Why do you gain weight during pregnancy?

Weight gain during pregnancy is always a matter of concern to pregnant mothers. So what is the essence of this? aFamilyToday Health will provide you with the following information about weight gain during pregnancy.

Babies usually weigh between 3.1-3.6kg at birth. Your baby's weight is a part of your increased weight during pregnancy. Usually, you can weigh 12.5kg more than before you became pregnant. However, this number can vary depending on your height and weight. So, in addition to the baby's weight, the rest of your weight increases for what?

Weight increases during your pregnancy

During pregnancy, your body weight will include:

Baby: 3.1-6kg

Larger chest: 0.4-3kg

Larger uterus: 9kg

Placenta: 0.2kg

Amniotic fluid: 9kg

Blood mass increased: 3-1.8 kg

Increased amount of liquid: 1.3-1.8kg

Fat storage: 2.7-6kg.

If you look at each stage of pregnancy, your weight will vary equally:

First 3 months of pregnancy: You will gain 0.5-2kg in the first 3 months.

Second 3 months of pregnancy: You will gain 0.5 kg per week for the next 3 months.

Last 3 months of pregnancy: You will gain 0.5 kg per week in the last 3 months.

Always keep in mind that eating your baby doesn't mean you have to eat twice as much as you normally would. In fact, your body doesn't need much extra energy for the first 3 months. Over the next 3 months, experts recommend that you consume about 340 more calories a day and about 450 more calories in the last 3 months.

However, experts often recommend calculating the weight to be achieved during pregnancy based on the BMI before you become pregnant:

If your BMI was greater than 26 before pregnancy, you will need to gain 7-11.5kg during pregnancy.

If your BMI was between 20 and 26 before pregnancy, you will need to gain 11.5-16 kg during pregnancy.

If your BMI was less than 20 before pregnancy, you will need to gain 12.5-18kg during pregnancy.

Always maintain a healthy weight before and during pregnancy, this will help your baby develop steadily. You can stabilize your own weight through a healthy diet. The average pregnant woman needs 300 extra healthy calories per day to reach her ideal pregnancy weight.

The consequences of much weight gain

Gaining more weight than recommended during pregnancy puts pregnant women at higher risk for blood pressure problems such as hypertension in pregnancy (high blood pressure in pregnancy) and pre-eclampsia . These problems can cause you to have a premature birth .

Additionally, excess weight gain during pregnancy increases the risks such as:

Caesarean

The fetus is large, causing difficulties for labor, and having difficulty giving birth

The next pregnancy will also be overweight, increasing the risk of diabetes and having a cesarean section.

Most pregnant women are overweight or obese before pregnancy to increase more than necessary. If you are overweight, talk to your doctor (best to do before pregnancy) about ways to reduce your risk, especially if you have obesity-related problems. eg hypertension or diabetes mellitus .

What happens when pregnant mothers don't gain enough weight?

Gaining too little weight during pregnancy, especially if you didn't reach your standard weight before pregnancy, can increase the risk that your baby will be born underweight (less than 2.5kg). This can cause a lot of problems for your baby, such as:

Difficulty sucking

Hypoglycemia

Must stay in hospital longer for more monitoring.

However, pre-pregnancy women who lost more than 20 kg, who did not gain or gain little weight during pregnancy may reduce the risk of pregnancy complications, such as hypertension, pre-eclampsia and large babies.

How to gain weight healthily during pregnancy?

Here are 5 tips to help you gain weight if your doctor advises you to gain weight during pregnancy:

Eat 5 to 6 meals a day

Always carry healthy snacks, such as water sandwiches, apples, and bananas. 5ml peanut buttercream will provide you with 100 calories and 7g protein

Add fat-free milk to mashed potatoes, pickled eggs, and hot cereals

Add margarine, butter, and cheese to your favorite dishes.

What about when you need to lose weight while pregnant? Lose weight under the strict control of your doctor. However, in most cases, pregnant women should not arbitrarily lose weight or diet.

If you still have questions about this issue, please consult your doctor or experts for prompt advice and answers.

How to overcome anxiety about gaining weight during pregnancy

If you have had trouble controlling your weight in the past, you will be obsessed with gaining weight. Either way, keep in mind that weight gain is essential for a healthy pregnancy, and those extra pounds will disappear after the baby is born.

If weight gain makes pregnant mothers feel unhappy, do not worry because you are not alone. Talk to your friends and relatives to relieve your psychological pressure.

Tell you how to lose weight after giving birth

You will lose about 1/2 of your extra weight gain during pregnancy within the first 6 weeks of life. The weight of the fetus is about 3.5kg. Amniotic fluid , placenta plus fluid and blood will account for about 3.5 to 5.5 kg.

The rest of the weight will take about 9 months of pregnancy or even longer to disappear. A healthy diet combined with exercise regularly is the best way to reduce excess weight quickly.

Although you really want to lose weight fast, don't cut the calories in your diet too suddenly. You need to leave your body with the necessary nutrients because caring for your baby takes a lot of energy. Be patient, especially if you are breastfeeding, it is also a completely natural way to lose weight.

If you have problems losing weight, see a nutritionist or fitness trainer to help you lose weight safely and effectively!

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