How much weight should you gain during pregnancy? What should a pregnant woman's diet be like?

Our grandmothers believed that a pregnant woman should eat for two. And the faster she gains weight, the better. Modern doctors do not agree with this statement. They believe that expectant mother should pay attention not to the quantity, but to the quality of food. Because extra pounds are always harmful, regardless of whether a woman is carrying a child or not.

What makes up a pregnant woman's weight?

The baby's weight at birth is from 3 to 3.5 kg. Why, when carrying a baby, do we gain so much more? Weight gain consists of many factors. Including from fat, which female body reserves for the baby in case of hunger or cold. But this fat should not be too much, because this weight will only be a burden.

The ideal increase that an expectant mother should gain over the entire nine months is 10-12 kg. Here's how that weight is distributed:

• 3.5 kg - baby's body. This is almost a third of the entire increase
• 600-700 g – placenta. It nourishes and protects the embryo
• 800-1000 g – amniotic fluid. At first there are few of them, but by the end of pregnancy their volume can reach 1 liter
• 1 kg – uterus and fetal membranes. But before pregnancy, the weight of this small organ was only 500 g!
• 1.2-1.3 kg – volume of circulating blood. Its quantity increases in the mother so that she can supply the baby with everything necessary
• 400-500 g – breast tissue. Female breast prepares to perform the function of lactation, and therefore also grows in size
• 3.5-3.6 kg – body fat. This is the same “healthy” fat that is stored physiologically. It not only protects the baby from the cold and insures against hunger, but also has a positive effect on lactation
• 1.4-1.7 kg – intracellular fluid. These are fluid reserves in the body. They help increase blood volume, form amniotic fluid, help start lactation

When does a pregnant woman start gaining weight?

A pregnant woman does not immediately begin to gain weight. On the contrary, in the early stages of pregnancy she may even lose weight. This often happens due to toxicosis, which does not allow the expectant mother to eat properly. Don't panic. In the next two trimesters you will “get” yours.

How much weight should a pregnant woman gain before giving birth?

10-12 kg is the average gain for the entire pregnancy. Most of this weight occurs in the second half of the term. It is then that a woman can gain 250-300 g per week. There are factors that could change these numbers. This is what the doctor pays attention to when assessing the weight of the expectant mother.

1. Initial body weight. If you were underweight before pregnancy, then in 9 months you should not only gain the required 10-12 kg, but also make up for the deficiency. As a result, the total increase will be greater.
2. Features of the constitution. If you tried unsuccessfully to gain weight before pregnancy, then most likely the gain will be slow.
3. Increased appetite. We are used to making fun of the eating habits of pregnant women. But they can also cause uncontrolled bulimia.
4. Toxicosis on early stages. If you lost a couple of kilograms in the first trimester, then the body can “play it safe” and gain more “spare” kilograms
5. Child size. Naturally, a large baby itself weighs more. But such a weight of the child may cause the placenta to be larger.
6. Age. The older a woman is, the more likely she is to be overweight.

Normal weight gain during pregnancy

Different doctors have different assessments of weight gain in a pregnant woman in the second half of pregnancy. Some believe that 250-300 g is the norm. Excess may signal the emergence of problems: obesity, edema and others.

Others believe that, starting from 30 weeks, a woman should gain 50 g per day. When recalculating for a week, fluctuations are allowed: 300-400 g. But the increase per month should not be more than 2 kg.

To calculate individual weight gain in the last trimester, you can use the formula. The maximum increase is 22 g multiplied by every 10 cm of height. It turns out that for a height of 170 cm this figure is 374 g.

Pregnant weight table by week

The picture below shows a table of the rate of weight gain for a pregnant woman. Where BMI is body mass index.

Excess weight during pregnancy: reasons

More often overweight during pregnancy, they are recruited by conservative women who believe that the expectant mother cannot play sports and lead an active lifestyle, but she can eat a lot. The reasons for excess weight during pregnancy are the same as in everyday life. This is overeating and lack of physical activity.

