Weight Gain during Pregnancy
The following articles are provided by organizations partnering with the American Pregnancy Association to deliver related information to you. The mention of specific products or services does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement by the APA unless it is explicitly stated.
How much weight should I gain?
How much weight a pregnant woman should ideally gain during pregnancy depends on her weight before pregnancy. The following guidelines are from Dr. Sebastian Faro’s audio program, Preparing for a Healthy Pregnancy, produced through a partnership between the American Pregnancy Association and “Now You Know Media.”
If you are not overweight, the amount of weight that you should gain during the entire pregnancy is between 25 and 37 pounds. If you are underweight you should gain between 28 and 40 pounds and if you are overweight you should gain 15 to 25 pounds throughout the entire pregnancy.
There are several reasons why it is important to be in the right weight-range
during pregnancy. For example, gaining too much weight or being overweight
can lead to gestational diabetes. The word, “gestational” means, during
pregnancy, and diabetes is when blood sugar is too high. Gestational
diabetes is when your body temporarily loses its normal response to
high blood sugar and has to produce more insulin so that sugar in
blood can go into the cells. Unfortunately, this extra insulin can
cross the placenta and enter your developing baby’s body, causing
him/her to grow too much. A baby which grows too much, can make vaginal
delivery more challenging and possibly increase the chance for a cesarean
delivery.
Maintaining this weight gain can be accomplished by eating more vegetables
and fresh fruit. Each woman is different on what her nutritional needs
will be during pregnancy, but during the first trimester of pregnancy,
you should try to eat about 2200 calories per day. Upon entering the
second trimester and throughout the third trimester you should take
in around 2500 calories per day.
Learn much more through Preparing
for a Healthy Pregnancy, Dr. Sebastian Faro’s 3-CD portable
audio course. This audio course teaches you the basics of conception
and pregnancy by explaining current recommendations and providing
practical tips. Understand what you can do to help ensure a healthy,
successful pregnancy from Dr. Faro, a leading pregnancy expert and
member of the American Pregnancy Association’s Medical Advisory Board.
© 2007 Now You Know Media, Inc