Pregnancy and weight: how much should be added, and what is already superfluous. Pregnancy and weight: how much should be added, and what is already superfluous Moderate weight is easier to lose

Most pregnant women look forward to the moment when they have. But along with this, expectant mothers are somewhat alarmed by the change in their own dimensions, because other parts of the body are rounded along with the stomach. And this does not please every woman.

Weight gain during pregnancy is inevitable. Any normal pregnancy should be accompanied by an increase. But she "has no right" to go beyond the established limits, which in each individual case may be different.

What does weight gain depend on?

So, if the pregnancy proceeds safely, then as it develops, the weight of the woman will inevitably increase. The amount of fluid in the body increases, the uterus, fetus and placenta grow, the breast prepares for feeding, and small fat reserves are deposited to provide the baby with everything necessary. Naturally, all these increases become noticeable even without weights. However, expectant mothers do not all get better in the same way.

The number of kilograms gained during pregnancy depends on many factors. First of all, from the initial weight. The more he did not reach the norm, the faster he would rise up. The process will go faster if you have a tendency to be overweight, but previously kept the weight off with moderate nutrition and physical activity. Tall women will also gain more than short ones.

If expected, then it is obvious that the placenta will be larger and heavier, and with it the total weight. The tendency to puffiness also affects this indicator: the more fluid is retained in the body, the further the arrow of the scale deviates.

It is noteworthy that weight loss in the early stages due to strong, later can cause its rapid increase: the body, as it were, catches up, trying to recover.

In addition, almost all expectant mothers have increased appetite at certain times, which is associated with an increase in estrogen levels. And if a woman is unable to control it, then overeating also leads to a set of extra, and in this case, unwanted kilograms.

Fluid retention in the tissues (due to which edema occurs) is also displayed with extra numbers on the scales. More illegal kilograms are formed at. Naturally, when the expectant mother will weigh more than if she was pregnant with one child.

We should not forget about age: over the years, the tendency to be overweight and gain extra pounds increases.

Increase rates

Being underweight or overweight during pregnancy can lead to various complications. So, too large increases may be accompanied by what is considered a violation. Excess weight becomes an obstacle during childbirth, complicating the birth of the baby. This is also a big load on the heart and musculoskeletal system of a woman, the risk of developing thrombophlebitis and the occurrence of various pains. And too small increases can be a sign of impaired fetal development.

It is not without reason that doctors monitor the weight of a pregnant woman throughout the entire period, and especially in the second half of pregnancy. To assess this indicator, conditional “corridors” have been created, into which the expectant mother should normally fit. Of course, these norms are averaged and can be adjusted depending on individual characteristics. But in general, they can be expressed in the following table:

Norms of weight gain during pregnancy

BMI in the table is a body mass index, which is calculated as follows:

BMI = weight (kg) / height (m)2.

For example, with a weight of 60 kg and a height of 160 cm, BMI \u003d 60 / 1.62² \u003d 23.44.

Different BMI indicators in the first, second and third columns are characteristic of thin, medium and large women, respectively.

As you can see, you should hardly gain weight: the increase is on average 1-2 kg. In the second trimester, every week the weight can be added by 250-300 g. Starting from the 30th week - 300-400 g per week or 50 g per day. There is also such a formula for calculating the allowed increase in the 3rd trimester: for every 10 cm of growth, you can add a maximum of 22 g per week.

However, the rate of weight gain is as individual as the gains themselves. Some women begin to round up from the first weeks, others increase dramatically in volume in the last months.

Most obstetricians agree that on average, you can gain 12-13 kg during pregnancy. If twins are expected, then the increase will be 16-21 kg.

Undoubtedly, it should be alerted if a woman has not gained a single gram in two weeks or the increase in a week was more than 500 g. You should also consult a doctor if the weight is growing unevenly.

Where do kilograms come from?

We found that "legitimate" weight gain over the entire pregnancy can average 13 kg. What do these "pregnant" kilograms consist of:

• child - 3000-3500g;
• uterus - 900-1000 g;
• afterbirth - 400-500 g;
• amniotic fluid - 900-1000 g;
• increase in blood volume - 1200-1500 g;
• additional liquid - 1500-2700;
• breast enlargement - 500 g;
• body fat - 3000-4000 g.

