Archive for the 'Pregnancy Weight Gain' Category

Did you notice that you put on weight in your first trimester of pregnancy? Gaining right amount of weight is good sign of healthy baby development.

It is entirely inevitable to gain weight during pregnancy, whether you like it or not.

However, it can be concern for you if you weigh more than required.

How much weight gain is appreciable during pregnancy?

Weight gain during pregnancy should be gradual and most of those extra body pounds should be added in your last trimester.

According to many health experts, in your first 3 months of pregnancy period, you can gain about 2 to 4 pounds and in the following months of your pregnancy, you should gain 3 to 4 pounds every month.

However, weight gain during pregnancy also depends up on your height and weight before pregnancy or BMI (Body mass index), before you confirm with pregnancy.

If you are underweight before conception, you should gain approximately 28 to 40 pounds during your pregnancy. On the other hand, if you are overweight or obese before conception, you should restrict your weight gain up to 15 to 25 pounds.

Heavy babies have more birth complications; they are also more likely to become overweight or obese children and adults.

A study by the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research of more than 40,000 women and their babies found that women who gained more than 40 pounds during their pregnancies were nearly twice as likely to have a heavy baby.

The study found that more than one in five women gains excessive weight during pregnancy, doubling her chances of having a baby that weighs 9 pounds or more.

“Too many women gain too much weight during pregnancy. This extra weight puts them at higher risk for having heavy babies, and these babies are programmed to become overweight or obese later in life,” said study lead author Teresa Hillier, MD, MS, an endocrinologist and senior investigator at the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research in Oregon and Hawaii.

“A big baby also poses serious risks for both mom and baby at birth–for mothers, vaginal tearing, bleeding, and often C-sections, and for the babies, stuck shoulders and broken collar bones. ”

Healthy weight gain during pregnancy by consuming balanced and healthy diet is essential for good and healthy development of your baby.

Eating for two during pregnancy is not necessary.

Yes, it is true that you require extra calories from nutrient rich foods for healthy growth of your baby.

But you only need to eat 100-300 more calories than you have before you become pregnant.

Consult your healthcare provider about how much weight you need to gain during pregnancy.

Weight gain during pregnancy at recommended levels can also lower the risk of having stretch marks, indigestion, fatigue, shortness of breath, varicose veins and hemorrhoids.

Importance of weight gain during pregnancy:

Healthy weight gain during pregnancy gives nourishment to your developing child and is also helpful for breastfeeding your baby after the delivery.

Weight distribution throughout the body:

A healthy woman will gain a total weight of 25-35 pounds during her pregnancy. Here is appropriate distribution of your weight gain:

Maintaining a healthy pregnancy weight gain plays a vital role during pregnancy. You can gain the required amount of weight during pregnancy by taking a healthy, balanced diet.

Taking a healthy diet ensures that you and your baby are getting all the essential nutrients. It also ensures the growth of your baby is at healthy rate.

Maintaining a pregnancy weight gain provides a healthy growth of your baby.

Pregnancy weight gain always depends on your height and weight before conception.

So, ask your health care professional regarding the weight you need to gain during pregnancy.

However, you should be careful regarding the weight-gain during pregnancy because too much or too little weight gain can become injurious to you and your baby’s health.

The recommended weight gain during pregnancy is as follows. If your weight before pregnancy was healthy according to your height, you need to gain a minimum of 25-35 pounds.

On the other hand, the pregnancy weight gain should be 28-40 pounds, if you were underweight before conception.

If your weight was very high for your height before pregnancy, increase your pregnancy weight by 15-25 pounds. The weight should not increase more than 15 pounds if you were obese before pregnant.