Being pregnant changes a woman's body in ways that you cannot imagine. Some women gain a few pounds while others gain quite a bit. It does have something to do with heredity, the way that you eat and what you eat, and how big your baby is. The best way to maintain a healthy diet during your pregnancy is to include a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, limited sweets, and hydrating fluids. Of course may crave that chocolate bar every once in awhile, but this is when moderation comes into play.
The average weight gain for a pregnant woman is between 20 and 40 pounds. Now if a woman was underweight before she got pregnant she may gain more than the average woman. This ranges from around 30 pounds to a little over 40. For a woman who was overweight before pregnancy she can expect to gain a little less. It can range from 15-25 pounds. The special cases of multiple births are hard to put into a weight gain range. Obviously if you are carrying two or three babies you will need to eat more calories in your diet to accommodate each baby's health. If you gain the right amount of weight it will become that much easier to lose it once you deliver and breastfeeding your newborn helps with this process.
If a pregnant woman does not gain the required amount to protect her little one, serious problems can arise. This may cause a delivery of a low birth weight baby and when this happens the organs may not be fully developed. The same kinds of problems are on the other side of the spectrum as well. If a woman gains too much weight during pregnancy, then an early delivery of their baby or a baby that is large may be delivered. These women may also suffer from high blood pressure, varicose veins, or diabetes.
Gaining weight at a slow pace is best. You do not need to worry if you do not gain much during the first trimester. Around the fifth or sixth month is when the belly begins to show for most women. During your pregnancy you should not diet. Depriving your body of the necessary nutrients that it needs to survive can cause serious effects on you as well as your unborn child. You just to have to keep your diet well balanced with fruits, vegetables, protein, iron, and folic acid. If any of these are a problem, then your doctor can provide nutritional supplements. Your baby's health is important and you are single handedly the one who has control over it while you are expecting.
