"The Blossom Project: Be-Well Behavioral Wellness Study in Pregnancy"

Participants in the intervention group will take part in one-on-one visits with a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) from no later than week 14 to child birth at the OBGYN clinic where the participant receives her routine prenatal care or the Nutrition Wellness Research Center in the Iowa State Research Park. These visits will be coordinated with her routine prenatal appointment; therefore a minimum of 6 face-to-face meetings will occur. The counseling sessions will focus on appropriate weight gain during pregnancy through the use of an individualized meal plan, physical activity goals, and behavioral modification. Weight gain will be plotted on an IOM weight gain chart and discussed with study RDN.

Participants in the control arm will receive no form of lifestyle intervention. Women will be provided with usual care by their physician. Participants in the control arm will have their weight gain plotted on an IOM growth chart and sent electronically by research staff after each routine prenatal appointment. No other feedback on weight gain or behavior modification will be provided by the study RDN.