Pregnancy Weight Gain

Early Weight Gain

If you experience quite a bit of nausea during the first trimester of your pregnancy, you may not have much of an appetite, and thus, you may not gain much weight. In fact, some women actually lose a little weight during this time period. Don't be alarmed, as long as you are eating healthy and taking your prenatal vitamins. If you are having problems keeping food and liquid down, your doctor needs to be notified. You don't want to become dehydrated.

Healthy Diet

Now more than any other time in your life, you should be sticking to a healthy diet. You need to eat a lot of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes - all of which are good for you and your baby. If you love sweets, you may need to cut back on them for now. Remember, the more weight you gain, the more you'll have to lose. If you were already overweight to begin with, you'll struggle even more to lose that weight.

Weight Gain Amounts

How much weight should you gain? While now is not the time to diet, you still need to be conscious of the types of food you eat. The amount of weight you should gain really varies for each woman. If you were overweight already, you'll need to eat a healthy diet without overdoing the sweets and other calorie filled foods.

A basic rule of thumb is that women who are at a normal weight with a healthy body mass index need to shoot for between twenty-five to thirty-five pounds. Women who are underweight need to gain even more, and women who are overweight still need to gain around fifteen to twenty pounds.

Distribution of Weight

You need to gain weight to support your baby's growth and to maintain your body's health. The weight you gain is generally divided into the following areas:

1. Baby-7.5 to 8.5 pounds
2. Amniotic fluid-2 pounds
3. Breasts-1.5 to 2 pounds
4. Placenta-1.5 to 2 pounds
5. Blood-3 pounds
6. Water-4 pounds
7. Uterus-2 pounds
8. Maternal Storage-8 pounds

Problems

If you are experiencing problems with your weight gain, your doctor can work with you on balancing your diet. She may also want you to incorporate more exercise into your daily activity. You should check with her before adding any additional exercise to your curriculum. Since you will be visiting your doctor on a regular schedule, she can monitor any problems that may occur.

A large baby or increased weight gain may indicate that you are at risk for [http://pregnancy.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Gestational_Diabetes gestational diabetes}. You will be given a glucose tolerance test at some point in your pregnancy. If you are diagnosed with gestational diabetes, you will meet with a dietician who will place you on a safe and healthy diet. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, contact your doctor.

Related Baby Links

• Newborn Baby Care
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• Breastfeeding Basics
• Starting Baby on Solid Foods
• Baby Development Stage for the First Six Months
• Baby Development Stage for Ages Seven Through Twelve Months
• Baby Development Stage for Ages Twelve to Twenty-four Months