During the course of pregnancy, the expectant mother must gain one or another weight, and this is natural. Weight gain is not only possible, but also needs to be controlled, since too little weight gain or excessive weight gain during pregnancy can damage not only herself, but also the unborn child. So, if the expectant mother does not gain weight, then her baby can be born with a weight of less than 2500 grams, that is, underweight. Also, the child in this case may have congenital physical or neurological diseases. This may be a metabolic disorder or a developmental abnormality.
A pregnant woman who eats poorly may experience a decrease in estrogen levels, which can lead to a miscarriage. Therefore, you need to be very careful, eat right, so that weight gain during pregnancy is correct. When a pregnant woman eats more than necessary, she harms not only herself, but also her baby. Therefore, do not go to extremes. It’s better to eat right. After all, an overweight pregnant woman runs the risk of getting diabetes or may suffer from late toxicosis.
How to determine what weight gain during pregnancy should be? Everything is very simple. Calculation is based on body mass index. This is the result of dividing the weight by the square of height. For example, with a height of 174 centimeters (1.74 meters) and a weight of 63 kilograms, the body mass index will be 63: 3.0276. This equals 20.80 or rounded 21. You can check the weight gain during pregnancy according to a special table. So, the readings of the body mass index below eighteen and a half mean that the weight of the pregnant woman is below normal. With index numbers ranging from 18.5 to 25, the weight of the pregnant woman is normal. Readings from 25 to 30 are considered overweight, and an index that shows more than 30 is a sign of obesity in a pregnant woman.
There is another weight gain chart during pregnancy that reflects the most appropriate weight gain during pregnancy. This value depends on the weight of the woman before she became pregnant. So, twelve and a half - eighteen kilograms are considered below the norm, eleven and a half - sixteen kilograms are normal, overweight - seven - eleven and a half kilograms, and up to six kilograms is obesity. In addition, if twins should be born, then the following values will be considered optimal: 16 - 21 kilograms, regardless of how many kilograms you weighed before pregnancy.
This is the norm of weight during pregnancy. Moreover, the weight that is gained during this period is distributed as follows: the child weighs from three to three and a half kilograms, half a kilogram weighs the placenta, the weight of the uterus is one kilogram, the same amount of amniotic fluid, the increase in breast volume is half a kilogram, one and a half kilograms weigh additional blood, additional water is from one and a half to two kilograms, and additional fat deposition is from three to four kilograms. The monthly rate of weight gain is strictly individual. It is imperative to learn how to control the optimal weight gain per trimester. So, for the first trimester you need to gain about one and a half kilograms, and for the second and third trimesters - 300 grams every week.
During pregnancy, you need to monitor your diet. Do not consume caffeinated foods at this time. In addition, if you feel that you have gained too much weight, do not stop eating abruptly, do everything gradually, eat less protein and sugar. You can consult your doctor about nutrition. Be sure to listen to his advice. Remember that overeating and malnutrition are equally dangerous for the health of the mother, and for her unborn baby.