Women typically obsess over their size, regardless of the health ramifications, and when they do get pregnant, these attitudes persist. Society in general is afraid of fat, even during pregnancy. But healthy weight gain plays a very important role in a healthy pregnancy.
By no means cut back on food as it deprives you of good nutrition and results in a small, sickly baby with persistent health problems.
Since almost two-thirds of women of childbearing age in the US are overweight or obese, be sure to reduce your weight before you conceive.
How Much Weight Should You Gain During Pregnancy? Start with your body mass index (BMI), a ratio of your height to your weight at the time of conception and, for most people, a reliable indicator of your body fat.
Google ‘BMI Calculator’, select one of the sites, specify English or Metric, enter your height and weight, and your BMI will appear. Less than 18.5 is considered underweight, 18.5 to 24.9 normal, 25 to 29.9 overweight and 30 more obese.
To give you an idea, a 5-foot-6 woman weighing between 115 and 154 pounds is considered normal.
Recommended guidelines for weight gain during pregnancy
Following these guidelines issued by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in May 2009 reduces health risks for both mothers and their babies.
If your pre-pregnancy weight was in the healthy range for your height (a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9), you should gain 25 to 35 pounds. In the first trimester, your gain will be 3 or 4 pounds, part water weight and part materials to help your little baby grow. Thereafter, gain 1 pound per week for the remainder of your pregnancy to ensure optimal baby growth, a more comfortable pregnancy, and a safe delivery.
Underweight women (a BMI less than 18.5) may be less fertile due to low body fat, but if you did conceive, gain a total of 28 to 40 pounds; 5 to 6 pounds in the first trimester and a little over 1 pound per week for the second and third.
If you were overweight for your height (a BMI of 25 to 29.9), gain a total of 15 to 25 pounds; 2 to 3 pounds in the first trimester and a little more than 1/2 pound per week during the second and third trimesters.
If you were obese (a BMI of 30 or more), gain 11 to 20 pounds; 1 pound in the first trimester and a little less than 1/2 pound per week during the second and third trimesters.
If you’re expecting twins, gain 37 to 54 pounds if you started at a healthy weight; 31 to 50 pounds if you were overweight; and 25 to 42 pounds if obese, gaining about 1 1/2 pounds per week in the second and third trimesters.
Some OB/GYNs would like to see these numbers lowered, with women in the healthy range gaining 20 to 25 pounds instead of 25 to 35. The lower numbers were recommended in the 1970s and are considered sufficient for a healthy baby, but they also make it easier for women to return to their pre-pregnancy weight.
Record your weight gains
If you suffer from nausea and morning sickness in the first trimester, food may not appeal to you and any weight gain will be negligible. It is not to worry. Later in your pregnancy is when your growing baby especially needs calories and nutrients for proper development, and by then your morning sickness will be gone.
Towards the end of your pregnancy, you may gain a little more, stop, or even notice a slight weight loss at the end. Plus-size women have reserves in their stored fat and may actually lose some weight during pregnancy.
Restricting food intake and trying to lose weight during pregnancy is not recommended because the fat stores you burn may contain substances that are dangerous for the baby. Gaining muscle is allowed, even if you first discuss exercise with your doctor beforehand.
If you have one or two ‘growth spurts’ gaining several pounds in a short period of time and then level off, don’t worry.
But if you suddenly gain more than five pounds a week during the second half of your pregnancy, be careful; this could be a sign of pre-eclampsia, a serious condition that threatens both you and your baby.
Contact your doctor also if you don’t gain weight for more than two weeks between the fourth and eighth month of your pregnancy.
How to stay within the recommended range
Eating healthy during pregnancy is best for you and your developing baby. Your doctor will determine what constitutes healthy weight gain for you. It will also teach you what to eat and how to exercise.
The old maxim ‘eat for two’ doesn’t give you free rein to eat twice as much as you normally do.
If your weight at conception falls within the normal BMI range, during the first 12 weeks of your pregnancy you need an extra 100 to 200 calories per day; for the rest, 200 to 300, and underweight women need an additional 300 to 500 calories a day.
