Excess weight and pregnancy: how not to gain extra pounds?

Don't eat too much, you won't give birth!

“If you gain little, it’s bad”, “Eat too much, you won’t be able to give birth” - this is how they scare the expectant mother. Even doctors swear that the woman is gaining weight too quickly.

Some girls do not gain weight until the last months, while others begin to plump up already in the first trimester. The final gain is different for all pregnant women. But there are norms for increase, which is considered optimal for both the health of the baby and the woman. Here is this treasured figure:

An increase of 9 to 14 kg is considered normal - if there is only one fetus, and from 16 to 21 kg - if you are expecting twins or triplets. These are average data, in reality the weight may be slightly more or less.

Download the “Pregnancy Calendar by Week” checklist and monitor your baby’s development!

Pregnancy with 2nd degree obesity

Pregnancy with stage 2 obesity is a more serious problem. It may appear without excess weight before pregnancy, but this will indicate a very rapid increase in body weight, which can harm both the child and the woman herself. Pregnancy with obesity of the 2nd degree most often passes from the first degree, which was before pregnancy. The reasons for the appearance of stage 2 almost completely coincide with the first, but here you can also add diabetes mellitus, which presupposes the presence of excess weight even before conception, albeit not to the same extent.

Complications with the onset of stage 2 obesity during pregnancy

During this stage of the disease, complications such as:

One of the most terrible problems, the occurrence of which many doctors and patients fear, is toxicosis. The likelihood of its occurrence at this stage is almost twice as high as in pregnant women with normal weight, and even in comparison with stage 1 obesity. Toxicosis is a very serious problem for both the woman and the fetus. If pregnancy occurs with grade 2 obesity, then a complex of supporting vitamins is needed, which will reduce the risk of toxicosis.

There remains a risk of miscarriage and miscarriage. The gestational process in obesity is complicated in 45-85% of cases. Toxicosis most often manifests itself in the later stages. The course of this disorder occurs over a long period of time and is most often severe. Here there is a direct dependence of the degree of obesity on the complexity of the diseases that may accompany it.

Another problem for high obesity is post-term pregnancy. Childbirth may not occur on time. With all the problems with pregnancy, if a woman has already reached the 9th month, then there is a high probability that the child will be born late. Obesity of the 2nd degree during pregnancy creates a lot of problems, but there are many cases that show that it is quite possible to carry and give birth to a healthy child. Naturally, this requires the help of doctors. In most cases, if there is a second degree of obesity before pregnancy, then the likelihood of conceiving becomes very small.

Let's weigh ourselves correctly!

Are you happily expecting a baby, and weight gain is a sore point? Then calculate the individual rate of increase; there is a special formula for this. But first, remember - you need to weigh yourself correctly! It would seem that it would be difficult to simply step on the scale, but even such an easy task has its own little tricks:

• You shouldn’t weigh yourself every day, much less several times a day; you’re not an athlete who gains weight before a competition and values ​​every gram. The optimal interval between weighings is one week, no less.
• It is better to step on the scale immediately after waking up, before your first meal or drink.
• Weigh yourself in the same clothes, then the results will be as accurate as possible.
• Get a notebook and write down your results.
• A pregnant girl will also be weighed in the antenatal clinic, at every scheduled appointment with a gynecologist. The final weighing is carried out before childbirth, it is at this moment that the final weight gain is recorded.

In addition to the general rate of weight gain, there are optimal indicators for each individual trimester:

• First trimester (1-12 weeks): up to 2 kg per period.
• Second trimester (13-24 weeks): up to 1 kg per month.
• Third trimester (25-40 weeks): up to 400 grams per week.

Watch the recording of the webinar “Pregnancy under control: EVERYTHING an expectant mother needs to know” (free in ViLine.Club)

Diets for pregnant women

In order not to gain excess weight and lose excess weight, you need to follow a certain diet. During the day, a pregnant woman should consume:

• 120 g proteins (fish, eggs, cottage cheese);
• 100 g vegetable fats;
• 300 g carbohydrates;
• 1-1.5 liters of water.

As a percentage, the daily food intake should be distributed in the following order: breakfast - 30%, lunch - 40%, dinner - 10%. During the day, it is worth eating several times, allocating 10% for second breakfast and afternoon snack.

Fried foods should be excluded from the diet. You also need to consume salt as little as possible. Some restrictions will help you avoid gaining excess weight and even lose a little weight. Doctors recommend using:

• flour products - up to 150 g per day (except for fresh baked goods and muffins);
• lean meat (chicken, turkey, rabbit) – up to 200 g per day;
• fish – up to 150 g per day;
• dairy products (kefir, yogurt, yogurt) – up to 200 g per day;
• raw vegetables (cucumbers, tomatoes, cabbage, peas, radishes, beets, pumpkin);
• tea, berry and vegetable juices, compotes.

In moderation you can eat:

• pasta (it is advisable not to eat it on the same day as cereals);
• sauces (milk-fruit or with a slight addition of sour cream or butter);
• spices (parsley, cinnamon, bay leaf - all in very small quantities);
• pickled vegetables (only after preliminary washing).

If you need to lose weight, you should not include in your diet:

• fried eggs;
• mushrooms;
• fat meat;
• condensed milk and ice cream;
• savory snacks;
• cocoa and coffee;
• spices such as mustard, horseradish, mayonnaise or ketchup;
• cream, cakes, gingerbreads and other sweets.

Where do the “extra” kilograms come from?

So, the normal increase during the entire pregnancy is up to 14 kg, but the baby weighs only 3-3.5 kg or a little more, so what about the rest? The weight is distributed approximately like this:

As you can see, an increase of up to 14 kg does not cause any concern. But if this figure is significantly higher or lower, what could explain this?