If you overeat constantly, your body will become deaf to the feeling of fullness. Hunger will occur much earlier than you spend the stored calories. As a result, you will eat more often and your portions will become larger. This can only be controlled by willpower.

Remember that if you were overweight before, you should not gain more than 10 kg. If your doctor diagnoses you as obese, the maximum gain will be only 6 kg.

Pregnant woman's diet for weight loss: nutritional rules

If you follow a universal pregnancy diet, this should be enough. Any expectant mother, regardless of whether she is overweight or not, should not eat a lot of fried, sweet, fatty meat.

Divide your diet into 5 meals. Dinner should only make up 10% of your entire meal. Moreover, it should be a light dish. You should eat it no later than 2 hours before bedtime.

What should a pregnant woman eat to keep her weight normal?

• Replace white bread with baked goods made from wholemeal flour. It is better if it is dried.
• Avoid baked goods made from puff pastry and butter dough.
• Cook soups using recycled broth or vegetable broth.
• Increase the proportion of complex carbohydrates (cereals), reduce the proportion of simple ones (sweets).
• Eat more fish, but avoid canned food crab sticks or smoked meats.
• Load up on vegetables, fruits, and berries. Season your salads vegetable oil, but not with mayonnaise or full-fat sour cream.
• Remember that you cannot go hungry. The feeling of hunger can trigger an emergency mechanism in the embryo.
• After birth, the baby’s body, remembering the constant lack of nutrients, will store as much fat as possible. This can develop a child's tendency to become obese.

Why doesn't a pregnant woman gain or lose weight?

Sometimes weight loss during pregnancy is not a cause for concern. For example, if you suffer from early toxicosis, it is better to try to wait out this period than to choke on food that does not fit.

Weight loss on later may indicate that your swelling is going away. At the same time, there is no need to worry either. Weight loss in the last weeks of pregnancy may be a warning sign of labor. Complex processes occur in the body. Against this background, your appetite may disappear.

Diet for a pregnant woman to gain weight

1. Sometimes you don’t feel like eating because you’ve been sitting at home all day. Take a walk in the fresh air, do some exercises, and your appetite will appear.
2. Vitamin C increases appetite. Consult your doctor. Perhaps he will advise you to eat ascorbic acid half an hour before meals
3. Eat more complex carbohydrates. The weight comes from them. These are porridges, healthy pastries, and breads.
4. Instead of dessert, eat nuts and dried fruits. This is a healthy and high-calorie snack
5. Don't forget to take your vitamins. Sometimes a lack of a certain substance can block the absorption of food.

Video: SLIM PREGNANCY

Website “Mom can do anything!” offers to find out the norms for weight gain during pregnancy, as well as why for different women they are different. Many girls, being in an interesting position, worry about their figure and are afraid of getting too fat. Others eat to their heart's content, considering pregnancy to be a time when everything is possible!

Each appointment with a gynecologist begins with a control weighing, and if the increase is too large, the doctor may advise the woman to weigh herself every day at home.

When and how is the best time to weigh yourself?

This procedure is carried out every day in the morning on an empty stomach, immediately after getting out of bed. The data is recorded in a special notebook. They also write down the amount of fluid drunk and excreted (in case of edema).

This way you will track the increase and if it is too large, reduce your diet, as well as track the fluid retained in the body.

Weight gain during pregnancy

In the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, the baby and mother are just getting used to and adapting to each other. There is no increase during this period. If a woman is worried about toxicosis, then her weight may decrease. In the first 12 weeks, a woman usually gains 1-2 kg.

During the second trimester (12-30 weeks) the main increase occurs. The weight of a raging mother increases by an average of 250-300 grams per week. If the increase is greater, then you should reduce the caloric content of food and reduce the amount of liquid you drink. A large increase often occurs as a result of hidden or obvious edema.

During the third trimester, a woman's weight increases by approximately 200-250 grams per week. During the entire pregnancy, a woman should gain 10-12 kg.

