Typically, women obsess over their size, regardless of the health ramifications, and when they become pregnant, these attitudes persist. Society in general is afraid of fat, even during pregnancy. But healthy weight gain plays a huge role in a healthy pregnancy.

By no means cut back on food as it deprives you of good nutrition and results in a sickly little baby suffering from persistent health problems.

Since nearly two-thirds of women of childbearing age in the US are overweight or obese, be sure to reduce your weight before you conceive.

How much weight should you gain during pregnancy? Start with your body mass index (BMI), a ratio of your height to your weight at the time of conception and, for most people, a reliable indicator of your body fat.

Google ‘BMI Calculator’, select one of the sites, specify English or metric, enter your height and weight, and your BMI will appear. Less than 18.5 is considered underweight, 18.5 to 24.9 normal, 25 to 29.9 overweight and 30 plus obese.

To give you an idea, a 5-foot-6 female who weighs between 115 and 154 pounds is considered normal.

Recommended Guidelines for Weight Gain During Pregnancy

Following these guidelines, issued by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in May 2009, reduces health risks for both mothers and their babies.

If your pre-pregnancy weight was in the healthy range for your height (a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9), you should gain 25 to 35 pounds. In the first trimester, your gain will be 3-4 pounds, part water weight and part materials to help your little baby grow. Thereafter, gain 1 pound per week for the rest of your pregnancy to ensure optimal baby growth, a more comfortable pregnancy, and a safe delivery.

Underweight women (a BMI less than 18.5) may be less fertile due to their low body fat content, but if you did conceive, gain a total of 28 to 40 pounds; 5 to 6 pounds in the first trimester and a little over 1 pound per week for the second and third.

If you were overweight for your height (BMI 25-29.9), gain a total of 15-25 pounds; 2 to 3 pounds in the first trimester and a little over 1/2 pound per week during the second and third trimesters.

If you were obese (a BMI of 30 or higher), gain 11 to 20 pounds; 1 pound in the first trimester and a little less than 1/2 pound per week during the second and third trimesters.

If you are carrying twins, gain 37 to 54 pounds if you started at a healthy weight; 31 to 50 pounds if overweight; and 25 to 42 pounds if obese, gaining about 1 1/2 pounds per week in the second and third trimesters.

Some OB/GYNs would like to see these numbers lower, with women in the healthy range gaining 20 to 25 pounds instead of 25 to 35. Lower numbers were recommended in the 1970s and are considered sufficient for a healthy baby, but they also make it easier for women to get back to their pre-pregnancy weight.

Record your weight gains

If you suffer from nausea and morning sickness in the first trimester, food may not appeal to you and any weight gain will be negligible. It is not to worry. Later in your pregnancy is when the growing baby especially needs calories and nutrients for proper development, and by then your morning sickness will be gone.

Towards the end of your pregnancy, it may gain a little more, stop, or even notice a slight weight loss at the end. Plus-size women have reserves in their stored fat and may actually lose quite a bit of weight during pregnancy.

It is not recommended to restrict food intake and try to lose weight during pregnancy because the fat stores that you burn may contain substances that are dangerous for the baby. Gaining muscle is allowed, although you first discuss the exercise with your doctor beforehand.

If you have one or two ‘growth spurts’ gaining several pounds in a short period and then level off, don’t worry.

But if you suddenly gain more than five pounds a week during the second half of your pregnancy, be careful; this could be a sign of preeclampsia, a serious condition that threatens both you and your baby.

Also contact your doctor if you do not gain weight for more than two weeks between the fourth and eighth month of your pregnancy.

How to stay within the recommended range

Eating healthy during pregnancy is best for you and your developing baby. Your doctor will determine what constitutes healthy weight gain for you. It will also teach you what to eat and how to exercise.

The old maxim ‘eat for two’ doesn’t give you free rein to eat twice as much as you normally do.

If your weight at conception falls within the normal BMI range, during the first 12 weeks of your pregnancy you need an extra 100 to 200 calories per day; for the rest, 200 to 300, and underweight women need an additional 300 to 500 calories a day.