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Initial weight of a pregnant girl

The thinner a woman is before pregnancy, the faster she will gain weight during pregnancy. It’s as if the body is replenishing the missing kilograms at an accelerated rate. And, on the contrary, plump girls gain very little during pregnancy.

Individual tendency to be overweight

Do you often go on diets, constantly go to the gym and are sensitive to weight gain? This means there is a reason - you are prone to being overweight, and during pregnancy this will certainly manifest itself.

Tall growth of the expectant mother.

Everything is simple here, tall women gain weight faster while carrying a baby, however, their growth rates are different.

15 answers to the main questions of a pregnant woman

Large baby

If the expectant mother is expecting a large baby, and this is confirmed by ultrasound results, then her final increase will be significantly higher.

Edema

Swelling usually bothers a woman in the last months of pregnancy; it is evidence that excess fluid is retained in the body.

Toxicosis and gestosis

Toxicosis in the first months of pregnancy is a common occurrence. It is accompanied by weight loss, as is gestosis in the third trimester.

Excessive appetite

A woman can control this factor independently. And not only can it, but it should! Otherwise, you risk becoming very fat, especially in the middle of pregnancy, from the 18th week, and this is not good. Pregnancy is not a reason to eat for two!

Polyhydramnios

An increased volume of amniotic fluid will also affect weight gain.

Age of the expectant mother

An established fact: the younger the expectant mother, the less weight gain during the entire pregnancy period.

Watch the course of an obstetrician-gynecologist “Calm pregnancy and easy childbirth” (free in ViLine.Club)

What to do:

- balance nutrition

Pregnancy is perhaps the most favorable period to learn how to eat properly. The basis of the diet should be fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as steamed ones. Try to eat as little fried food as possible.

If you are overweight, you should reduce the number of calories you consume, but no more than 10%. Remember, fat is necessary for the developing fetus. Among foods containing fats, pregnant women are recommended to eat cheese, sour cream or cream, whole milk, ice cream, yogurt, nut butter, white sauce, eggs, avocado, light turkey meat or skinless chicken, salmon, tuna, vegetable and butter, margarine. , mayonnaise. But for chubby women it is better to eat lean meat and low-fat dairy products. Replace refined simple carbohydrates (found in white baked goods, white rice, refined flour, syrups, sweets) with complex unrefined carbohydrates (found in whole grain bread, brown rice, vegetables, dried beans and peas, hot jacket potatoes).

Remember that salt provokes fluid retention in the body, so it would be appropriate to limit its amount.

Eat often, but in small portions. You can drink a glass of water before every meal. You should know that spicy, salty dishes and broths stimulate the appetite, and confectionery, sweets, and sweet fruits are quickly absorbed and digested - try to limit their consumption, or better yet, eliminate them altogether.

Be careful with chocolate. In addition to extra calories, it saturates the body with caffeine, which complicates the absorption of iron, folic acid and calcium. The same goes for coffee and tea.

Under no circumstances should you go hungry! There is no need to go to extremes at all - the main thing is to learn to control your weight. In addition to the threat of miscarriage, fasting is fraught with such undesirable consequences as the child’s low body weight (which threatens physical and psychological problems). Poor nutrition during pregnancy can damage the baby's brain and metabolism.

If you suffer from toxicosis, you cannot refuse food. Eat something that doesn’t make you sick, often and in small portions so as not to provoke nausea again. Hunger will only increase the discomfort. And try to balance your diet - this is most often the cause of toxicosis.

Be sure to follow the rules of balanced nutrition during pregnancy - regardless of the extra pounds!

— therapeutic exercises will only benefit you!

In addition to eliminating excess calories, it will have a beneficial effect on your overall well-being and will perfectly prepare you for the upcoming birth, as well as facilitate postpartum rehabilitation. A set of exercises should be developed taking into account the duration of pregnancy and the degree of obesity. However, be careful. For various reasons, physical activity may be contraindicated for you - be sure to consult your doctor. In this case, long walks in the fresh air will benefit you. And half an hour of daily walking (continuously, at a fairly fast pace) will only be useful!

- control your weight

There are many different scales on the market that allow you to track all the necessary indicators. Weigh yourself daily in the morning immediately after sleep and in the evening before. Don't forget that weight changes are also related to fetal growth. You can build a special graph of your baby's growth to make the process more clear.

The course of pregnancy of a woman suffering from excess weight may be no different from the course of pregnancy of all other women. Follow these guidelines. After all, such changes will only benefit you and your baby! And under no circumstances should you worry too much!

Especially for beremennost.net – Elena Kichak

How much weight can I gain?

To determine how much your growth during pregnancy corresponds to the norm, we suggest calculating your personal “boundaries” taking into account your parameters.

Step one: Calculate your body mass index.

Surely you have calculated this index more than once, just remember your indicator or calculate again: divide the initial weight in kilograms by the height in square meters.

Determine your body type:

• Index up to 19.8 (group 1) – thin build.
• Index 19, 8 – 26 (group 2) – average index.
• Index more than 26 – completeness.

Pregnancy with stage 3 obesity

Pregnancy with grade 3 obesity is practically impossible, since there are many complications in the body that affect hormonal levels and other areas. But it may happen that the third degree occurs already during pregnancy. Almost all problems of past stages manifest themselves in a more serious form. The probability of toxicosis becoming more than 80%. Late labor also occurs three times more often than in normal conditions. Pregnancy with grade 3 obesity often ends in miscarriage before reaching the last trimester.