But still, these data are averaged. So a woman with a fair amount of extra kg at the beginning of pregnancy should gain less, but with insufficient body weight she will add more. Your doctor can use a special table to determine the norm. You will find it in the article below.

Weight during pregnancy

The number of kilograms that an expectant mother will gain during pregnancy depends on many reasons, here are some of them.

1. Age. The older a woman is, the slower her metabolism and the greater her tendency to be overweight.
2. Starting weight. A woman who is underweight during pregnancy will gain more kilograms than one whose parameters were within the normal range.
3. Presence of toxicosis. The stronger the toxicosis a woman had at the beginning of pregnancy, the more the body will store nutrients for the future.
4. Features of the constitution. It is important whether a woman has a tendency to be overweight or thin.
5. Child size. With a fairly large baby (more than 4 kg), the placenta, as a rule, is also larger than normal. As a result, the woman will have a large weight gain.

What are the acquired kg used for?

• Child - 3300 g;
• afterbirth - 400 g;
• uterus - 900g;
• amniotic fluid - 900 g;
• blood (its volume also increases during pregnancy) - 1200 g;
• mammary glands - 500 g;
• fat layer - 2200 g;
• tissue fluid - 2700 g.

All this adds up to 12,000 g, which is considered normal weight gain in pregnant women.

Why might the increase be greater?

1. Large fruit.
2. Initially low amount of adipose tissue.
3. High water.
4. Excessive amount of tissue fluid (edema).

The first two circumstances are normal, but in the case of the third and fourth, the attention of doctors is necessary.

Normal weight gain during pregnancy

Sometimes the expectant mother wants to maintain her figure so much that she goes on a strict diet. Some resort to this method, hoping that the child will be born small and the birth will be easier. But in reality these arguments are wrong. With a weight gain of 10-12 kg, a woman after giving birth will return to her pre-pregnant form within 2-3 months if she adheres to a reasonable diet.

First, calculate your BMI (body mass index). It is calculated by the formula:

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

The results should be interpreted as follows:

• BMI > 26 overweight women;
• BMI = 19.8 – 26.0 - women with normal weight;
• BMI< 19,8 – женщины с недостаточной массой;

Calculation example:

• Height - 1.6 m;
• Weight - 48 kg.

BMI = 48/ (1.60) 2 = 18.8

According to these calculations, it turns out that the woman is underweight, which means that the optimal gain for her would be 15 kg.

If you really care about your health and want to maintain a good figure after childbirth, you should think about your diet. For you we have collected the most delicious recipes For .

An increase in the amount of subcutaneous fat layer of the expectant mother is an essential condition for the safe and full development of the baby throughout the entire embryonic period. Typically, younger pregnant women gain less weight than older women. But carrying, for example, twins or even triplets will significantly increase the weight of mothers of any age. In each of the listed cases, a pregnant woman in one way or another observes changes in her body weight, which is not always the norm.

To determine the weight indicators of a pregnant woman, you need to get used to properly organized weighing:

• It is recommended to measure body weight once a week; you should try to get into the same time period before breakfast, which increases the accuracy of further calculations and dynamic assessment of results.
• Weighing is done after the bladder and large intestine have been emptied.
• The same scales are used.
• Each time, it is best for a woman to weigh herself in clothing specially allocated for this (with subsequent deduction of her weight) or without it at all.
• To facilitate calculations and track body weight levels, it is better to record the results in a special notebook.

The above tips are only advisable if you weigh a pregnant woman at home with her own scales. But if the expectant mother undergoes this procedure only at an appointment with a leading obstetrician-gynecologist, you should visit it at approximately the same hours, and immediately before getting on the scale, empty your bladder again.

