How Much Do You Gain During Pregnancy

How Much Should You Gain By 20 Weeks

As you near the end of your first trimester, and begin the second, weight gain is expected to increase. Some providers like to see women with a healthy BMI prior to pregnancy, gain 10 pounds by 20 weeks. During the second and third trimester, guidelines often suggest gaining 1/2 to 1 pound per week.

Managing Weight During Pregnancy

Some women are already overweight when they get pregnant. Other women gain weight too quickly during their pregnancy. Either way, a pregnant woman should not go on a diet or try to lose weight during pregnancy.

It is better to focus on eating the right foods and staying active. If you do not gain enough weight during pregnancy, you and your baby may have problems.

Still, you can make changes in your diet to get the nutrients you need without gaining too much weight. Talk to your health care provider to get help with planning a healthy diet.

Below are some healthy eating tips to help you get started.

Healthy choices:

• Fresh fruits and vegetables make good snacks. They are full of vitamins and low in calories and fat.
• Eat breads, crackers, and cereals made with whole grains.
• Choose reduced-fat dairy products. You need at least 4 servings of milk products every day. However, using skim, 1%, or 2% milk will greatly reduce the amount of calories and fat you eat. Also choose low-fat or fat-free cheese or yogurt.

Foods to avoid:

Eating out:

• Knowing the amount of calories, fat, and salt in your food can help you eat healthier.
• Most restaurants have menus and nutrition facts on their websites. Use these to plan ahead.
• In general, eat at places that offer salads, soups, and vegetables.
• Avoid fast food.

Cooking at home:

Exercise:

How Much You’ll Lose When You Give Birth

The minute you push that baby out you’ll lose about 11 poundsthat’s taking into account the kiddo, all of that amniotic fluid, and the placenta.

A couple of weeks later, the baby-making hormones level off, allowing your body to release the fluid weight it was retaining and tackle the fat stores.

“Provided you didn’t gain too much during your pregnancy, eating right and moderate exercise will help you lose the remaining baby weight relatively quickly,” Rasmussen says. You’ll be zipping up your pre-pregnancy jeans in no time.

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Body Image During Pregnancy

If you have struggled with your weight in the past, it may be hard to accept that it is OK to gain weight now. It is normal to feel anxious as the numbers on the scale edge up.

Keep in mind that you need to gain weight for a healthy pregnancy. The extra pounds will come off after you have had your baby. However, if you gain a lot more weight than is recommended, your baby will also be bigger. That can sometimes lead to problems with delivery. A healthy diet and regular exercise are your best ways to ensure a healthy pregnancy and baby.

How Do I Lose Weight After I Give Birth

You ll likely lose about half of your pregnancy weight gain in the first six weeks after pitch. The baby accounts for about 7.5 pounds, and the amniotic fluid, placenta, and extra consistency fluids and blood in your consistency add up to another 8 to 12 pounds . For the rest, remember that it took nine months to put on the weight, and it can take precisely arsenic long or longer to lose it. A goodly diet combined with regular exert is the best way to shed the pounds and keep them off.

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Do nt start cutting calories right away, though. Caring for a neonate requires lots of department of energy and that means giving your body the nutrition it needs. In fact, if you re breastfeeding, you ll continue to need extra calories for deoxyadenosine monophosphate retentive as you nurse your baby . If you re concerned about losing weight, consider seeing a file dietician and possibly a personal flight simulator to help you lose an allow sum of weight unit at a healthy rate .

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What Does It Mean If I Am Below A Healthy Weight Range

Gaining too little weight during pregnancy can increase your risk of going into labour too early, having a baby that is smaller than expected and having problems breastfeeding your baby. It can also increase the risk of obesity and diabetes in your child. If you are concerned about your weight, talk to your GP, health professional or enrol in the Get Healthy in Pregnancy Program to receive advice from a health coach.

How Much You Should Gain By Trimester

However, when you gain weight is important, too. You don’t need to gain much weight during the first trimester. You may be relieved to hear that if you’ve been having a hard time keeping food down because of morning sickness. You should only gain 1 to 4 pounds during the first trimester. You don’t need to add any extra calories during this trimester, just eat a healthy diet.

During the second and third trimesters, your weight gain should be pretty steady at one-half to 1 pound weekly, depending on how much you should gain. Since the second and third trimesters are both around 13 weeks, you’d expect to gain the same amount in each one. However, for many women, weight gain slows or stops in the last month. Because of this, most women gain the most weight during their second trimester of pregnancy.

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How Much Weight Is Healthy To Gain During Pregnancy

Weight gain recommendations for pregnancy are based on the mothers body mass index at the time of conception. If your BMI is in the healthy weight category at conception , the Institute of Medicine recommends gaining 25-35 pounds during pregnancy. If your BMI is under 18.5, you should gain 28-40 pounds.

