When it comes to pregnancy, big is beautiful
By now, you've already started to gain a little extra weight; most women gain at least a few kilograms by the end of their first trimester. This probably doesn't bother you, but as the months go by and the weight keeps packing on, you may start seeing the scales as your new worst enemy.
This reaction is completely understandable in our culture. Many women spend much of their lives struggling to lose weight. No wonder that it's sometimes hard for women to allow themselves to gain appropriately for a pregnancy! But as your pregnancy progresses, it is important to remember that this weight gain is for a purpose: your body is accomplishing a miracle, and it needs energy and nutrients to do it.
How much weight should you gain?
An ideal pregnancy weight gain starts with the addition of 3 to 4.5 kg in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy. Subsequently, during the second half of the pregnancy, you would gain around 225 to 450 g each week. All told, current guidelines recommend that an average-size woman should gain somewhere between 11 and 16 kg during her pregnancy. If a woman already was overweight when she became pregnant, most experts suggest that she gain between 7 and 9 kg. Your healthcare professional can help determine the appropriate weight gain in your particular case.
Don't use pregnancy as an excuse to eat, and, conversely, don't go crazy worrying that you're racking up the weight. The main objective is to consume a healthy, well-balanced diet based on a variety of foods. A woman who is not pregnant needs between 1,800 and 2,200 calories per day.
When you are pregnant, you need to take in an additional 300 or so calories per day. You will probably gain the right amount of weight if you generally eat healthy foods and let your own appetite be your guide.
What if you gain too much or too little?
The amount of weight you gain is important. Although many women worry that they are gaining too much, your practitioner will probably be more concerned if you are not gaining enough. Poor weight gain increases the chances that the baby will not get adequate nutrition or grow properly. Sometimes eating more frequently (adding additional small meals or healthy snacks) and increasing the fat in your diet can help.
Excess weight gain is not usually a medical problem. The biggest negative about gaining too much weight is that it may be depressing to contemplate trying to lose it after the baby is born. If you are gaining weight too quickly, you still need to eat when you're hungry, but try to decrease your portion size, eat more slowly, and substitute lower-fat foods for higher (such as semi-skimmed milk instead of full-cream, and frozen yogurt instead of ice cream. Rapid weight gain, more than 2 kg in a week, can be a sign of severe fluid retention from preeclampsia if your blood pressure is also high. If you are worried about your weight gain or diet, discuss your concerns with your doctor or midwife. Sometimes a consultation with a dietitian also can be helpful.
When twins are on board, special circumstances apply
If you are carrying twins or other multiples, of course, you should gain more weight. Your doctor will discuss your ideal weight gain with you. With twins, for example, the typical optimal weight gain is between 16 and 20 kg.
THE DISTRIBUTION OF PREGNANCY KILOGRAMS: WHAT GOES WHERE?
Wondering where all those extra kilograms are going? Here's how the weight gain is distributed in a typical pregnancy:
Baby: 3.2 kg
Placenta: 450 g
Amniotic fluid: 900 g
Blood volume: 1.8 kg
Body fluids: 1.35 kg
Uterus: 900 g
Breasts: 450 g
Fat and protein storage: 3.2 kg
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