Pregnancy Symptoms; Signs of Pregnancy

Weight Gain During Pregnancy

Written by Jane Brown

It may be a cliche, but when you're pregnant, you really are eating for two. But just because you're pregnant, you shouldn't consider it a license to overindulge in junk food and sweets. What you eat is just as important as how much you eat during pregnancy. During pregnancy, most women should gain 25 to 35 pounds. How much weight  you should gain depends on a variety of factors, including how much you currently weigh and your body mass index, a means of calculating a person's ideal weight based on height. If you are already underweight, you'll likely need to gain about 28 to 40 pounds during your pregnancy. It's especially important that you put on the pounds during your second and third trimesters. If you don't gain sufficient weight, your baby could be born premature, or dangerously small.If you are overweight, it's important not to gain too much weight during your pregnancy. Obesity poses health risks to both you and your baby, including gestational diabetes and high blood pressure. Overweight women are advised to gain only about 15 to 25 pounds during pregnancy. Very overweight women should gain only 11 to 20 pounds. If your body weight falls into the average category in a BMI, you should gain about 25 to 35 pounds. And of course, if you're carrying multiple babies, the weight you should gain increases in all body type categories. You may be wondering how all that extra weight you're having to put on breaks down. After all, the baby only weights seven to 10 pounds, where's all that other weight going? Here's a breakdown of the extra weight: The baby itself weights about seven to eight pounds. Your breasts, which have increased in size because of milk production, account for about one to three pounds of your gain. Your uterus, which will increase 1,000 times from its non-pregnant size by the time you give birth, accounts for about two pounds. Your placenta will weight about two pounds more as well. You're carrying a lot more liquid weight. Amniotic fluid will account for about 2 pounds, increase blood volume will account for three to four pounds and increased fluid volume will make up about three to four pounds of your weight gain too. Growing a baby takes up a lot of energy and your body will increase its fat stores to tap if needed. This will account for about six to eight pounds of your weight gain. Remember, that when you're gaining weight during pregnancy, slow and steady wins the race. You don't want to put on too much weight, because having to lose weight during pregnancy is extremely ill advised, and you also don't want to put on too much weight too fast because this can cause problems such as gestational diabetes and other health problems. If your baby grows too big, he may have to be delivered by Caesarean section, putting him at risk for being injured as he is extracted from your abdomen. The golden mean for most pregnancies is to gain about four weeks in the first trimester and then a pound a week until the baby's born. To put on the extra pounds, continue eating a balanced diet of meats, vegetables, grains and fruits, but increase your serving sizes. You only need about 200-300 extra calories per day to accomplish this. To best facilitate a controlled weight gain you should eat several small meals per day, use more condiments and eat more peanut butter. If you're bulking up too fast, slow your roll by consuming more non-fat food. It's not advisable in the least to lose weight during pregnancy, so it's up to you to keep your weight gain within an acceptable limit. A gradual gain of weight has a hidden benefit you'll appreciate. The slower you gain weight, the less likely it will be that you have stretch marks. Remember, it's not good to gain all the weight by just eating junk food. It's not nutritious and not good for your baby. Bulk up by eating health meals. Weight gain is an issue that you must discuss frequently with your health care provider to make sure you're where you need to be. Few things are as vital to your newborn as the nutrients you're able to provide, so consult at length about how much or how little weight you should be gaining, when you should be gaining it, and what foods you should be gaining it from.

 

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