Body Mass Index Table

When assessing the results of the obtained body weight values, all specialists and trained pregnant women use body mass index calculation. This technique allows you not only to simplify all calculations, but also to identify overweight or underweight with the same ease. Special calculators have been created to calculate body mass index. They contain the following values:

• weight before pregnancy (in kg);
• height (in cm);
• presence or absence of twins;

• date of start of last menstruation;
• weight at this weighing (in kg).

In this way, the increase in body weight produced over a certain period of time from the start of pregnancy is calculated.

In the case we are considering, weight consists not only of the mass of all human organs and biological fluids, but also body fat reserves. In addition to the usual formation of a certain amount of subcutaneous fatty tissue, in the body of the expectant mother there is growth of a new organism, which has a constant increase from week to week of its intrauterine development.

Do not forget that to ensure normal fetal development the uterus increases in size, formation occurs human milk in the mammary glands, the placenta is born and grows, is constantly present amniotic fluid, fetal membranes and umbilical cord, which also contributes to the level of body weight.

Factors influencing weight gain during pregnancy

• Body weight during gestation is affected by the presence and severity of diarrhea, because with it there is an active loss of fluid through frequent vomiting, which leads to dehydration and weight loss.
• Such pathological variants of the course of pregnancy, as well as the presence of severe edema syndrome, contribute to weight gain.
• Gestation two or even three fruits at the same time provides a more pronounced increase in body weight than during a singleton pregnancy.
• , the mode and amount of fluid absorbed during pregnancy has a strong impact on a woman’s metabolism, which indicates a direct influence of these factors on the formation of the fat layer, the growth of the placenta, uterus, the fetus itself and the formation of milk.

Normal weight gain during pregnancy

Normal weight gain during pregnancy by week

How much weight does one gain during pregnancy? In women who have a usual normal physique and correct build, the increase in body weight over the entire period of gestation, according to the obtained dynamic data for assessing the mass index, including the child, should be 10-15 kg. For cases with reduced weight, a normal gain level is considered to be from 12 to 18 kg, with class 1 obesity – from 6 to 10 kg, with class 2 obesity – from 4 to 9 kg.

If a woman is waiting big addition to the family, then the scale of normal weight gain during pregnancy is slightly different from the scale indicated above. For normal body weight, the increase ranges from 15 to 25 kg, for class 1 obesity – from 14 to 24 kg, for class 2 obesity – from 10 to 19 kg.

Thus, the thinner a pregnant woman is, the more weight she can gain while carrying a baby. On the contrary, ladies who are overweight are prone to smaller increases.

Weight gain during pregnancy by week: table

Table of weight gain during pregnancy by week

For the convenience of assessing the results and analyzing the weight gain of a pregnant woman, experts have developed indicators norms of weight gain during pregnancy by week.

They still depend on the type of constitution of the mother and her personal body mass index, but most importantly, they reflect in detail the weight gain for each stage of pregnancy. This greatly facilitates not only the work of leading obstetricians and gynecologists, but also the understanding of her pregnancy by the expectant mother herself.

The change in the weight of a pregnant woman in any case depends on the characteristics of her metabolism, the nature of nutrition and the needs of the fetus, which only confirms the strong individuality of these weight parameters.

For women of normal body weight:

1-17 weeks – gain 2.35 kg;
17-23 weeks – gain 1.55 kg;
23-27 weeks – gain 1.95 kg;
27-31 weeks – gain 2.11 kg
31-35 weeks – gain 2.11 kg;
35-40 weeks – gain 1.25 kg;
for the entire period – an increase of 11-15 kg.

For women with stage 1 obesity:

1-17 weeks – gain 2.25 kg;
17-23 weeks – gain 1.23 kg;
23-27 weeks – gain 1.85 kg;
27-31 weeks – gain 1.55 kg
31-35 weeks – gain 1.55 kg;
for the entire period – an increase of 7-11 kg.

For women with reduced body weight:

1-17 weeks – gain 3.25 kg;
17-23 weeks – gain 1.77 kg;
23-27 weeks – gain 2.1 kg;

35-40 weeks – increase 1.75;
for the entire period – an increase of 12-19 kg.

