How Much Weight Should You Gain During Pregnancy?
Being pregnant is life’s biggest miracle. I find it fascinating how women, have the ability to carry another human being in their bodies, women rock!
During pregnancy, every day your body changes considerably, even though you don’t notice it right away, and your baby develops something new and exciting, that’s why it is so important for you to be very health conscious during and after this stage.
Being that said, it is crucial for you to keep in mind that everything that goes into your body will pass-on to your baby as well. The fact of being pregnant doesn’t mean you have to eat twice as much, ok?
It is recommended to try to avoid gaining a lot of weight during the first trimester, 1.5 to 2.5 kilograms the most. Careful- I’m not saying that you need to diet or go on a strict regimen, I am just suggesting to you to keep your normal habits.
Most of the weight gain will happen in the second and third trimesters, as your baby and the tissues that support your pregnancy continue to grow. At this point is when you need to increase your calorie intake, just a little bit. For an average woman adding one or two healthy snacks in your daily routine will be more than enough to cover this recommendation*.
How much weight you should gain can be estimated by your Body Mass Index (BMI) before you were pregnant. BMI refers to the number of kilograms in each square meter of body area. To estimate you BMI just follow the next formula:
BMI (Kg/m2)=
How much you weigh in KG ÷
your height in meters squared
To keep a healthy weight-gain I also suggest to stay active as much as you can. If you’ve been exercising for a while continue doing it as long as you can, keeping in mind that you might have to cut some of the exercises. If you are a sedentary person, add a little bit of walking to your day. I am sure that you and your baby will enjoy the stroll, especially when it’s nice outside. -Consult your activity with your physician.-
Gaining a healthy amount of weight during your pregnancy has multiple benefits, such as:
Lowers the risk of complications (during your pregnancy and at delivery).
Lowers the risk to develop Gestational diabetes.
Keeps your baby healthy since the beginning.
Improves your long-term health.
Eating a nutritious meal with foods high in folate, iron, calcium and omega-3 fatty acids, combined with taking a daily multivitamin, will give you enough nutrients to have energy, to feel good, and to support a healthy pregnancy.
If you need any more information do not hesitate in contacting me!
Happy Monday!
* Recommendations are different for women with a multiple pregnancy.
