Weight gain and pregnancy can be consistent at times for most pregnant women. While some may see this as inadvisable, the fact is that there is a right and a wrong way to gain weight during pregnancy. You may want to stay in the 25-35 pound region, as this is the healthiest weight range to maintain. If you don’t consciously pay attention to your weight during the first trimester, it can easily get out of control. Those that do happen can extend into the second and third trimesters. The objective of this article is to show you 5 ways that you can apply to master the art of weight gain during pregnancy.
1. Before you can target a particular weight, you first need to know what the required average weight gain is that is considered normal for pregnant women. A healthy average range is between 25 and 35 pounds for most women depending on how much you weighed before imagining. This weight is contained in places like; your baby’s weight, uterus, placenta, amniotic fluid, your breasts, extra volume of blood, fat, and tissue fluid. If you think about it carefully, you will see that this can quickly add up to the required weight. It is recommended to add about 300 calories a day, which is not really a lot of food. You should be careful about using the excuse that you are now eating for two to eat whatever you want. If you do that, you will gain too much weight too fast.
2. Try to stay active no matter how much you feel like you should just give up and drag yourself out all day. This is not an excuse to go all out and try too hard, no; there are many activities that can keep you active without putting you or your baby at risk. You must know the limits of your body. Talk to your doctor about any increased physical activity you plan to do.
3. You can also follow the “healing food pyramid” that was developed by the University of Michigan. The food pyramid guide is basically a series of guidelines that show you how to maintain a healthy weight during pregnancy through healthy eating. You should try to stick to what it recommends as much as possible if you intend to maintain an ideal weight gain during your pregnancy.
4. You should realize that gaining weight during pregnancy is supposed to be a steady and gradual process. It doesn’t happen all at once or overnight. During your first trimester, normal weight gain should be around 4 to 5 pounds. Once you achieve that, start gradually increasing. By the time you’re into your second and third trimesters, which is typically around 20 weeks, you should be gaining about a pound a week. This weight gain will continue until the end of your pregnancy; although for some women, it actually continues throughout their pregnancy.
5. Make sure you stay healthy through proper nutrition and regular exercise. There is no exact amount or average weight that you are supposed to gain during pregnancy; This is due to several factors that usually come into play such as; her baby’s weight, her weight before she got pregnant, her height, etc. Just make it a must to eat right and exercise right; eat foods that are high in nutritional value: fruits and fiber, nuts and grains, lean meat, milk, egg whites, etc. Perform exercise routines that are not stressful for your body including; walking, swimming, yoga, etc.