Total - 11400-14700

As you can see, food for two is not provided here. So this idea can be discarded immediately. However, for the development and bearing of a healthy child, reserves are needed that the mother's body draws from nutrition. The diet of pregnant women should indeed be a little more caloric than the rest, but not much - just plus 200 calories per day in the first half and plus 300 calories per day in the second half of pregnancy.

If the doctor came to the conclusion that the weight of the pregnant woman exceeds the permissible norm, you should first try to give up flour, sweet and animal fats. You should not drastically limit your diet, because weight fluctuations provoke fluctuations. Portions should be reduced gradually, but cereals and plant foods should not be abandoned. You need to eat often, but little by little. And monitor your fluid intake: 6-8 glasses a day without fail.

Every day it is advisable to weigh yourself for control, it is best to do this in the morning on an empty stomach and always in the same clothes to obtain the most reliable data.

Do not rush to get upset if your performance does not match the above standards, because everything is individual. Focus on your well-being and the advice of a doctor. Remember that after giving birth, you will gradually return to your previous forms if you put in a little effort. This process will go faster if you breastfeed your baby. But in the case of gaining excess weight during pregnancy, it will be more difficult to part with extra pounds.

Keep in mind that malnutrition during childbearing is much more dangerous than overeating. However, try to keep yourself within limits.

Especially for- Elena Kichak

Weight gain in a future mother should occur regardless of her appetite, desires and height with a physique. But to monitor the weight during pregnancy should be more diligent than before. Weight gain is directly related to the process of fetal growth, and control over weight gain helps to prevent various troubles in a timely manner. Therefore, your own diary will not interfere, where data on weight gain is regularly entered.

So, what is the normal weight of the expectant mother , and how does weight gain occur during pregnancy?

Factors that affect pregnancy weight

In principle, strict norms and weight gain simply do not exist - every woman has her own weight before pregnancy. For a girl of the “middle weight category”, the norm will be considered increase - 10-14 kg . But many influence factors. For example:

• The growth of the expectant mother(accordingly, the higher the mother - the greater the weight).
• Age(young mothers are less likely to be overweight).
• Early toxicosis(after it, as you know, the body tries to replenish the lost kilograms).
• Baby size(the larger it is, the heavier the mother, respectively).
• Little or polyhydramnios.
• increased appetite and control over it.
• tissue fluid(with the existing fluid retention in the mother's body there will always be excess weight).

To avoid complications, do not go beyond the known weight limits. Starving is definitely not allowed. - the baby should receive all the substances assigned to him, and his health should not be risked. But you shouldn’t eat everything in a row - lean on healthy dishes.

How much weight does a pregnant woman normally gain?

The expectant mother for the first third of pregnancy, as a rule, adds about 2 kg. The second trimester every week adds more body weight to the "piggy bank" 250-300 g. By the end of the term, the increase will already be equal to 12-13 kg.
How is the weight distributed?

• Baby- about 3.3-3.5 kg.
• Uterus- 0.9-1 kg
• Placenta- about 0.4 kg.
• Mammary gland- about 0.5-0.6 kg.
• Adipose tissue- about 2.2-2.3 kg.
• amniotic fluid- 0.9-1 kg.
• Volume of circulating blood(increase) - 1.2 kg.
• tissue fluid- about 2.7 kg.

After the baby is born, the weight gained usually goes away fairly quickly. Although sometimes you need to work hard for this (physical activity + proper nutrition helps).

Self-calculation of the weight of the expectant mother using the formula

There is no uniformity in weight gain. Its most intensive growth is noted already after the twentieth week of pregnancy. And until that moment, the expectant mother can gain only 3 kg. At each examination of a pregnant woman, the doctor weighs. Normally, the increase should be 0.3-0.4 kg per week. If a woman gains in excess of this norm, fasting days and a special diet are prescribed.

You cannot make such a decision on your own! If the weight gain has no deviations in any direction, then there are no special reasons for worrying.

Most women carefully monitor their weight. But there are times when doctors take on this responsibility: we are talking about the happy time of bearing a child. Then weight gain occurs for natural reasons, but it still does not hurt to know how much they gain during pregnancy. What can too much weight gain indicate and should it be a concern?

How much is the rate of weight gain during pregnancy?

Watching their weight increase rapidly, pregnant women begin to worry about whether everything is going as it should. What increase is considered the norm and how much can you get better during pregnancy?

For the entire period of bearing a baby, it is supposed to gain 9-14 kg. If twins grow in the tummy, then the weight can increase by 16-21 kg.

