The Beauty of Pregnancy Weight Gain
Aside from the overall condition of the fetus inside the womb, one of the major things that stress women when they are conceiving is pregnancy weight gain. This is because they are so afraid to gain so much weight and be among those women who are suffering from a condition called obesity.
Women who have babies in their wombs cannot be blamed for worrying too much about pregnancy weight gain because society largely contributes to this thinking. In fact, with all the commercialization and hype on weight loss, women even those who are pregnant are tempted to cut down on their weight so that people in society won’t ridicule them.
Today, some studies show that more and more pregnant women are trying to regulate their food intake. They do this because they don’t want to be fat without thinking that it could severely affect the condition of the baby inside the womb.
Experts say that pregnant women regardless of their condition should always stay healthy throughout the duration of pregnancy. Being healthy does not only entails having a positive outlook in life but also good eating habits to supply the nutrients needed both by the mother and the baby.
Why Weight Gain During Pregnancy?
Doctors say that the number one reason why pregnant women should gain weight is to support the nutritional needs of the growing fetus inside them. Since food intake is the number one source of all nutrition in the body, pregnant women should keep on eating especially during the first few months of pregnancy to provide all the nutrients needed by the baby.
Aside from supplying all the nutritional needs of the fetus, weight gain also indicates that the mother is healthy enough to carry on with the pregnancy.
Experts agree that the weight of the woman before the pregnancy does not matter once the first trimester rushes in. It means that no matter how light or heavy you are, you still need to gain weight when you are pregnant.
Medical findings prove that women who are overweight during pregnancy still need to gain weight by at least 20 pounds. Women who are underweight are advised to gain more, ranging from 20-40. These figures are ideal for women who are having single babies.
Those who are expecting two or more, need to gain much more weight in order to provide for the needs of the growing babies.
Pregnancy weight gain is very important for this special period in time because it will benefit the baby a lot. Aside from providing him or her nutrients needed through the foods that you eat, it also ensures their overall health once they come out in this world. Studies show that pregnant women who did not gain weight during conceiving are mothers of small and sickly babies.
For pregnant women to gain weight the healthy way, they should stick to the recommended number of calorie-intake which is 400 to 500 daily.
They should also be mindful of what they eat and how often they eat. During the early stages of pregnancy, pregnant women are allowed to eat almost anything they want to. But, as the pregnancy progresses, some foods are prohibited for pregnant women because these contain ingredients that can be harmful to the baby such as caffeine in coffee and in other drinks, alcohol, and beverages with alcohol content, as well as cigarette smoking because it may cause mental problems to the baby.
Aside from eating healthy foods, pregnancy weight gain can also be achieved by performing a list of exercises regularly to keep the muscles fit and firm.
DISCLAIMER:
This information is not presented by a medical practitioner and is for educational and informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read.
Since natural and/or dietary supplements are not FDA-approved they must be accompanied by a two-part disclaimer on the product label: that the statement has not been evaluated by FDA and that the product is not intended to “diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.”
