What should be the weight during pregnancy? It interests every mommy. Many people worry not only about the full development of the baby in the womb, but also for their own figure. Why it is so important to eat right, and what the deficit or excess weight gain when carrying crumbs can lead to, we will consider in the article.
Where does excess weight come from?
Weight gain during pregnancy is quite normal. But the increase in each woman is determined by many factors. Moreover, the set of kilograms depends on the initial data of the future mother. From whether a woman was slim before pregnancy, whether active sport was present in her life, eating habits - all this plays a major role. But paramount importance belongs to the growth and size of the fetus.
What extra pounds are made of
Normal weight during pregnancy can allow an increase of about 13 - 14 kg. Consider what is included in this figure:
- the baby has an average weight of about 3-3.5 kilograms;
- the uterus can reach a weight of 1 kg;
- amniotic fluid also make up about 1 kilogram;
- the last weighs 0.4-0.5 kg;
- the volume of circulating blood increases by 1.2-1.5 kilograms;
- additional fluid is 1.5–2.7 kilograms;
- body fat required for bearing a child varies from 3 to 4 kg;
- mammary glands on average increase by 500 grams.
The result is from 11.6 to 14.7 kilograms of excess weight.
Therefore, supporters of the opinion that it is necessary to eat for two in an excellent position can see how erroneous their statement is. For the first trimester of pregnancy, it is enough to increase the calorie content of the diet by 200 units, and starting from week 20, by another 300 calories, then the baby will receive all the necessary amount of nutrients.
And remember that excess weight gain during pregnancy affects not only the health of the woman, but also the baby.
What the increase depends on
Several factors affect the weight gain, that is, if the girl was very thin before conception, then she will get extra pounds faster. Women who are prone to overweight, who always kept their weight with an optimal diet and regular physical activity, also run the risk of quickly gaining additional weight. Moreover, tall women can gain more kilograms than the fair sex of short or medium height.
If the pregnancy proceeds safely, then the weight during pregnancy will in any case increase. In the body of a future mother, a huge number of processes occur, such as an increase in the uterus, amniotic fluid, the volume of circulating blood, breast and the creation of additional fatty deposits. Additional supplies are needed to provide all the necessary baby in case of emergency. The appeared roundness becomes noticeable even without weights, but it should be noted that not all mothers gain weight in the same way.
A large fetus additionally affects the volume of the placenta, which will be much heavier than with the average weight of the baby. Puffiness is a frequent pregnancy companion, which also thoroughly shifts the arrow of the scales in the direction of increase.
Toxicosis, followed by weight loss during pregnancy, can also play a cruel joke and become a companion of rapid mass gain in the second trimester.
Polyhydramnios also leads to an increase in the indicator on the scales. Age makes itself felt, and the older the future mother, the more extra pounds she can acquire in the process of waiting for crumbs.
Trimester Weight Changes
The first 3 months the expectant mother is gaining no more than 2 kg. But if there is a state of toxicosis, then a woman can even lose weight.
The second trimester accompanies weight gain during pregnancy, as the baby at this time begins to grow rapidly. In the first weeks, only the formation of the future baby is laid. Therefore, the body weight of the future mother does not particularly change during the first 3 months.
In recent months, all the prescribed kilograms are being gained. The norm of weight during pregnancy of a healthy mother is an increase in body weight by 10-16 kg, depending on the initial size. On average, from 12-15 weeks there is a weight gain of 300 grams per week, from 25-30 already 500 grams each.
The most important thing is that the weight gain during pregnancy is stable. The presence of a sharp increase or loss is not a good sign for a future mother and child. Therefore, in antenatal clinics regularly carry out control weighing at each appearance.
BMI indicators
Before registration, the doctor is always interested in the size of the woman before conception. This is necessary in order to know the limit values that will have to be guided during the observation of a woman.
The rate of weight gain during pregnancy by week primarily depends on the initial weight and height of the mother. What should be the optimal result based on the calculation of BMI (weight before conception divided by height in meters squared)?
A value below 20 indicates a deficient body weight. According to studies, women of this physique gain a little more than the average type. The norm for them is from 13 to 16 kg.
Girls with a BMI of 20 to 27 with normal body weight should gain no more than 14 kg during pregnancy.
Future mothers with an indicator of 29, indicating the stage of obesity, should keep their weight under strict control. Since these women are at risk. The optimal gain for them is 7 kg.
Risks associated with overweight or underweight
Normal weight during pregnancy should correspond to the above values. If there are deviations up or down, this can lead to complications.
