Doctors say that that number one reason why pregnant women should gain weight is to support the nutritional needs of the growing fetus inside her. Since food intake is the number one source of all nutrition in the body, pregnant women should keep on eating especially during the first few months of pregnancy to provide al the nutrients needed by the baby.
Aside from supplying all the nutritional needs of the fetus, weight gain also indicates that the mother is healthy enough to carry on with the pregnancy.
Women who have babies in their wombs cannot be blamed for worrying too much over pregnancy weight gain because the society largely contributes to this thinking. In fact, with all the commercialization and hype on weight loss, women even if those who are pregnant are tempted to cut down on their weight so the people in the society won't ridicule them.
Today, some studies show that more and more pregnant women are trying to regulate their food intake. They do this because they don't want to be fat without thinking that it could severely affect the condition of the baby inside the womb.
Experts say that pregnant women regardless of their condition should always stay healthy throughout the duration of pregnancy. Being healthy does not only entails having a positive outlook in life but also good eating habits to supply the nutrients needed both by the mother and the baby. Experts agree that the weight of the woman before the pregnancy does not matter once the first trimester rushes in. It means that no matte how light or heavy you are, you still need to gain weight when you are pregnant.
Medical findings prove that women who are overweight during pregnancy still need to gain weight with at least 20 pounds. Women who are underweight are advised to gain more, ranging from 20-40. These figures are ideal for women who are having single babies.
For those who are expecting two or more, they need to gain much more weight in order to provide the needs of the growing babies.
Pregnancy weight gain is very important for this special period in time because it will benefit the baby a lot. Aside from providing him or her nutrients needed through the foods that you eat, it also ensures their overall health once they come out in this world. Studies show that pregnant women who did not gain weight during conceiving are mothers to small and sickly babies.
For pregnant women to gain weight the healthy way, they should stick to the recommended number of calorie-intake which is 400 to 500 daily.
They should also be mindful about what they eat and how often they eat. During the early stages of pregnancy, pregnant women are allowed to eat almost anything they want to. But, as the pregnancy progresses, some foods are prohibited for pregnant women because these contain ingredients which can be harmful to the baby such as caffeine in coffee and in other drinks, alcohol and beverages with alcohol content, as well as cigarette smoking because it may cause mental problems to the baby.
Aside from eating healthy foods, pregnancy weight gain can also be achieved by performing a list of exercise regularly to keep the muscles fit and firm.
About 50% of women say that their weight has increased during and after pregnancy. So a very common question arises - Is there any relationship between pregnancy and obesity? This article will discuss this question in detail because abnormal weight gain creates problems for both the mother and the fetus.
Extensive studies indicate that a weight gain of 8 to 10 kg (17.5 to 22 pounds) during pregnancy is normal. Generally the weight should come down to its normal level soon after the delivery. But in cases of some women, it does not happen that way. Their weight starts increasing during pregnancy and there is no significant weight loss after pregnancy. Many factors could be responsible for such a phenomenon. Sometimes, a pregnant woman is over fed under the false notion of providing double nutrition ? to the mother and to the child. Many a time, a pregnant woman is not allowed to do any physical work. Lack of physical activity and overeating ? these two factors are generally responsible for the abnormal weight gain during pregnancy.
Care should be taken to ensure that the weight gain does not exceed the level suggested by her doctor. For this, an expectant mother should be weighed regularly every month during the first six months of her pregnancy and every fortnight thereafter. Care should also be taken to ensure that there is no weight gain beyond 2 kg on an average, every month.
Hazards of excessive weight gain during pregnancy:
1. Effect on the expectant mother: Excessive food intake during pregnancy increases the weight which in turn may cause serious consequences. In case of obese women, the incidence of toxemia of pregnancy, allocation of fetus, unbearable pain and post natal bleeding is very high. Obese women generally do not have normal deliveries. Either a forceps delivery or a Cesarean operation is required. Besides this, the mother's life is generally in danger for a few days following the delivery. Those women who have a family history of diabetes, heart disease or obesity, need to take extra precautions during their pregnancy.
2. Effects on the fetus: Maternal obesity increases the risk of fetus mortality by about four times. If the mother is obese during pregnancy, the chances of injury to the tender limps of the fetus during the delivery are also enhanced.
Dietary advices necessary during pregnancy:
Generally a pregnant woman develops health consciousness. She generally accepts all the suggestions and advice regarding health and soon implements them. Right dietary advice tendered to her at this stage may help her to permanently alter the feeding habits of the whole family and thereby prevent the obesity of her children too.
Aims of dietary control during pregnancy:
1.To check undue weight gain 2.To maintain the health of mother and child 3.Proper development of fetus
Diet plan for pregnant women:
1.Take high protein foods. 2.Restrict the intake of carbohydrates and fats. 3.Increase the intake of raw vegetables and fruits so as to supply vitamins and organic minerals to the body. 4.Restrict the use of ghee, butter, bread, biscuits, cake, sugar, chocolates, sweets, rice, etc. 5.There is no harm in consuming the following items freely: grain (ground or powdered by hands), vegetables, fruits, milk, buttermilk, curd, etc. 6.Restrict the intake of salt.
If a pregnant woman gives up her habit of eating too often, does all the household jobs, goes for a walk in the open air or does any light physical work and prevents obesity, she does not need to worry about any untoward incident during pregnancy of at the time of delivery.
Disclaimer: This article is not meant to provide health advice and is for general information only. Always seek the insights of a qualified health professional before embarking on any health program.
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