When carrying a multiple pregnancy:

1-17 weeks – gain 4.55 kg;
17-23 weeks – gain 2.6 kg;
23-27 weeks – gain 3 kg;
27-31 weeks – gain 2.35 kg
31-35 weeks – gain 2.35 kg;
35-40 weeks – gain 1.55 kg;
for the entire period – an increase of 15-20 kg.

Weight loss during pregnancy

Weight loss in pregnant women should be considered by trimester of pregnancy.

• In the first trimester Weight loss is most often an obvious sign of early-onset toxicosis, in which a pregnant woman loses kilograms due to dehydration and the woman’s frequent refusal to eat a full meal.
• For the second and third trimesters The reasons for weight loss are very similar and are expressed in poor nutrition of the pregnant woman (most often due to the fear of gaining extra pounds, which is a completely unjustified and dangerous desire for the unborn baby) or the presence of somatic pathology of any organs or systems.

In any case, a woman should be sure to consult with the gynecologist leading her pregnancy.

Large weight gain during pregnancy is far from safe. The reasons for its occurrence can be considered due to the weakening of fluid excretion from the body, the aforementioned polyhydramnios pregnancy and the presence of hypothyroidism with a reduced release of thyroid hormones into the blood.

If a gynecologist detects the presence of such a large weight gain during pregnancy, untimely and irrational assistance may lead to the development of gestosis in pregnant women and Rh conflict between the baby and the woman.

Of course, these reasons are pathological for both the mother and the fetus. But physiological reasons (for example, the mother’s advanced age and a genetic predisposition to obesity) are no less dangerous in this regard.

Adequate treatment pathological increase in weight during pregnancy is:

• without high-calorie foods;
• in limiting water intake;
• in the most complete laboratory, instrumental and hardware examination of a woman;
• in regular walks and reasonable home physical activity future mother.
• in the introduction of fasting days.

This type of therapy and prevention of excess weight in a pregnant woman is recommended to be carried out no more than once or twice a week.

A fasting day consists of eating products of the same type and water in an amount of about 1 liter. The expectant mother can experiment and independently decide on the menu for fasting days, however, it is still worth discussing her plans with a leading gynecologist.

Examples of fasting days:

• Vegetable(zucchini or pumpkins with a little sour cream added).
• Apple(a kilogram of fresh apples or baked for 6 meals).
• Fruit(using the same apples, but all fruits according to the mother’s wishes and the doctor’s recommendations).

Video about weight gain during pregnancy

For a more complete overview of the topic weight gain during pregnancy You can watch a video that popularly covers the causes of increased body weight, rules and recommendations for weighing and calculating mass indices, as well as normal values ​​for weight gain during each week of the embryonic period of the fetus.

A general discussion will only help you fully understand the pregnancy weight gain schedule, so feel free to ask and share your own experiences with other people. Your reasoning will help not only you, but also girls and women planning pregnancy, which is important for their moral preparation for pregnancy.

During pregnancy, the expectant mother's body stores adipose tissue. It protects the baby from cold and external physical factors. Normal weight gain during pregnancy is about 10-15 kilograms. They also include the mass of the fetus, its membranes and amniotic fluid.

During the period of bearing a child, a woman is advised to follow a diet and not exceed the daily caloric intake. Overeating and physical inactivity contribute to obesity. It increases the load on the musculoskeletal, urinary and cardiovascular systems of the expectant mother, increasing the risk of developing diabetes, atherosclerosis and a number of other equally serious diseases.

Body mass index

Body mass index or BMI- an indicator reflecting the correspondence of body weight to a person’s height. With its help, the doctor can determine whether the patient is obese or underweight.

Body mass index is calculated by dividing your weight in kilograms by the square of your height in meters. The resulting indicator must be equal to a two-digit number by which the result is determined.

A normal BMI value is considered to be from 18 to 25. Such numbers indicate a good physique and no health risks. A BMI value of less than 18 corresponds to underweight. This indicator indicates an increased risk of developing dystrophy, anemia, and cachexia.

