It takes nine whole months for the miracle to happen, and when it does, the joy seems unbound. But there are days in this nine months when the carefree livings had to be measured in the amount of strict diet chart and weekly doctor visits. Pregnancy is never easy, but at the end of the day when you get to hold your kid in your hand, the feeling is enormous forever women. There are often complications that women run into during pregnancy. Weight gain during pregnancy is something to worry about.
The initial stages of pregnancy start off with you being the same weight as you were before since till then, your baby is negligible and easy to carry. But soon with time, the baby grows in your stomach and slow weight gains during pregnancy. With the baby grows you and thus the weight gain starts during pregnancy. Now, this weight gain is different for different women during pregnancy. Some may gain weight at a steady pace, and for others, it might take a while. However, there is nothing to be afraid of, as long as the doctor gives you the green signal.
Causes of Weight Gain During Pregnancy:
The primary reasons for weight gain during pregnancy varies from the baby to you.
Baby Weight:
When you are small, you would, of course, be of a much lesser weight than what you sport right now. This is because with age your bones grow and so do your muscles and fibres. During the initial stage of pregnancy, the baby is negligible in weight. Back then he was still developing his inner organs. Your weight may have varied then, but the differences start showing when underneath those soft baby skin, fat layers start accumulating, and this is when you start to gain weight during pregnancy. His weight complied with yours is now the reason why pregnant women develop mass.
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Food Weight:
Have you ever heard a pregnant woman complain about the monster appetite? Have you ever felt the situation yourself? If so, you would surely know how the pregnancy routine and pregnancy chart works. With the baby starts developing inside you, it takes more and more bites out of your food. His fast-growing body develops at hyper speed as the baby shares your food more. Then there is the apparent pangs and desires for food that add up to your weight.
Don’t Blame The Baby:
Not all the weight you gained during pregnancy is because of the baby. With the changing body, most of your weight is because of the baby inside; you grow stronger each day. But then there is a subsidiary accumulation of fat layers in your body, for example, the breasts, the thighs, hips and the tires. It is probably the time when you would be blotching up, a part of those fats being responsible for your weight gain.
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Keep Track:
The code that you should be keeping in touch with right now is BMI and the pregnancy chart. Weight gain is entirely natural at around this time especially at your baby’s growing stage but that does not mean being overweight is necessarily right. Too much fat layer inside your body may harm the baby as the fat accumulation might cause a shortage of space. Hence from the starting of the day ask your doctor to provide you with the pregnancy weight gain chart and keep track of weight gain in kgs.
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Stay Fit:
Make sure the weight gain during pregnancy is measured; and also maintain your diet chart. Make sure you are incorporating health and happiness together so that after a good nutritious meal you can have some desired dessert. Always make sure the weight gain of pregnant women at this time is not due to grease or oil or roughage.
What Should Be Your Ideal Weight Gain During Pregnancy:
While weight gain is imperative when you are pregnant, it is essential to understand how much weight you should pregnant women gain over nine months. Your weight gain during pregnancy depends upon on your weight before pregnancy and your height. This height and weight ratio is expressed as BMI or Body Mass Index. And if that sounds confusing, you can simply follow the gynaecologist’s weight gain during pregnancy chart in kg for quick reference.
Now, if you are wondering how much weight should a pregnant woman gain, here are some figures.
According to the Institute of Medicine, some of the weight gain guidelines are as follows:
Healthy Weight Gain With BMI Between 18.5 – 24.9:
- Now to answer your questions like how much weight should pregnant women gain? are given below:
- Expectant mothers who usually weighed just before conception, gain nearly 25-30 pounds during their nine months.
- Weight gain during the first trimester is between 1 – 5 pounds, and after that, one pound developed every week.
- This weight gain is ideal for the optimal growth of the baby.
Underweight With BMI below 18.5:
Women who are underweight before pregnancy should gain 28 to 40 pounds to ensure the proper growth of their baby.
Overweight with BMI Ranging from 25 – 29.9:
As per the weight gain pregnancy chart, women who are overweight should gain not more than 15 to 25 pounds for nine months.
In Case of Twin Babies:
If you are carrying twin babies, the recommended weight gain slightly varies. For women with a healthy weight, it is 31 – 50 pounds, and for overweight mums, it should range from 25 – 42 pounds.
Obese with BMI Greater Than 30:
Obesity during pregnancy can lead to serious health complications in the mother as well as the baby. Hence you should know how much weight should pregnant women gain. Your weight gain during pregnancy should not be more than 11 to 20 pounds.
You now have learned about the ideal weight gain during pregnancy. Here we share some useful tips that will help you to gain a healthy weight during pregnancy. Remember that what you eat is crucial for the health of the precious little one growing within you. Pregnancy is not a time to diet, and it is essential for you and your baby’s health. These tips will help you in eating healthier options to meet the growing demands of your baby.
- Pregnant women must eat smaller meals all through the day. As it will keep your energy levels high all day long and you will not feel any sudden hunger pangs. Ideally, three regular meals with 2-3 snack times are recommended.
- During pregnancy, it is essential to get a good dose of iron, iodine and folate from your diet. Carbohydrates act vital for the healthy growth of the baby. Therefore make sure you are eating the right foods that meet your nutritional requirement. You can even take some supplements after consulting your doctor and do maintain a pregnancy chart.
- Make smart choices for your snacks. Always keep some cheese, crackers, dried fruits, raisins, nuts and yoghurt handy to satiate your in-between meals food cravings.
- Dairy products are highly recommended during pregnancy as they meet most of your nutritional requirement during pregnancy. Buy different varieties of cheese and add it to your salads or cooked food.
During pregnancy, putting on weight steadily and slowly is best. While these guidelines are essential to follow, there is no reason for you to worry if you do not reach the recommended weight gain in any particular week of your pregnancy. Remember that it is your journey, and it is only essential to make the right choices for yourself and your growing baby. Now that you have the answers for the ideal weight gain during pregnancy, be sure if you are a little worried about your weight gain, do not hesitate to discuss with your doctor.
