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Weight Gain Pregnancy, Weight Gain During Pregnancy Written by: Nancy Wurtzel |
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When you are pregnant it is inevitable you will put on some extra weight, as your body begins preparing for the stresses and strains of carrying the baby, giving birth, and also looking after a newborn. Aside from the weight of the growing baby, you will also see increases to your breasts, bodily fluids and general fat deposits, which should account for around half a stone, and also your uterus muscles will thicken and grow stronger, which accounts for around 2lbs. The placenta and the amniotic fluid for the baby will weight around 3lbs by the end of the term, and all of these things added to the babies weight (around 7lb) should mean that the average woman will put on around 2 stone during pregnancy.
However pregnancy does affect your appetite and also restricts normal exercise programs, so it is very easy to put on more weight than you actually need to. During the first half of the pregnancy you do not need to increase your normal calorie intake at all, and should just be eating a normal, healthy diet. Towards the later stages of the pregnancy experts recommend that you increase your calorie intake by only 200 calories - the equivalent of just two pieces of toast with margarine!
Managing your weight is always essential for your health, but becomes every more important when you are pregnant as being over, or under, weight can lead to a higher risk in pregnancy complications such as high blood pressure, miscarriage and premature birth. Dieting is not advised during pregnancy as it could affect the baby's birth weight, leading to problems during and after birth, but experts say if you begin the pregnancy overweight sticking to a healthy, balanced diet with a lower calories content will be beneficial to both mother and baby.
Weight is no longer monitored throughout pregnancy, as scanning technology is now used to monitor the baby's growth rates. Your midwife will just weigh you at the beginning of the pregnancy to help calculate how much weight will be healthy for you to put on, and check up on your weight only if it looks as if you are gaining too much, or too little. Weight is combined with a Body Mass Index reading, which is a more accurate way of measuring your muscle to fat ratio, and this is a simple calculation based in your weight, age and your height. The weight you should aim to gain during pregnancy will depend on your start weight and BMI, and is known as the 'one, two, three rule'. If you are overweight you should only need to gain 1 stone, if you are average weight you will need to gain two stones and if you are underweight you will need to gain around three stones.
Whatever your start weight though at the beginning of pregnancy, following a healthy balanced diet is the best way to manage your weight and get all the nutrients and vitamins you and your baby need. If you are unsure how to change your diet for the better then ask your midwife or doctor for some advice, or do some research on the Internet where there are plenty of parenting sites that deal with dietary plans during pregnancy. Also make sure you attend regular antenatal checks and scans, as these will identify any potential weight problems for both you and the baby. |
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