Women's Issues

Healthy Pregnancy Weight Gain – How Much Is Too Much?

However weight gain during pregnancy is a normal part of life and you should not be too concerned with your weight gain providing you eat a good healthy pregnancy diet plan. Obviously if you suddenly put on a lot of weight during your pregnancy, make sure you seek medical attention immediately as this will be water gain and needs medical intervention.

Women often panic when they see a gain of a pound or two apparently overnight but what you must realize is that we are made up of approximately 70% water and our weight will fluctuate, especially around ‘that time of month’ for non-pregnant women. This is why we are always advised to weigh once weekly at the most, never daily! It truly does help stop these mini panic attacks from occurring!

The concern of many mothers-to-be is how much weight gain is necessary and how can you monitor it to avoid piling on excess pounds. Pregnancy is a time when you can all too easily pack on pounds all in the name of baby weight.

Yes, you are supplying vital nutrients for your baby’s healthy growth and nutrition. But, that doesn’t mean you need hundreds of extra calories a day, certainly not in the first two trimesters of your pregnancy.

During the first three months of your pregnancy, often referred to as the first trimester, women on average need to gain about two to four pounds. Thereafter it is expected that you will gain a pound a week for a healthy pregnancy and delivery.

Where does this extra weight go? It is not all baby weight! Nature always ensures the survival of our young by fattening up the mother. Therefore you may notice your stomach (naturally!) hips and thighs become heavier.

This weight gain is generally the problem areas for weight loss after baby is born. Putting on excess weight during your pregnancy will just add more pounds to these areas so you must monitor your food intake and stick to a healthy pregnancy diet plan.

If you already have a good amount of padding in these areas prior to pregnancy then careful monitoring of your daily diet can help ensure you do not gain excess fat.

Carrying extra weight will also make you feel very fatigued, and you will have low levels of energy. While you are pregnant you will put on weight naturally, but having too much extra weight can make it extremely uncomfortable for you to get about as you are carry your extra weight and that of your baby as well.

Eating too much of the wrong foods can also affect your cravings, so if you minimize the type of foods that you eat you can also reduce the amount of cravings that you may experience during your pregnancy.

Your pregnancy diet plan is all about balancing the right amount of food with proper rest and relaxation. Be sure you never under-eat as it could be detrimental to your baby’s overall health and development. Try and eat a whole-food diet, for the health and safety of your baby, as too much fast, processed food can cause high levels of stress and increase your blood pressure.

Tags: diet, hips and thighs, pregnancy weight gain, Weight, weight gain during pregnancy