The common worry with most pregnant women is, how much to gain, when to gain and when is the right time to eat the right stuff? Not to worry, the National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine answers some of the basic questions of the anxious and ever stressful mothers-to-be.
The needs of your body and the amount of weight gain required for a pregnant mother depends on your pre-pregnancy height and weight and also on the number of babies you maybe carrying.
How Much to Gain?
Experts suggest that if you are underweight then you should be gaining as many as 28-40 pounds, if you weigh normal then 25-35 pounds should be put on, incase you’re overweight then you should gain about 15-25 pounds, if you’re obese then you need to consult a doctor (ideally you should gain 15-20 pounds) and finally, if you’re carrying twins, then regardless of how much you weigh at that time, you should be putting on as much as 35-45 pounds.
How Much Extra to Eat?
Experts suggest that on an average, pregnant women should be consuming as much as 300 calories in a day. Include healthy snacks, yogurt shake, high fiber foods such as cereals, milk, etc in your diet.
Even though mommy’s appetite is low, it is absolutely essential for the health of the mother and the baby to eat the recommended amounts of foods. Incase, one doesn’t do so, then the mother-to-be is an increased risk of giving birth to low-birth-weight-baby or babies.
It is reported that infants weighing low are vulnerable to risks such as higher infant mortality rates and other associated health risks during their early childhood such as — psychological, developmental and physical problems.
When to Gain?
Though no two persons are said to be the same, there are some standard guidelines for pregnant women to gain weight. It is suggested that during the 1st trimester, a pregnant women should be putting on as much as 3.5 pounds (normal weight). If she is underweight, then 5 pounds is ideal and if she’s overweight then 2 pounds would suffice for a 1st trimester mother-to-be.
Doctors claim that during the 2nd and 3rd trimesters, the weight gain is dramatic and quick. Infact, pregnant women begin to gain a pound every week between the 14 and 28 weeks.
It is recommended that underweight mothers-to-be should try putting on at least a little more than the one pound of weight every week. Then again, overweight mothers-to-be should limit their weights to one-half or three-fourths of the one pound.
In the 9th month, experts opine that the weight of a child-bearing mother automatically declines by a pound or two as the body prepares for birth.
Where Does the Weight Go?
This is an important question as most mothers speculate as to how early they would be able to shed the pounds once the baby is born. Experts suggest that the following break-up of the pounds required in the body by a pregnant women:
- Baby: 7 and half lbs
- Maternal Fat Storage: 7 lbs
- Maternal Tissue Fluids: 4 lbs
- Maternal Blood: 4 lbs
- Maternal Breasts Tissue: 2 lbs
- Uterine Enlargement: 2 lbs
- Amniotic Fluid: 2 lbs
- Placenta: 1 and a half lbs
Irrespective of whether you gain too less or too much during pregnancy, do NOT panic! Consult a doctor either putting on or losing the recommended weight. If you gain too much inspite of your efforts to maintain the desired weight, do not worry too much as you can fetch the per-pregnancy bod back if you stick to some exercises such as walking.
Stroll along with your new born baby on a pram and breast-feed whenever required. Studies suggest that breast-feeding can aid weight loss, but not as early as, during the first 6 months postpartum, but eventually in the years to follow.
1 Comment
That’s why more pregnant women are experiencing some
pains.