Weight for 9 months of "interesting position" increases unevenly. How to get better during pregnancy is also an individual indicator. Some from the first days of conception begin to recover, and then their body weight does not increase so actively.

But usually in the first trimester, weight does not grow so rapidly: a woman gains only 2 kg. The situation changes in the second trimester. The monthly increase can be about 1 kg (or 300 g per week). At a period of 7 months, when the fetus greatly increases in size, the woman's weight begins to increase to 400 g per week, that is, every day (normally) the scales will show 50 g more.

But these indicators are not an absolute guideline. How much the expectant mother will eventually gain depends on her own weight and height, tendency to be overweight, age, size of the fetus and method of nutrition. To calculate the approximate rate of increase for yourself personally, you can use the following formula: divide your weight by height raised to the second power. The normal body mass index is 19.8-25.9. The lower this value, the greater the number of “allowed” extra kilos.

If the indicator is less than 19.8, then you can recover by 15 kg. Women with a body index of 18.9-26 can gain (without negative consequences for themselves and the baby) no more than 13.5 kg. If their index is equal to (or greater than) 26, then the allowed increase is 9 kg.

An alarming signal is both the complete absence of weight gain, and its sharp jump. In these cases, be sure to visit a doctor so that he can determine what caused such a failure.

If the weight began to fall, this may be due to the fact that the child grows at the expense of his mother. This phenomenon may be normal if it occurs at the beginning of pregnancy. Especially contributes to weight loss toxicosis. Before giving birth, a woman can also lose weight.

What is the danger of a very large weight gain? A sharp plus (if a pregnant woman gained 1-3 kg in a week) may indicate hidden or obvious edema. Fluid builds up in the body and leads to weight gain when eating normally. If protein is found in the urine, pressure has risen and edema has formed, then this may be a sign of preeclampsia in the 2nd half of pregnancy. A complication of this pathology sometimes becomes eclampsia during childbirth or diabetes mellitus.

If the expectant mother recovered too much (not necessarily due to pathologies, but from overeating), then she is guaranteed to have shortness of breath. Excess weight can also result in such problems for the expectant mother:

• haemorrhoids;
• pain in the legs and lower back due to increased stress on the spinal column and lower limbs;
• varicose veins;
• difficulties during childbirth;
• in exceptional cases - detachment of the placenta and premature birth.

Rapid weight gain is also fraught with aesthetic problems. It can lead to stretch marks on the body. Remember that how much women recover during pregnancy, it will be so much more difficult for them to bring their figure back to normal after childbirth.

If she is gaining 20-30 kg, this may be an indicator for a caesarean section, since the fetus will be very large. Overweight is dangerous not only for the mother herself. Babies born to overweight women are often diagnosed with congenital defects or heart disease.

Pregnancy without problems: how to eat so that the weight grows correctly?

What should be the diet during pregnancy? In order not to get better, it is better to forget the advice of grandmothers “eat for two!”. Of course, diets for this period are also canceled. The child should receive all the vitamins and components due to him.

How to build your diet so as not to gain extra pounds? The principle of nutrition should be like this:

• be sure to have breakfast. If you skip your morning meal, you will soon feel overwhelming hunger and eat more than you should;
• it is useful to make a menu every day. This will reduce the risk that, due to constant snacking, you will gain more than normal per day;
• if you go for a walk, take an apple with you. If an appetite suddenly breaks out, the fruit will save you from having to buy a pie, a bun or a chocolate bar;
• better to eat at home. In cafes and other catering establishments, dishes are usually very high-calorie, as they are made hearty and tasty to attract customers;
• remove spicy, smoked foods from the menu. Limit your intake of sweets. Do not get carried away with flour products;
• the correct diet of a pregnant woman looks like this: proteins - 100-120 g per day. Of these, 70-90 g should be animal protein, so you should eat milk, cottage cheese, fermented baked milk, kefir, eggs, yogurt, fish and meat. The optimal amount of fat is 80-100 g (at least 20 g of them are vegetable). The volume of carbohydrates - from 350 to 400 g (by the end of pregnancy - no more than 300 g);
• consume 1-1.5 liters of fluid daily (if there are no kidney pathologies);
• eat 4 times a day in small portions;
• do not load the stomach before bed. Late dinner may include dairy products, vegetables or fruits.

Pregnancy: weight gain

Women always watch their weight. But there comes a time when doctors begin to observe this indicator. And the aesthetic side of the issue does not bother them.