A BMI ranging from 25 to 30 is a borderline situation in which the patient has increased body weight, but is not yet considered obese. People with this index value should try to lose excess weight.

Attention! Normally, during the entire pregnancy, a woman with underweight should gain no more than 18 kilograms, with a normal weight indicator - no more than 15 kilograms, and with obesity - no more than 9 kilograms.

A BMI over 30 indicates obesity. The higher the degree of the indicator, the more pronounced the mass gain in a person. People with a body mass index over 30 have an increased risk of diabetes, myocardial infarction and other diseases.

Calculation of body mass index has no prognostic value for people with overly developed muscles. A BMI value in athletes can exceed 25, but this will not indicate increased body weight. This feature is due to the fact that muscle tissue weighs much more than fat tissue.

Also, body mass index is not reliable in young children, amputees and pregnant women. For prognostic purposes, during pregnancy, the woman’s BMI value before conception is used. By calculating the body mass index, the doctor can find out the normal weight gain at each stage of pregnancy.

Increase distribution

It is a mistaken belief that weight gain during pregnancy is associated only with fetal weight and fat deposition. In fact, this indicator includes several factors:

Fetus. The baby gains weight from the first weeks of pregnancy. However, a significant increase in his weight is observed in the third trimester. By this period, all the organs and systems of the unborn child are formed, he begins to prepare for birth through growth and weight gain. Typically, at the time of birth, children weigh from 2500 to 4000 grams.

Amniotic fluid. Amniotic fluid is the habitat of the unborn child. Its amount increases in proportion to the baby's growth until about the middle of the third trimester of pregnancy, reaching 2-2.5 kilograms. After this, the volume of amniotic fluid gradually decreases. By the time the baby is born, the amount of amniotic fluid reaches 1.2-1.5 kilograms.

Uterus. Before pregnancy, its size does not exceed 8 centimeters. During pregnancy, the uterus enlarges 500 times and its muscle fibers hypertrophy. By the end of pregnancy, the weight of the organ can reach 1000-1200 grams.

Placenta and membranes. These structures also grow with the baby. The greater the baby's weight, the heavier and larger the placenta and amniotic sac. By the time of birth, the weight of the placenta is about 500 grams.

Mammary glands. Under the influence of the sex hormones estrogen and prolactin, breast enlargement is observed. It is achieved by the proliferation of gland ducts. Breast swelling begins in the first weeks of pregnancy. By the end of the gestation period, the mass of the mammary glands increases by 500 grams.

Intravascular fluid. During pregnancy cardiovascular system the mother works “for two”, since the baby’s nutrition depends on her work. The unborn child requires intensive blood supply, which is why an increase in the amount of blood is observed in the body of the expectant mother. This change occurs in the middle of the gestation period. By the end of pregnancy, the increase in intravascular fluid volume is about 1200-1500 grams.

Edema. In the last trimester of pregnancy, there is an increase in the load on the urinary system of the expectant mother. A woman’s kidneys do not have time to process the required amount of fluid that enters the intercellular space. Normally, by the end of pregnancy, the mass of edema should not exceed 2-3 kilograms.

Fat. Its deposition is considered a physiological reaction of the mother’s body during pregnancy. However, normal weight gain due to adipose tissue should not exceed 4-5 kilograms.

Important facts about weight gain during pregnancy

Pregnancy weight gain chart

To determine physiological gain, a woman should know her BMI before pregnancy. With a lack of body weight, normal weight gain is greater than that of expectant mothers with the correct physique. Also, women with a higher BMI should gain fewer kilograms compared to pregnant women with a standard figure.

