I'm
Gaining Too Much Weight During My Pregnancy. What Can I
Do?
Courtesy of the Utah WIC Program
How
Much Total Weight Should I Gain?
The
right amount of weight to gain during pregnancy depends
on how much you weighed before getting pregnant. Talk with
your health care provider to find out what amount is right
for you. General guidelines for weight gain are:
| Pre-Pregnancy
Weight |
BMI
(kg/m2) |
Recommended
Weight Gain |
| Underweight |
<18.5 |
28
- 40 pounds |
| Normal
weight |
18.5-24.9 |
25
- 35 pounds |
| Overweight |
25.0-29.9 |
15
- 25 pounds |
| Obese |
30.0+ |
11 - 20
pounds |
Women pregnant with multiples: Normal weight women should gain 37-54 pounds, overweight, 31-50 pounds and obese, 25-42 pounds during pregnancy.
1st
trimester: 1.1-4.4 pounds
2nd trimester: 0.4-1.3 pounds a week
3rd trimester: 0.4-1.3 pounds a week
Risks
of Gaining Too Much Weight
Women who gain extra weight during pregnancy
are more likely to have:
Note:
Gaining too much weight during pregnancy increases the baby's
risk of being overweight during childhood.
What
can I Do To Slow Weight Gain?
If
you're gaining more weight than recommended, you'll want to
make some changes to your diet. You should never try to lose
weight during pregnancy. But if you can slow down how quickly
you gain weight for the rest of your pregnancy, you'll have
less problems with your pregnancy and delivery, and an easier
time getting back to your pre-pregnancy weight.
Tips
to Slow Weight Gain:
- Eat
according to MyPyramid
- Make
half your grains whole
- Vary
your veggies
- Focus
on fruit
- Get
your calcium rich foods (choose low-fat dairy products)
- Go
lean with protein
- Eat
small frequent meals
- Choose
healthy snacks (fresh fruits, raw vegetables, low-fat yogurt
or cottage cheese, whole-wheat toast...)
- Limit
processes foods
- Exercise
Note:
Pregnancy only requires 200 - 300 extra calories per day.
Why
Should I Exercise During Pregnancy?
Exercising
during pregnancy will help you to slow weight gain and will
result in a healthier pregnancy and delivery. Exercise is
safe for most pregnant women. Talk to your health care provider
to find out what type of exercise is safe for you.
Benefits
of Exercise During Pregnancy:
- Slows
weight gain
- Helps
with constipation, backaches
- Improves
sleep
- Gives
you more energy
- Improves
your mood
- Easier
time losing weight after delivery
Note:
Women who exercise during pregnancy may have shorter labors
and easier deliveries.
Guidelines
for Exercise in Pregnancy:
- Avoid
contact sports, activities that increase your risk of falling
and jerky, bouncing movements
- Don't
exercise on your back after the 1st trimester
- Avoid
exercising in very hot weather
- Exercise
on all or most days of the week
- Warm
up and cool down
- Take
frequent breaks and drink plenty of fluids
- Never
exercise to the point of exhaustion
- Stop
exercising and call your doctor if you experience faintness,
headache, pain, bleeding or have trouble walking.
References:
Pregnancy Weight Gain: What's Healthy?
Healthy
Eating During Pregnancy
Keeping Fit
Click
here for pregnancy weight gain charts
Click
here for a printer friendly version of this brochure
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