Pregnancy nutrition - Gaining weight while pregnant Inevitably, pregnancy involves putting on weight – and for some women who may have worried about their weight for most of their lives, pregnancy can be a very liberating time because for nine glorious months, putting on weight is not only acceptable, it’s critically important for your baby’s health. But while pregnancy is definitely not a time for strict dieting, it is also no excuse to “eat for two” – after all, that second person is only very tiny! Sensible healthy eating is the key, with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables and limited quantities of foods that are high in fat and sugar. If you are eating sensibly and having regular physical activity you are likely to find that you are putting on just the right amount of weight for a healthy pregnancy – and that amount varies from person to person. In pregnancy, not only do you grow and carry your baby inside your body but you are also developing some vital support systems for your baby, which all add to the weight you will carry. In an average pregnancy, a woman of average weight will gain an average ten to fifteen kilograms by the time her baby is born. But of course, no pregnancy is average and weight gain will vary wildly for different women. Where does the weight go?Pregnant women seem to ‘carry’ their babies differently – some carry high, some low, some carry all out front like a basketball while others seem to spread their baby’s weight around their hips and sides. An old theory trotted out regularly suggests that the shape and position of your pregnant belly indicates the baby’s gender – however there’s no scientific support for that theory. Where you carry your baby is more likely to be determined by the size and shape of your uterus, the position of your baby and the strength of your abdominal muscles. The extra weight you put on is made up of:
Until recently, part of the antenatal checkup included a weigh-in, but more recently, many health professionals are using other indicators to monitor the health of the baby in pregnancy because women all put on their baby weight at different rates and other factors (like fluid retention) vary too much to give a reliable indication of baby’s weight. When does the weight go on?Every woman differs in her weight gain; some who have suffered more from nausea in early pregnancy may not gain much weight in the first trimester and then experience a “growth spurt” later in the pregnancy, while others may find that the increase in their body’s blood volume, breasts and additional support systems lead to quite a substantial weight gain in early months. Guidelines in some pregnancy books suggest that women can expect between two and three kilograms weight gain in the first trimester, then put on around half a kilo a week until the baby arrives; but most pregnancies are not nearly so straightforward. Weight gain is affected by a number factors, it may even be affected by the weather; for example, if you are expecting a baby in mid-summer you may find that you retain more fluid and put on more weight than you might have if your baby was due in winter. Weight gain and BMICurrent research suggests that a good indicator of healthy and appropriate weight gain during pregnancy is your pre-pregnancy Body Mass Index (BMI), which suggests an appropriate weight for your height. Talk to your doctor if you have any queries about the calculation of BMI. While it is a good standard indicator, like any “one size fits all” solution, there are many gaps in its coverage. BMI Scale
The US Institute of Medicine has released a guide to pregnancy weight gain based on pre-pregnancy BMI. While this is theoretically an ‘ideal’ weight gain, there are many factors that influence how much weight you will gain during pregnancy and it’s important not to get too upset about weight gain. Following a sensible eating plan and getting appropriate regular physical activity is far more important than jumping on the scales and worrying about whether you are following an arbitrary “average” pattern of weight gain. How do I calculate my BMI?There are numerous BMI calculators available on the internet, however you can work out your own BMI quite easily with a calculator, using the following formula: Weight in kilos divided by (Height in metres, squared) For example, if your height is 1.73 metres and your weight is 67.5 kilograms: Height squared = (1.7 x 1.7) = 2.89 67.5 / 2.89 = 23.4 Putting weight gain into perspectiveThe most important thing to realise during pregnancy is that you need to put on weight – you are adding a whole lot of new support systems as well as your growing baby. Your body will also need some fat reserves to provide you with energy for breast-feeding in the early days. Celebrity magazines often celebrate stars who have lost weight very quickly after having a baby and include photographs of the rich and famous with personal trainers working on their post-baby bodies. Like most things celebrity, it’s easy to buy into the impression that the weight we put on during pregnancy is something to be concerned about and get rid of fast – actually its very normal, very healthy and (provided you eat mostly healthy foods and get a bit of exercise) the best thing you can do for your baby. Do talk to your doctor or midwife if you have any concerns about your weight gain – but usually, it’s all part of the wonderful transition your body is making towards parenthood, so enjoy your new baby-hugging curves. By Fran Molloy – journalist and mum of 4 |
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Expert Tips
from Alex - NSW Midwives Assoc.There are also lots of hormonal changes in the months following birth that can make you feel a bit strange. All of the feelings that you are experiencing are normal and very common, especially in the early days of motherhood. |
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