When carrying twins, normal weight gain is significantly higher than when normal pregnancy. To calculate the rate of weight gain, the expectant mother can use a special table, where the values ​​​​indicate the possible increase in kg:

Weight deficiency before pregnancy

Normal weight before pregnancy

Excess weight before pregnancy

Carrying twins

Excess weight during pregnancy

Excessive weight gain during pregnancy is a risk factor for certain diseases. Sometimes an increase in body weight is associated with the development of edema. Most often, this situation occurs at the end of pregnancy, but sometimes fluid stagnation occurs in the second trimester.

Massive edema is one of the signs of a dangerous complication of pregnancy - gestational arterial hypertension. This disease is characterized by increased blood pressure, the appearance of protein in general analysis urine and stagnation of fluid in the interstitial space.

If a woman observes swelling that extends above the ankles, or is located on the upper limbs and face, she should consult a specialist. Gestational hypertension is characterized by fluid stagnation that does not go away in the morning.

Excess weight during pregnancy is a risk factor for developing gestational diabetes. The disease is characterized by increased glucose in the blood serum. Gestational diabetes mellitus can cause fetal hypertrophy.

Pathological weight gain increases the load on the musculoskeletal system. Due to strong pressure on the spine, the chance of back pain, osteochondrosis, and lumbar hernia increases.

Excessive weight gain can cause complications during labor. U overweight women primary and secondary weakness of contractions and pushing is much more common. Also, extra pounds can provoke, leading to fetal hypoxia.

To lose weight during pregnancy, the expectant mother should follow several rules. You cannot limit yourself very strictly in food, since an unbalanced diet causes pathologies in the fetus.

A pregnant woman should eat in small portions 5-6 times a day. It is recommended that the expectant mother exclude flour, fatty, fried, and smoked foods. A woman should try not to overeat and stop eating when she is full.

Also, in order to reduce weight, the expectant mother should prevent constipation. Stagnation of feces worsens metabolism and contributes to the deposition of extra pounds. To prevent and treat constipation, pregnant women are recommended to drink 2 liters clean water per day, eat dried fruits, white cabbage, plums, apricots.

Once every one or two weeks it is useful to have a fasting day. During it, a pregnant woman should not starve; she should make a menu of fresh vegetables and fruits, kefir and cottage cheese. You can also include buckwheat and rice groats in your fasting day diet.

Underweight during pregnancy

Weight loss during pregnancy is a dangerous condition for the health of the unborn child. If the diet is insufficient, the baby does not receive all the necessary vitamins, proteins and minerals. Lack of nutrients in the diet of the expectant mother contributes to intrauterine growth retardation and development of the fetus, its pathologies nervous system and anemia.

If there is insufficient weight gain, a woman is advised to slightly increase her caloric intake. However, the diet should not include harmful products- semi-finished products, chips, mayonnaise, fast food. To increase the energy value of the menu, you should eat nuts, biscuits, olive oil and butter.

Quite often, lack of weight in the first trimester of pregnancy is associated with. To combat it, the expectant mother is advised to have breakfast without getting out of bed, drink enough water, and have frequent snacks.

During toxicosis, many women are helped by eating mint, lemon, orange, crackers, sour cream, and bananas. If the expectant mother is bothered by vomiting more than 5 times a day, she should consult a doctor.

Diabetes and pregnancy

If the expectant mother has type 1 diabetes, she should consult a doctor when planning her diet. The specialist determines the required dose of insulin, depending on the stage of pregnancy.

Gestational diabetes mellitus is a complication of pregnancy; after childbirth, the amount of glucose in the blood normalizes. If this pathology is detected, the expectant mother should carefully plan her daily diet.

Product selection when diabetes mellitus should be based on the number of “bread units”. The expectant mother should exclude foods rich in fast carbohydrates - candy, flour, chocolate, potatoes, rice, sweet vegetables and fruits.

Weight control and diet

Careful weight control during pregnancy prevents dangerous complications. To track weight gain, it is recommended to keep a chart according to the pregnancy calendar. A woman should weigh herself at least once a week in the morning after emptying her bladder and bowels. The obtained values ​​should be entered into the chart opposite the gestation period.

