Weight Gain During Pregnancy
Also: Weight Loss After Birth, After Giving Birth
One thing is certain if you have a successful pregnancy; you will gain weight. So, if you have been engaging in a weight loss programme of any sort, pregnancy will undoubtedly change all that. You will have the weight of the developing baby and its temporary home to accommodate.
Once your pregnancy is confirmed, you have to prepare yourself mentally for a gain in weight, not a loss. That is not to say you should just abandon healthy eating habits and exercise. Pregnancy is a time when your own health is doubly important, as it affects your baby.
The article below considers what you should expect in the way of weight gain during your pregnancy, and how you should anticipate and deal with it.
Weight Gain During Pregnancy - What To Expect
If you are pregnant it is perfectly natural to gain weight, and it is natural too for a woman to be concerned about how much weight she gains. The best sources for advice about a healthy level of weight gain during pregnancy will be your midwife, obstetrician or gynaecologist. There are, however, a few general guidelines.
There is no fixed amount a woman should gain in weight during pregnancy; it depends on a number of factors. Depending on your weight at the start of the pregnancy, your doctor may tell you that a healthy weight gain for you is somewhere between 15 and 40 pounds. That is quite a wide range.
If you happen to be underweight when you first become pregnant, (a Body Mass Index of less than 18.5), 25 to 40 pounds could be a reasonable weight gain during pregnancy. If, on the other hand, you are overweight, he or she may suggest you limit your pregancy weight gain closer to 15 to 25 pounds.
Of that weight gain, between 6 and 8 pounds of it will be the baby. The rest of the weight is amniotic fluid, extra tissue and blood to nourish the baby (including the placenta), plus the increased size of your breasts and placenta. When the baby is born ,you will lose as much as 15 pounds of that extra weight (amniotic fluid, placenta and baby).
Every doctor is likely to tell you that pregnancy is NOT the time to go on a diet. Your body AND your baby need the nutrients of an adequate, balanced diet to keep you both healthy. This does not mean, though, that you should lose restraint, and binge for two. Your body needs approximately an extra 300 calories a day to build a healthy baby. Those 300 calories should come from the same healthy variety of foods that your normal diet gives you. If you were not eating a healthy, balanced diet, before you became pregnant, then pregnancy is a great time to start.
You can expect to gain weight along a fairly predictable pattern, which I am sure your doctor or midwife will monitor on your regular visits. In the first three months, you may probably just gain 2-4 pounds in weight. During the second trimester, you can expect to gain between 3 and 4 pounds each month, which works out at about a pound per week. During the final three months, you will probably gain an additional 8-10 pounds. Your doctor or midwife will be weighing you regularly, to check for abnormal deviations from this pattern, and then seek to find the cause.
If you are advised by your doctor to limit your weight gain during your pregnancy, be sure to choose a healthy diet that provides all the necessary daily requirements for vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. Remember that a 'diet' during pregnancy isn't meant to help you LOSE weight, but rather to limit the amount of weight you gain.
Regular exercise is also good for both you and your baby. You can maintain most of your daily activities, and if regular workouts were a part of your daily routine, then by all means keep them up. You will feel better, and your body will be less likely to protest the extra weight with aches and pains. The better and healthier you feel, the better it is for the baby. And of course for you in the enjoyment of the pregnancy.
Do keep in mind that exercise during pregnancy should not be too strenuous, and that you should avoid activities in which you risk falling or injuring yourself. Also remember that your centre of gravity is different, and you may feel rather awkward doing some of the things you usually did before pregnancy.
For specifics with regard to your own situation, you really should speak with your doctor or midwife. If at any time you are worried about gaining weight, or feel that you are gaining too much too quickly, you can request a consultation with a nutritionist to help you design a healthy eating plan that will ensure the baby is well-nourished, and that your concerns about your weight gain are met.