Weight Gain in Pregnancy
If you are concerned about managing your weight throughout your pregnancy then you should read this article. Managing weight is an issue for most women, and this is no different during pregnancy. Many women are unsure of what is healthy weight gain throughout pregnancy. For the majority of mothers weight gain is needed to ensure that the foetus develops properly and is obtaining all of the nutrients that are required. Optimal weight gain during pregnancy is dependent on many things including the current weight of the mother. After reading this article you will realise that amount of weight gain or loss are not as important as other factors. We get caught up today in things that are often off focus. It is much more important for you to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle throughout your pregnancy in order to optimise the health of you and your child. That is a much healthier focus and one that has positive not negative implications.
First things first…
Nearly all women will gain weight during pregnancy, this is obvious, and may be a worry for many mothers who are concerned about their body and losing their figure. However, insufficient weight gain during pregnancy can affect the development of the baby. Energy is needed for a pregnant woman to create a whole new person therefore it is really important to make sure that there are enough nutrients and energy going in to allow for the baby to develop. It is possible, even common, to lose weight in the first trimester of pregnancy as mothers may have stopped drinking alcohol and have a much lower calorie intake due to morning sickness. However obtaining adequate nutrition is vital to the health of the baby, and in order for this to happen some weight must be gained as long as it is not excessive.
What about a woman who is overweight at conception who then improves her diet and cuts out the junk food? She will almost definitely lose weight and in some cases a substantial amount. That is a sign of health and nothing to be concerned about.
It is unfortunately quite easy for excessive weight gain to occur during pregnancy. Mothers may crave certain foods or use their pregnancy as an excuse to comfort eat. I had a woman in the clinic who said it was finally her chance to "pig out". It must be remembered that excessive weight gain can be detrimental to the health of the mother and baby and increase the risk of such things as hypertension, diabetes and asthma. Healthy eating is really important for maintaining weight but the key focus should always be on health not weight. In addition to reducing stress, high nutritional food will lead to weight loss because the body no longer holds on to the toxins.
It will also help during pregnancy to exercise gently or moderately at least 3- 5 times a week for about 30 minutes. This gets the lymph moving where a lot of the toxins are held. Ensuring a balanced diet high in fibre, fruit, vegetables, essential fats (oily fish), lean protein and low GL (glycaemic loading) carbohydrates while avoiding high GL carbohydrates, such as sugar, and avoiding trans and saturated fats is the best way to maintain a healthy weight and make it easier to lose that weight after the birth.
Guidelines for weight gain are 28-40 pounds for underweight mothers, 25-30 for normal weight, 15-25 if you are overweight and no more than 15 pounds if you are obese. Therefore the recommended weight gain differs depending on your pre-pregnancy weight. These are guidelines only and as mentioned if you shift your focus to health you will not only have a better experience of pregnancy, you will also be doing the best for you and baby. Every woman is different and none of this is set in stone. If you maintain a healthy diet and active lifestyle in pregnancy your body will be able to figure out how best to manage your weight during pregnancy. If you have any concerns or further questions why not contact us or book a session with one of our professionals?