Healthy weight gain for pregnancy
Most doctors will tell you that you should gain anywhere
between 25-30 pounds through out your pregnancy. You
should aim to gain about 3.5 pounds during your first
trimester, although more often than not most women find that
they lose weight their first trimester. The culprit to
this is morning sickness. Some women suffer from such a
severe case of morning sickness they can not keep anything
down. Chances are your doctor will not be too concerned
if you lose a few pounds that first trimester as long as you
gain steady throughout the next two trimesters.
Your second trimester is where you will probably put on most
of your weight. Most women put on about a pound a week,
so roughly four or five pounds a month which brings their
second trimester weight gain to about 12-15 pounds. Some
women put on more while others put on less. Do not be
surprised if you put on a lot of weight one month and not so
much your next.
For the 7th and 8th month you will should probably continue
about a pound each week or so. Look to gain between 8 and
10 pounds those months. Most women find that their weight
gain slows down in the 9th month. You might find your
weight gain coming to a end as your due date draws
nearer. This can be a sign that labor is on the
horizon. Or, you may find that your weight gain continues
especially if you are retaining a lot of water.
So where does all this weight go? It doesn't really make
sense that you should gain between 25-30 pounds if your baby is
only going to weigh between 7 and 8 pounds. Let's break
down where the extra weight goes.
First, you have your baby. A average baby weights
about 7 1/2 pounds. Some can weigh more and some weigh
less. That amniotic fluid that your baby has been
swimming in for the past nine months weighs about 2
pounds. Figure in about 2 pounds for your breast
enlargement and 1 1/2 pounds for your placenta. Your
uterus, which started off about the size of a golf ball has
grown to weigh about 2 pounds. Your body should be
producing about 4 pounds of extra blood by the end of your
pregnancy and about 7 extra pounds of fat. Let's not
forget the extra fluid of about 4 pounds that your body might
be holding on to. All this equals to the grand total of
about 30 pounds.
Now keep in mind this is just a estimate and not a guarantee
of how your weight will fall. There are women who wind up
having a 10 pound baby and others who have a 5 pound
baby. The key is to maintain a healthy weight gain
throughout your pregnancy. Your body needs extra calories
and it is best for you and your baby if those extra calories
come from food that has a lot of nutritional value such as
fruits, vegetables or protein. Staying away from junk for
will help you curb your weight gain.
When it comes to taking the weight off, do not be surprise
if your body hangs on to it especially those first days after
delivery. Once you are home keep this in mind that it
took nine months to gain that weight so gives yourself at least
a good nine months to take it off.
|