Girls very thin in the absence of an optimal set of kilograms may face premature birth. And the crumb in this case can be born with low body weight, which implies a not very good state of health. Moreover, troubles such as anemia and anemia can also become unpleasant companions in this case. To avoid such risks, expectant mothers with a body mass index below 18 need to eat properly and balanced, so that the body receives all the necessary micro and macro elements, as well as vitamins.
Overweight girls may face increased blood pressure, gestational diabetes, and in the most terrible case - preeclampsia. Moreover, the representatives of the fair sex with overweight are more difficult to give birth than slender mothers.
It should be noted that girls with excess body weight should not go on a diet. In this case, restrictions can lead to the fact that the fetus lacks important nutrients. This may not have the best effect on health. Full mummies should give preference to healthy products and regularly visit a gynecologist conducting a pregnancy.
And remember that a balanced diet promotes optimal weight gain and supplies the baby in the womb with all the necessary nutrients.
Nutritional Recommendations for Saving a Figure
How not to gain excess weight during pregnancy? The recipe for preserving the body always comes down to the same principle: proper nutrition and regular physical activity. By the way, women planning a pregnancy are no exception in this chain.
Key recommendations:
- A complete and balanced diet. Try to eat small meals about 5-6 times a day.
- Eliminate simple carbohydrates, or at least reduce their intake to a minimum. These are sweets, pastries and drinks that contain sugar.
- Include porridge in your diet. They are rich in fiber, which positively affects the functioning of the intestines, and vitamins necessary for the proper development of the baby.
- Exclude smoked and sausages, and if possible, all preservatives. Replace with braised or baked diet meats and fresh vegetables.
- Reduce your consumption of pasta and potatoes to a minimum.
- As for snacks, it is better to give preference to fruits or light curds and yoghurts. Exclude sandwiches and buns.
- In order not to overeat and not to get extra pounds during pregnancy, install the convenient application on your smartphone and write down what you eat in a day.
As for the menu for weight loss during pregnancy - if the gynecologist allows fasting days once a week, then they will only benefit from an extra increase.
Keeping your appetite in check
How not to gain weight during pregnancy, you ask. Very often, body weight during gestation increases due to the fact that most girls believe that it is imperative to follow their desires about “eat something very tasty”. The rest, every morning, jumping onto the scales and seeing the increased numbers, try to limit themselves to the maximum in something else. Both patterns of behavior are fundamentally wrong.
In no case should you starve or overeat. Plan your diet in advance, including only healthy and healthy foods. Try to eat in small portions throughout the day about 5 or 6 times. Buy yourself a small plate that will accompany you all 9 months and eat only from it. Then excess weight does not threaten you.
Estimated Weekly Menu
In order not to recover beyond the norm, future mothers need to adhere to the correct and complete menu.
Based on such an indicator as the norm of weight gain during pregnancy by weeks, we consider an indicative diet:
- Breakfast. Be sure to eat cooked porridge. You can add lean cookies or cereal bread with a small piece of cheese. Drink porridge with green tea or fresh fruit. Sometimes you can make pancakes or pancakes from whole grain or oatmeal with a minimal addition of sugar.
- At lunch, you can eat fruit, for example, an apple, pear, banana and more.
- Lunch should consist of a light soup with meat and vegetables. For a side dish, buckwheat or rice, stew or baked meat with vegetables will be an ideal option.
- At midday, give preference to cottage cheese casserole or cheesecakes. If you are not a fan of dairy products, then make a vegetable salad dressed with olive oil.
- Dinner - a fish with vegetables, a light porridge with fruits or lazy dumplings.
Future mothers should not skip meals. It will not bring anything good. Remember that you need to eat in small portions.
Exercise stress
In order for the weight during pregnancy (by weeks) to always be within the normal range, it is necessary to engage in light sports exercises and workouts.
The best option for expectant mothers is walking. They will not only charge you with positive energy, but also improve blood circulation, which positively affects the saturation of the fetal tissues with oxygen.
All kinds of workouts are very popular among pregnant girls, such as swimming and yoga. The main thing is to focus on the general condition during stress. You can not perform exercises where the muscles of the abdominal cavity are involved.
Strictly forbidden
Alcohol should be completely excluded in the diet of a pregnant mother, even in small quantities. Limit your consumption of coffee drinks, spicy dishes. In addition, avoid eating exotic fruits and foods that you have not tried before.
Do not load the body with strong physical exertion, pursuing such a goal as weight loss during pregnancy. The measure is important in everything. Slow walks in the park or sports sections for girls in position will help maintain a steady increase. And after giving birth with the right approach, you can easily lose extra pounds and put your figure in order.
And remember that you should never panic if the weight norm during pregnancy is exceeded by 3 or 5 kg. Do not forget that each person is individual, and there are deviations in one direction or another. Follow your doctor's recommendations.