It's common to see many famous (or infamous) Hollywood types sporting baby bumps with apparently no other weight gain during their pregnancies. Nicole Ritchie, Victoria Beckham, and Jordan come to mind. Not only did they seem to not gain weight, but amazingly were back in action almost immediately after giving birth.
This type of behavior is puzzling to the average woman. On one hand, abnormally thin women are held up by the media as icons; on the other hand, most women know they must increase their food intake during pregnancy. The average woman also struggles with losing weight after the birth of a child. There's no one-size-fits-all approach to pregnancy weight gain, but it is possible to have a healthy pregnancy without gaining excess weight.
Foods To Avoid During Pregnancy
Like it or not, pregnancy weight gain is inevitable--the growth and development of your baby depend on it. However, common sense should rule. Gaining the right amount of weight during pregnancy can support your baby's health - and make it easier to shed the extra pounds after delivery. Conversely, gaining excess weight can lead to problems like gestational diabetes and a difficult delivery.
Slim and Healthy Pregnancy
Stop worrying about your excess pregnancy weight gain and start doing something about it!
Slim And Healthy Pregnancy
Pregnancy Tips
- Staying Healthy During Pregnancy
- Paying special attention to your health will reduce the likelihood of problems for your child, and it will make you more comfortable during this physically taxing time.
- Folic Acid and Pregnancy
- Getting adequate folic acid for at least a month before conception, and continuing to take it at least 3 months into pregnancy, will greatly reduce your baby's risk of having a neural tube defect.
- The Green Nursery
- We may unwittingly expose our babies to multiple toxic chemicals in their most vulnerable stage of life if we're not careful. Here are some ways to ready your home for a new baby without endangering health.
Factors In Weight Gain
There are multiple factors that determine weight gain -- including your pre-pregnancy weight and body mass index (BMI). Your overall health also plays a role.
If you have health conditions prior to pregnancy, they may exacerbate your
weight gain. Work with your obstetrician, but consider these general guidelines for pregnancy weight gain from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists:
Recommended weight gain
Underweight - 28 to 40 pounds
Normal weight - 25 to 35 pounds
Overweight - 15 to 25 pounds
Obese - At least 15 pounds
If You're Overweight
Obviously, you'll need to gain more weight if you're carrying twins or
triplets - often 35 to 45 pounds. Although excess weight carries risks - such as
gestational diabetes and hypertension - pregnancy is not the time to lose
weight. Even women who are overweight should gain some weight during pregnancy.
Of course, it's important to keep an eye on the scale. If you gain more than
the recommended amount during pregnancy and fail to lose the weight within six
months after giving birth, you may have a higher risk of being obese later.
If You're Underweight
If you're underweight, it's essential to gain a reasonable amount of weight
while you're pregnant - especially during the second and third trimesters.
Without the extra weight, your baby may be born earlier or smaller than
expected.
Where does it go?
Let's say your baby weighs in at 6 or 7 pounds. That accounts for some of
your pregnancy weight gain. But what about the rest? Here's a sample breakdown:
- Baby: 7 to 8 pounds
- Larger breasts: 1 to 3 pounds
- Larger uterus: 2 pounds
- Placenta: 1 1/2 pounds
- Amniotic fluid: 2 pounds
- Increased blood volume: 3 to 4 pounds
- Increased fluid volume: 2 to 3 pounds
- Fat stores: 6 to 8 pounds
Conclusion
In the first three months, most women don't need to gain much weight. If you
start out at a normal weight, you should gain only a few pounds in the first few
months of pregnancy. You can do this with an extra 150 to 200 calories a day.
Low-fat yogurt or a glass of calcium-fortified orange juice will suffice.
Steady weight gain is more important in the second and third trimesters This
usually means 3 to 4 pounds a month until delivery. If you started your
pregnancy underweight, your doctor suggest boosting your caloric intake more.
New Guestbook
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MindMart
Thanks for stopping by! Posted July 19, 2008 |
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The_Health_Lady
I think that when you are pregnant, before you put any food in your mouth you should ask yourself "is this food good for my baby?" and also "am I eating enough for my baby's health?" Posted July 10, 2008 |