300 calories is not much. For example, an extra snack of four fig bars and a glass of skim milk covers it.
Dangers of gaining too much weight or being overweight at conception
Although most overweight women enjoy healthy pregnancies and give birth without complications, there are potential risks. You could have a miscarriage, it may be difficult to hear the baby’s heartbeat and measure the size of the uterus, it will be difficult for you to lose weight after delivery and you will most likely weigh more in subsequent pregnancies. You are at risk of complications such as high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, and pre-eclampsia. Your baby may be too large at birth, making vaginal delivery long and painful, making it more likely that you’ll need a cesarean delivery, and the child may also be overweight or obese. In addition, you will probably have trouble breastfeeding, partly because of low milk supply and partly because it is difficult for you to position your baby to breastfeed.
To reduce your risks, medical tests such as ultrasound to measure your baby’s size and a glucose tolerance test to check for gestational diabetes may be recommended during your pregnancy.
Dangers of gaining too little weight
Those who start their pregnancy underweight or who do not gain enough during pregnancy are at risk of stunted fetal growth, giving birth to a low-birth-weight baby weighing less than 5.5 pounds, and preterm labor that It can cause serious health problems for the baby, including death, if the birth is too early.
Obeying these guidelines
Women are strongly encouraged to adhere to these recommended weight gains. It’s true that your metabolism, activity level, and genetics all play a role, but with regular visits to your doctor, you can both ensure that your pregnancy progresses smoothly.
Gradually gaining weight means your baby has a steady supply of nutrients, some of which are stored for breastfeeding, reducing the chances of hemorrhoids, varicose veins, stretch marks, back pain, fatigue, indigestion, and shortness of breath during breastfeeding. pregnancy.
Guidelines for gaining a healthy weight
Eat five to six small meals a day that contain nutrient-dense foods that nourish you and your baby. Look for foods like fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, dried fruit, peanut butter, yogurt, cheese, whole grains, lean protein, fatty fish, and dairy products. Limit junk food, candy, cookies, donuts, cakes, chips, soda and coffee, which are loaded with calories but lack nutrition. Avoid smoking and alcohol.
If you need to gain weight faster, add butter, cream cheese, and sour cream to meals, and nonfat dry milk to mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, and hot cereal.
What to do if you need to decrease your weight gain during pregnancy
Instead of restricting your diet, choose healthier options. Substitute high-calorie fried foods and full-fat dairy products for the foods listed above and you’ll feel full. Limit sugary drinks and drink water, soda, or diluted fresh fruit juice.
Regular moderate exercise, such as walking, swimming, or yoga, is effective both during pregnancy and after the baby is born.
You should draw a fine line between eating extra calories, staying active without burning them all, and gaining weight gradually.
If you feel anxious about your weight gain
If you’ve carefully watched your weight in the past, you’ll feel uncomfortable watching it go up. Remember that some weight gain is important for a healthy pregnancy and will go away after delivery.
Lose those extra pounds after giving birth
A 25-pound weight gain during your pregnancy is distributed as follows: baby 7.5 pounds, amniotic fluid 2.0 pounds, placenta 1.0 pounds, breast tissue 1.5 pounds, uterus gains 2.0 pounds, extra blood supply 3.0 pounds, retained water 2.0 pounds, and protein and fat reserves for calving and lactation 6.0 pounds.
You will lose about half of your pregnancy weight in the first six weeks after delivery. The rest took nine months to put on, so wait that long to lose it. Do it by eating healthy and exercising sensibly and it might go away sooner.
Don’t drastically reduce your calorie intake in an attempt to speed up your weight loss, as you need energy to cope with being a new mother. When you breastfeed, you lose weight faster because you burn 1,000 to 1,500 calories a day by making milk.
Exercise also plays a valuable role after your baby is born. It helps you lose weight, build muscle, become more flexible, relieves depression and boosts your self-esteem.
Remember that a pregnancy is about carrying a growing baby inside you, a true miracle of nature. Eating the right amount of quality food rewards you not only with a healthy baby, but also with rapid weight loss after birth.
