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Weight gain during pregnancy: what healthy?

From promoting your baby's growth to preparing for weight loss after pregnancy, here are why it's important to gain weight during pregnancy.

Whether you like this fact or not, eating enough food for two people is not a license for you to eat

twice the usual amount of food, and so, follow healthy lifestyle habits to control your weight gain

during pregnancy and enhance the health of your baby, and it will be easier for you to lose the extra weight after birth.

Weight gain during pregnancy: what's healthy?


Special instructions

When it comes to weight gain during breastfeeding, there is no one-size-fits-all solution.

The weight you should gain depends on many factors, including your pre-pregnancy weight and body mass index (BMI), and your health and the health of your baby also play a role. 

Work with your health care provider to determine what is right for you.

Consider the following general guidelines for weight gain during pregnancy:

Pregnancy with twins or more

You may need to add more weight if you're carrying twins or more.

Again, work with your health care provider to determine what is right for you.

Keep the following general weight gain tips in mind if you're pregnant with twins:

In the event of excess weight

If you were overweight before pregnancy, this increases your risk of many pregnancy complications, including gestational diabetes and high blood pressure. 

Although there is a certain amount of weight that is recommended to gain during pregnancy for women

 who are overweight or obese before it, some research indicates that obese women can gain less weight than the guidelines recommend without harm to them. 

For women with a BMI of more than 35, a weight loss of less than 5 kilograms (11 pounds) appears to

benefit more than harm and may not increase the risk of having a small infant compared to gestational age.

Work with your health care provider to determine what works best for your condition and to control your weight throughout your pregnancy.

In the case of low weight

If you are low on weight, it is imperative that you gain a reasonable amount of weight during pregnancy. 

Without gaining more weight, a baby may be born earlier or smaller than expected.

If you gain excess weight

If you gain more weight than recommended during pregnancy and do not lose that weight after the baby is born, this extra weight increases the health risks that last a lifetime. 

Gaining a lot of weight during pregnancy can increase your baby's risk of health problems at birth and of developing childhood obesity.

Where does the pregnancy weight go

Let's say the baby weighs 3 or 3.6 kilograms (7 or 8 pounds). 

This weight represents some of the weight gained during pregnancy. 

How about the rest? Here is a sample analysis:

Infant: About 3 to 3.6 kilograms (7 to 8 pounds)

Breast size: about one kilogram (two pounds)

A large uterus: about one kilogram (two pounds)

Placenta: about 0.7 kilograms (1 and a half pounds)

Amniotic fluid: about one kilogram (two pounds)

Increased blood volume: about 1.4 to 1.8 kilograms (3 to 4 pounds)

Increased fluid volume: about 1.4 to 1.8 kilograms (3 to 4 pounds)

Fat stores: about 2.7 to 3.6 kilograms (6 to 8 pounds)

Gain a few kilograms

During the first trimester, most women do not need to gain much weight, which is good news if you suffer from morning sickness.

If the pregnancy begins while you are healthy and at a normal weight, you need to gain less than two kilograms (only a few pounds) in the first few months of pregnancy. 

You can achieve this by eating an extra 150 to 200 calories a day, which is roughly what is available in 170 grams (6 ounces) of low-fat fruit yogurt.

Steady weight gain is most important in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, especially when pregnancy begins when you are at a healthy or low weight. 

This usually means gaining about 1.4 to 1.8 kilograms (3 to 4 pounds) per month until birth. 

Eating an extra 300 calories a day - half a sandwich and a cup of skimmed milk - may suffice to help you achieve this goal. 

If pregnancy begins when you are underweight, your healthcare provider may review your diet and level of physical activity to make sure you meet the recommendations for weight gain.

food menu

It may be easy to add calories to your diet with junk food, but it will not provide your child with the nutrients he needs. 

The most important thing is to avoid overeating and make food choices that are rich in nutrients. 

Keep these suggestions in mind:

Swap white bread and pasta for wholegrain varieties.

Choose a low-fat salad and black beans instead of burgers and fries.

Eat sliced ​​fruit instead of biscuits.

Doctor supervision

Your weight will be carefully monitored by your doctor.

Do what you should by eating a healthy diet and maintaining prenatal visits. 

To keep the weight gained during pregnancy at a target level, your health care provider may offer you suggestions for increasing and decreasing calories as needed.

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