Until the 28th week of pregnancy, if everything goes well, the doctor examines the patient once a month, and then 2 times a month. Weighing becomes a mandatory procedure for each visit to the gynecologist and part of the "homework". It is better to perform it in the morning, on an empty stomach and in the same clothes, so that the results can be compared later.

Weight gain during pregnancy

In the first 2 months of pregnancy, while the baby and mother are only adapting to mutual coexistence, a woman usually does not gain weight. In addition, at this time, she may be disturbed by toxicosis, which often leads to weight loss. So, in the 1st trimester of pregnancy, there is no intensive increase, the expectant mother usually gains 1-2 kg. The main events occur later, because the body weight of the expectant mother increases mainly in the 2nd half of pregnancy, when the weekly weight gain averages 250-300 g. If the process goes faster, this may mean the appearance of a problem - hidden, and then obvious edema (dropsy of pregnancy).

Let's look at the general rules that are accepted among doctors for calculating possible weight gain during pregnancy. So, for all 9 months of pregnancy, the expectant mother should gain 10-12 kg. It is believed that starting from 30 weeks of pregnancy, a woman's weight increases by about 50 g per day, by 300-400 g per week and no more than 2 kg per month.

To more accurately determine the allowable weight gain and take into account all additional circumstances, the doctor can use the table (see below). In addition, the doctor has at his disposal a scale of average physiological weight gain in the last 3 months of pregnancy. The calculation is as follows: weekly weight gain should not exceed 22 g for every 10 cm of growth. This means that with a height of 150 cm, a woman can add 330 g per week, with a height of 160 cm - 352 g, and with a height of 180 cm - 400 g.

How many kilograms the expectant mother will recover during pregnancy depends on many reasons.

The first of them - age. The older the woman, the greater the tendency to be overweight.

Initial body weight(that is, before pregnancy). It is curious that the greater the weight deficit, the more kilograms the expectant mother has the right to add.

Weight loss due to early toxicosis. The fact is that, having survived the events of toxicosis, the body will try to compensate for the loss of kilograms.

features of the constitution. In this case, it is important whether a woman has a tendency to be overweight or thin.

Child size. If the patient is expected to have a large baby (more than 4000 g), then the placenta will probably be larger than average. Therefore, a woman during pregnancy has the right to gain more weight than if she expected the birth of a small child.

Increased appetite. It happens that during pregnancy, the expectant mother has an unbridled desire to eat and, if she cannot restrain it. There are problems with being overweight.

And now let's see what those same 10-12 kilograms of weight acquired by the expectant mother "leave" for. Indeed, if she recovered during pregnancy, as recommended, by 12 kg, she had a baby weighing 3 kg 300 g, then where are all the others? They are distributed like this:

• child - 3300g;
• uterus - 900 g;
• afterbirth - 400 g;
• amniotic fluid - 900 g;
• increase in the volume of circulating blood - 1200 g;
• mammary glands - 500 g;
• adipose tissue - 2200 g;
• tissue fluid - 2700 g.

And due to what can there be a "bust"? Our calculation shows that excessive weight gain depends on various circumstances: the weight of the child (large fetus), the amount of adipose tissue (weight gain with its initial deficiency), amniotic fluid (in case of polyhydramnios) and tissue fluid (if fluid is retained in the body) . If the first two circumstances are normal phenomena, then the last two are deviations from the norm, they require the attention of a doctor.

It happens that the expectant mother decides to follow a strict diet in order to ... not get better. Someone is afraid to spoil the figure, and someone (mostly women with a narrow pelvis) believe that food restrictions will lead to the birth of a small child. Both in the first and in the second case, these arguments are erroneous. If a woman gains 10-12 kg during pregnancy, then with the help of a reasonable diet and gymnastics, she will definitely regain her former size. Think, because, for example, ballerinas quickly return to shape after childbirth, although they usually add up to 18-20 kg during pregnancy!

You can calculate the allowable weight gain yourself. To do this, you need to know your height and initial weight, which then turns into a BMI (body mass index). Calculate your BMI: BMI = weight (kg) / [height (m2)]. Results:

BMI< 19,8 - slim women

BMI = 19.8 - 26.0- women of average build;

BMI > 26 obese women.

It turns out that a woman has an average physique, which means that at a period of 30 weeks the optimal weight gain for her will be 9.1 kg, and at a period of 40 weeks - 13.6 kg.