Recommended Weight Gain During Pregnancy

Pregnancy can lead to significant changes to women’s bodies and daily routines. One of them is the body weight gain to ensure enough nutrients for the development of the fetus and to store enough nutrients in preparation for breastfeeding. While weight gain during pregnancy is normal and necessary, studies have shown that certain ranges of weight gain given a specific body mass index result in more positive outcomes for both fetus and mother.1

Generally, it is recommended that pregnant women gain only 1-4 pounds during the first 3 months of pregnancy, and 1 pound per week during the remainder of the pregnancy. It is possible to achieve 1 pound per week by consuming an additional ~300 calories per day,2 which is roughly equivalent to eating an extra sandwich plus a glass of milk or a baked potato plus 2 ounces of meat plus an apple.

The Institute of Medicine provides a weight gain guideline based on Prepregnancy BMI, which is shown in the table below. But note that these are only recommendations and that weight gain between women varies. As such, a health care provider should be consulted to more accurately determine each person’s specific needs.

Recommendations for total weight gain during pregnancy by prepregnancy BMI1

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Weight Gain In Pregnancy

Weight gain in pregnancy varies greatly. Most pregnant women gain between 10kg and 12.5kg , putting on most of the weight after week 20.

Much of the extra weight is due to your baby growing, but your body will also be storing fat, ready to make breast milk after your baby is born.

Putting on too much or too little weight can lead to health problems for you or your unborn baby.

Dont Worry Too Much If Youre Not Gaining In The First Trimester

Spending more time tightening your pants than loosening them in the first trimester? You might be wondering if losing or maintaining your weight is a red flag.

The good news? Not gaining any weight during the first trimester doesnt mean anythings wrong. In fact, losing a few pounds in the first half of your pregnancy is a common occurrence .

If you havent experienced morning sickness, consider yourself lucky. Feeling nauseous and experiencing occasional vomiting at any time of the day may cause you to maintain your weight or lose a few pounds. Fortunately, this typically subsides in the second and third trimester.

Pursing your lips at the sight of your favorite plate of scrambled eggs and bacon is also common in the first trimester. I often joke with my patients and tell them that they might have food aversions in the first trimester, but then will overcompensate in the second and third trimester by having food cravings out of character for them outside of pregnancy, says Lipeles.

If youre experiencing vomiting or food aversions, make sure to share this information with your OB-GYN at your routine visits. Its important to keep them in the loop, especially if youre losing weight. Weight loss means the body is in a breakdown mode and is stressed, which leads to a deficiency in nutrients, says Felice Gersh, MD, an OB-GYN at Integrative Medical Group of Irvin, where shes the founder and director.

And you do need to be cautious of experiencing notable weight loss.

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When To Call The Doctor

Its always a good idea to check with your doctor if youre concerned that youre overstepping or not gaining enough. This really is a conversation OB/GYNs and midwives are used to having, and they can help you find ways to hit your goals or refer you to someone else who can.

Also check with your practitioner if you gain more than three pounds in any one week in the second trimester, or if you gain more than two pounds in any week in the third trimester. Its especially important if the gain doesnt seem to be related to overeating or excessive intake of sodium, since sudden pregnancy weight gain can be a sign of preeclampsia. Finally, be sure to give your doctor a call if you gain no weight for more than two weeks in a row during the fourth to eighth months.

Managing Your Weight Gain During Pregnancy

Most women should gain somewhere between 25 and 35 pounds during pregnancy. Most will gain 2 to 4 pounds during the first trimester, and then 1 pound a week for the rest of the pregnancy. The amount of weight gain depends on your situation.

• Overweight women need to gain less .
• Underweight women will need to gain more .
• You should gain more weight if you are having more than 1 baby. Women having twins need to gain 37 to 54 pounds .

A balanced, nutrient-rich diet, along with exercise, is the basis for a healthy pregnancy. For most pregnant women, the right amount of calories is:

• 1,800 calories per day in the 1st trimester
• 2,200 calories per day in the 2nd trimester
• 2,400 calories per day in the 3rd trimester

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Average Pregnancy Weight Gain Chart

• 7 1/2 pounds is about how much the baby will weigh by the end of pregnancy.
• 1 1/2 pounds is how much the placenta weighs.
• 4 pounds is attributed to increased fluid volume.
• 2 pounds is the weight of the uterus.
• 2 pounds is the weight of breast tissue.
• 4 pounds is because of increased blood volume.
• 7 pounds is attributed to maternal stores of fat, protein, and other nutrients.
• 2 pounds for the amniotic fluid.
• Total: 30 pounds

On a trimester basis in a woman with normal pre-pregnancy weight:

• First trimester: 1-4.5 pounds
• Second trimester: 1-2 pounds per week
• Third trimester: 1-2 pounds per week

Remember this is just an average you and your health care provider need to decide what is best for you.

