pregorexia”?
A: Pregorexia is a new name for an old issue. American women have been obsessed with weight for a long time. For some women, pregnancy feels like a time to be free from worrying about weight. But the truth is, many women are very concerned with how much weight they’ll gain while they’re pregnant… and how they’ll lose it after.

Q: So is pregorexia an eating disorder?
A: The short answer is no. Pregnant women with eating disorders is an important topic, but pregorexia refers more to the average woman with weight or body image issues who then finds out she’s pregnant and has fears about the weight gain and unrealistic expectations that she’ll lose the weight immediately. Any dieting or overexercising during pregnancy can end up being harmful to the baby.

Q: Has the recent boom in celebrity babies been a factor?
A: Women used to be more private about their pregnancies, but ever since Demi Moore was photographed nude and pregnant, the trend of showing off the bump instead of hiding it under a muumuu has just kept going. When Jennifer Anniston’s character Rachel on Friends wore a baby tee that revealed her pregnant belly, instead of just the shape of it, the cat was out of the bag completely. The latest is the stalkarazzi magazines speculating on whether a celebrity is pregnant, or just had a big lunch. So yes, there is a contribution there to the constant comparing that women do to see if their body is “normal.”

Q: So what should a pregnant woman be eating?
A: We always joke about eating for two, but when the other person is the size of a grape, it’s not really needing its own cheeseburger. Pregnancy needs are only about 300 calories more than regular needs, so a woman who is overeating does not need to add anything at all, just maybe switch to some foods with better nutrition. On the other hand, a woman who is a healthy eater only needs to have slightly larger portions or maybe add a snack once or twice a day. I have a few examples here of what 300 calories looks like. And it’s not a lot. On the other hand, breastfeeding uses about 500 calories a day. That’s why I call it nature’s diet. Normal eating, rest and breastfeeding, and the weight will come naturally off in the months after delivery.

Jessica offered a wonderful, easy method for managing anxiety regarding weight gain and pregnancy. She suggests standing on the scale at the doctor’s office backwards. That way the nurse can track the weight and you won’t have to obsess on the additional pounds. I think that’s a great tactic for even us non-pregnant types!