300 calories is not much. For example, an extra snack of four fig bars and a glass of skim milk covers that.

Dangers of gaining too much weight or being overweight at conception

Although most overweight women enjoy healthy pregnancies and deliver without complications, there are potential risks. You could miscarry, it may be difficult to hear the baby’s heartbeat and measure the size of the uterus, you will find it difficult to lose weight after delivery, and you will most likely weigh more in subsequent pregnancies. You risk complications such as high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, and preeclampsia. Your baby may be too large at birth, making vaginal delivery long and painful, increasing the likelihood that you will need a cesarean delivery, and the child is also likely to be overweight or obese. In addition, you will probably have trouble breastfeeding, partly due to low milk supply and partly because you find it difficult to position your baby to breastfeed.

To reduce your risks, medical tests such as ultrasound to measure the size of your baby and a glucose tolerance test to detect gestational diabetes during your pregnancy may be recommended.

Dangers of gaining too little weight

Those who start pregnancy low or do not gain enough during pregnancy are at risk of delayed fetal growth, delivering a low birth weight baby weighing less than 5.5 pounds, and preterm birth that it can cause serious health problems for the baby, even death, if the birth is too early.

Obeying these guidelines

Women are strongly encouraged to adhere to these recommended weight gains. It’s true that your metabolism, activity level, and genetics all play a role, but with regular visits to your doctor, you both can make sure your pregnancy progresses smoothly.

Gradually gaining weight means your baby has a steady supply of nutrients, some of which are stored for nursing, reducing the chances of hemorrhoids, varicose veins, stretch marks, back pain, fatigue, indigestion, and shortness of breath during feeding. pregnancy.

Guidelines for gaining a healthy weight

Eat five to six small meals a day that contain nutrient-dense foods that nourish you and your baby. Look for foods like fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, dried fruit, peanut butter, yogurt, cheese, whole grains, lean protein, fatty fish, and dairy products. Limit junk food, candy, cookies, donuts, cakes, chips, soda and coffee, which are loaded with calories but lacking in nutrition. Avoid smoking and alcohol.

If you need to gain weight faster, add butter, cream cheese, and sour cream to foods, and nonfat dry milk to mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, and hot cereal.

What to do if you need to decrease your weight gain during pregnancy

Instead of restricting your diet, choose healthier options. Substitute high-calorie fried foods and full-fat dairy products with the foods listed above, and you’ll feel full. Limit sugary drinks and drink water, soda, or diluted fresh fruit juice.

Regular moderate exercise, such as walking, swimming, or yoga, is effective both during pregnancy and after the baby is born.

You have to walk a fine line between eating extra calories, staying active without burning them all, and gradually gaining weight.

If you feel anxious about your weight gain

If you have carefully watched your weight in the past, you will feel uncomfortable watching it go up. Remember that some weight gain is important for a healthy pregnancy and will go away after delivery.

Lose those extra kilos after giving birth

A 25 pound weight gain during your pregnancy is distributed as follows: baby 7.5 pounds, amniotic fluid 2.0 pounds, placenta 1.0 pounds, breast tissue 1.5 pounds, uterus gains 2.0 pounds, additional blood supply 3.0 pounds, retained water 2.0 pounds, and protein and fat reserves for delivery and lactation 6.0 pounds.

You will lose about half of your pregnancy weight in the first six weeks after delivery. The rest took nine months to put on, so allow that time to lose it. Do it by eating healthy and exercising sensibly and you just might go away sooner.

Do not drastically reduce your calorie intake in an attempt to speed up your weight loss, as you need energy to cope with being a mother to a newborn baby. When you breastfeed, you lose weight faster because you burn 1,000 to 1,500 calories a day making milk.

Exercise also plays a valuable role after the birth of your baby. It helps you lose weight, build muscle, become more flexible, relieves depression, and boosts your self-esteem.

Remember that a pregnancy is about carrying a growing baby inside you, a true miracle of nature. Eating the right amount of quality food rewards you with not only a healthy baby, but also rapid weight loss after birth.