A smooth increase throughout pregnancy is considered normal. A pregnant woman should be alert to the following indicators:

• gaining more than 2 kilograms per week at any stage of pregnancy;
• any decrease in body weight per week at any stage of pregnancy;
• gaining more than 4 kilograms during the first trimester;
• gain more than 1500 grams in one month of the second trimester;
• gaining more than 0.8 kilograms per week in the third trimester.

The diet during pregnancy should include a sufficient amount of protein foods - meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy products. Also, the expectant mother should consume healthy carbohydrates contained in cereals, vegetables, fruits and berries. To compensate for the fat deficiency, a pregnant woman needs to include nuts and vegetable oils in her diet.

An approximate daily diet for normal weight gain is as follows:

• 8:00. 100 grams of cottage cheese 3%, banana.
• 11:00. Omelette of 2 eggs, 200 grams of fresh tomato and cucumber salad with vegetable oil.
• 14:00. 150 grams of baked chicken breast, 150 grams of boiled buckwheat, a piece of rye bread.
• 16:00. 200 grams of zucchini and potato casserole, 2 apricots.
• 18:00. 150 boiled fish, 200 grams of boiled rice cereal, a piece of rye bread.
• 21:00. 1 apple, 250 grams of kefir 1%.

Pregnancy: weight gain.

Pregnancy and weight, pregnancy weight gainWomen always monitor their weight. But there comes a time when doctors begin to monitor this indicator. And the aesthetic side of the issue does not bother them.

Until the 30th week of pregnancy, if everything goes well, the doctor examines the patient 2 times a month, and then once a week. Weighing becomes mandatory procedure every 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 obtained can be compared later.

Weight gain during pregnancy.

In the first 2 months of pregnancy, while the baby and mother are just adapting to mutual coexistence, the woman usually does not gain weight. In addition, at this time she may be worried about toxicosis, which often leads to weight loss. So, in the 1st trimester of pregnancy there is no intensive gain; 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 (hydropsis of pregnancy).

Let's take a look general rules, which are accepted among doctors to calculate possible weight gain during pregnancy. So, during the entire 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 by no more than 2 kg per month.

To more accurately determine acceptable 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 height. This means that a woman with a height of 150 cm can gain 330 g in a week, with a height of 160 cm - 352 g, and with a height of 180 cm - 400 g.

Weight during pregnancy.

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

The first of them is 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 the woman has a tendency to be overweight or thin.

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

Increased appetite. It happens that during pregnancy the expectant mother has an uncontrollable desire to eat, and if she cannot restrain it. Problems arise with excess weight.

Now let's see what those 10-12 kilograms of weight acquired by the expectant mother are used for. Indeed, if she gained 12 kg during pregnancy, as recommended, and gave birth to a child weighing 3 kg 300 g, then where is everyone else? They are distributed like this:

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

Total: 12,100 g.

And what can cause “overkill”? 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 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 and require the attention of a doctor.

Pregnancy: normal weight gain.

Pregnancy and weight, pregnancy weight gain It happens that the expectant mother decides to follow a strict diet in order... not to gain weight. Some people are afraid of ruining their figure, while others (mostly women with narrow pelvises) believe that eating restrictions will lead to the birth of a small child. In both the first and second cases, these arguments are erroneous. If a woman gains 10-12 kg during pregnancy, then with the help of a reasonable diet and exercise, she will definitely regain her previous size. Think about it, for example, ballerinas quickly get back into shape after giving birth, although they usually gain up to 18-20 kg during pregnancy!

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

BMI< 19,8 – женщины худощавого телосложения;

BMI = 19.8 – 26.0 – women of average build;

BMI > 26 obese women.

Example:
Height – 1.60 cm, weight – 60 kg, BMI = 60/ (1.60)2 = 2.30

It turns out that the woman has an average build, which means that at 30 weeks the optimal weight gain for her will be 9.1 kg, and at 40 weeks - 13.6 kg.
Weight gain table by