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Article Series: Pregnancy
Pregnancy: Everything You Need To Know
Pregnancy:
How Much Weight Gain is Too Much?
If you think pregnancy is an excuse to eat
all kinds of things you couldn’t before, think again. If
you think losing weight is hard, losing baby weight is even
harder
if you gain too much. You can actually harm your baby by gaining
too much or not enough weight. Your pre-pregnancy height and
how much you weighed before getting pregnant will determine
how much you need to gain. Your baby’s health depends on you
gaining the right amount of weight. If you don’t gain enough
you could have a very small baby, but gain too much, you risk
the chance of a premature baby, a large baby or gestational
diabetes.
You should gain around 25-35
pounds if you were normal weight
when you got pregnant. Most doctors recommend increasing your
diet by 300 extra calories a day. Basically adding a snack
or two will be enough to gain the right amount of weight. A
4-6 pound weight gain is normal the 1st trimester, but many
women lose a few pounds due to morning sickness, too. The 2nd
and 3rd trimester you will probably gain around a pound per
week, sometimes more and sometimes less. The weight adds itself
in spurts as the baby grows.
You probably want to gain more weight if you started out underweight.
You need some extra padding to be able to maintain your changing
frame and supply the baby with enough nutrients and protection.
A 28-40 pound weight gain is considered normal and healthy.
Because you probably won’t gain much weight the first trimester,
try to gain about a pound and a half per week in the 2nd and
3rd trimesters. Adding Ensure or instant breakfast to your
diet can help you gain that extra weight and has plenty of
vitamins and minerals.
If you started out overweight then you probably don’t want
to gain more than 15-25 pounds. Whatever you do, don’t diet.
It isn’t necessary or healthy. You will use your own fat stores
to energize your body, so you might even find that even though
you gained some weight you look slimmer. Once the baby is born
you may find yourself weighing less than before and have an
easier time losing more weight.
Gaining the right amount of weight will make it easier to
shed pounds after delivery and will prepare your body for breastfeeding.
If you're expecting twins, you want to try to gain more weight
to accommodate for more babies. The consensus says between
35-50 pounds is normal. Many women will gain more due to genetics.
If you have bigger babies than gaining more isn't so bad. Your
doctor will monitor your weight and size and keep you informed
on what is good.
Make sure you put weight on slowly and steadily
to avoid stretch marks. But don't worry if you gain less
than four pounds in
the first trimester, and make up for it later, or vice versa.
Also, many women have one or two "growth spurts" during
which they gain several pounds in a short time period, and
then level off. The important thing is to keep an eye on your
overall gain. A healthy diet and careful monitoring will ensure
a healthy pregnancy and baby.
Fluid
Retention
It might be hard to know exactly how much weight you are gaining
if you are retaining water. If you are swelling in your face,
ankles, or feet call your doctor, he or she might want to weigh
you more often to make sure you aren’t retaining too much.
It is common to hold some water during pregnancy, having your
rings not fit or slightly swollen ankles after being on your
feet all day is normal. Just make sure that the swelling goes
down once you have sat or lain down with your feet elevated
for a while.
Higher
Risk Pregnancies
For women dealing with high-risk pregnancies, there is no
known idea weight gain. It will depend on why you are high-risk
and how much you weighed before getting pregnant. For pregnant
teens a higher weight gain is good. The teenager’s body is
still growing and maturing from puberty, a pregnancy requires
more fuel to allow both mother and baby to grow. The younger
the girl, the higher the pregnancy risk and, generally, the
higher the weight gain recommendation.
Why Gain Weight
Some women dread the thought of gaining weight. It is important
to gain enough weight to have a healthy baby. More of the weight
goes into baby and other functions than just fat. Where does
it all go?
Approximate breakdown of a weight gain of 29 pounds
Where
does it all go?
Approximate
breakdown of a weight gain of 29 pounds:
- Blood
3 pounds
- Breasts
2 pounds
- Womb
2 pounds
- Baby
7.5 pounds
- Placenta
1.5 pounds
- Amniotic
fluid 2 pounds
- Fat,
protein & other
nutrients 7 pounds
- Retained
water 4 pounds
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by SolveYourProblem.com
: 2006
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