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Laboratory Testing During Pregnancy

Physiological changes during pregnancy alter the normal ranges of several laboratory values. Both total red blood cell mass and plasma volume increase, but plasma volume increases to a greater extent resulting in hemodilution and anemia during pregnancy. Consequently, a hemoglobin < 10.5 g/dl or a hematocrit < 32% is considered anemic during the second trimester . Serum total protein and albumin also decrease by approximately 30% compared to non-pregnant values. Additionally, because estrogen increases the hepatic production of certain proteins, there is greater protein binding of corticosteroids, sex steroids, thyroid hormones, and vitamin D during pregnancy, resulting in lower free levels.

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Do Not Diet At All During Pregnancy Low

Limiting your diet will prevent you from getting enough nutrients for pregnancy such as iron and folic acid. This can harm both you and the baby.

Instead, try to eat a healthy diet and be active and active. Adopt a healthy lifestyle in these nine months. If you develop good eating habits and exercise regularly, it will have a good effect not only on pregnancy but also on your health.

Having good health makes your pregnancy and delivery easier. It will also help you lose weight after the birth of the baby. Choose healthy options instead of unhealthy foods. Biscuits, cakes, fried snacks, sweets, and ice creams contain a lot of saturated fat, salt, and sugar.

Instead, you can have fresh fruits, low-fat yogurt, a handful of nuts, and healthy snacks. Choose a healthy drink instead of sweet soda drinks or even better if you drink water. Such simple changes will also greatly help. For more options, see our slideshow with nutritious and refreshing drinks.

You can also go-to a pregnancy exercise classes, such as antenatal yoga. These will give you an opportunity to meet other mothers like you and encourage you to exercise.

Try to be active during the day. For example, use stairs instead of elevators, go for short walks, walk instead of cars in the neighboring market. Talk to your doctor about nutritious diet intake and ways to stay more active.

How Do I Stick To A Healthy Pregnancy Weight Gain

Heres the thing: You really dont have to worryas long as you are eating enough high quality foods everyday and exercising moderately. Your body knows what it needs, and will tell you. Follow your body!

Looking for info on diet? Heres a deep dive on your perfect pregnancy diet, but youll find a few guidelines to get you started below.

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How Long Does It Take To Lose Pregnancy Weight

• Some women lose their pregnancy weight and more before baby hits 6 months old.
• For others, it takes about a year to get back to pre-pregnancy weight.

The body, in its wisdom, doesnt drop all of the weight at once. It took 9 months to gain the weight, so give yourself time. Crash dieting postpartum be very taxing on the systemit can lead to health issues, low milk supply, and even gallbladder disease.

Why Appropriate Weight Gain Is Important

Generally, a healthy pregnancy requires that a person gain 25 to 35 pounds during the nine-month gestation period. But that’s for just one baby. Like everything about having multiples, more is required. In most cases, about a third of the weight belongs to the babies.

Most people gain about 35 to 50 pounds during a twin pregnancy, with about 10 additional pounds for every additional baby in a higher-order multiple pregnancy.

Although the thought of gaining weight can be daunting, it’s vitally important for the health of the babies, and for you also. It takes an incredible amount of energy to sustain a twin or multiple pregnancy.

However, keep in mind that the goal is to gain weight within the recommended range, not too much or too little. The amount of weight that you gain during pregnancy will affect both your health and that of your babies. In addition, gaining too many pounds can make it harder to lose the baby weight after delivery.

Infants born to mothers who do not gain enough weight during pregnancy are at higher risk of pre-term birth and low birth weight. They may also be more susceptible to illnesses and breastfeeding problems.

In contrast, women who gain too much weight experience more delivery complications and have babies who are at risk of childhood obesity.

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Third Trimester: You’ll Eat Around 2400 Calories Per Day

By the final trimester, US doctors recommend that add another 110 additional calories to your diet.

“If a woman’s normal caloric intake is 1,800 per day, that’s a good amount to stick with during the first trimester,” Stockwell says. “By the third trimester she should be consuming 2400 calories per day.”

“One very important reason for pregnant women to eat well is so that they stay healthy and do not become nutritionally depleted by providing for the growth of the baby,” Stockwell says. “For example, if mom doesn’t have enough calcium in her diet, the baby’s bones will form from calcium taken from mom’s bones and transferred through the bloodstream to the placenta where it is used by the baby.”

But these extra calories can’t just come from anywhere, says dietitian Sally Poon.

“Many often women experience sugar or carbohydrate cravings during pregnancy and overeat cakes, biscuits, or candies,” Poon says. “This snacking behavior can lead to rapid weight gain and thus increase the risk of gestational diabetes.”

Why Is It Important To Gain The Recommended Amount Of Weight During Pregnancy

Gaining less than the recommended amount of weight in pregnancy is associated with delivering a baby who is too small. Some babies born too small may have difficulty starting breastfeeding, may be at increased risk for illness, and may experience developmental delays .

Gaining more than the recommended amount of weight in pregnancy is associated with having a baby who is born too large, which can lead to delivery complications, cesarean delivery, and obesity during childhood. Gaining more than the recommended amount of weight can also increase the amount of weight you hold on to after pregnancy, which can lead to obesity.

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