Waiting for the birth of a baby is almostthe most pleasant time in the life of any woman. But pregnancy is associated not only with pleasant emotions and impressions, but also with various worries and anxieties. And one of the reasons for them is often excess weight during pregnancy. After all, such an indicator as the body weight of the expectant mother is very important for the health of both the woman and the baby. Ideally, a woman gains the right amount of weight during pregnancy, eating healthy food - this is a good sign that your child is getting all the nutrients and growing at a normal pace. However, unfortunately, this is not always the case. Excess weight during pregnancy is a very common phenomenon. Moreover, many expectant mothers do not see anything terrible in this phenomenon, believing that getting rid of extra pounds after the birth of the baby will be easy peasy. However, they overlook the fact that excess weight during pregnancy has a very negative effect on the course of pregnancy:
- Development of hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoids are a very unpleasant disease,capable of delivering a lot of unpleasant emotions to the expectant mother. And during childbirth, hemorrhoids are not the best helper. And if the mother is overweight, the chances of developing hemorrhoids increase significantly.
- Hypertonic disease
In some cases, the presence of excess weightbody during pregnancy leads to a systematic increase in blood pressure. And hypertension during pregnancy, in turn, can lead to the development of very serious complications that pose a serious threat to the health, and sometimes the life of both the mother and the baby.
- Phlebeurysm
The next problem that is often encountered isexpectant mothers - this is varicose veins. This problem is not just a simple cosmetic defect, but a very serious independent disease. And if the mother gained more kilograms during pregnancy than she should, varicose veins are practically guaranteed for her.
- Pain in the back
Excess weight is a serious strain on the musclesback corset. But it already experiences a colossal load due to the growing belly of the expectant mother. As a result, the pregnant woman experiences nagging pain in the lumbar region.
- Dyspnea
Excess weight in almost all cases leadsto the development of severe shortness of breath. And shortness of breath is a sure way to the development of hypoxia. And both in the mother and in the child. And hypoxia is a sure way to the development of various complications.
- Metabolic disease
One of the most formidable complications of normalcourse of pregnancy is the development of diabetes. And the excess weight of the expectant mother increases the risk of developing this complication several times. In addition, extra pounds directly affect the condition of all tissues of the body. They largely lose their elasticity and ability to stretch. It is easy to guess that during childbirth, this feature can significantly complicate the normal course of childbirth. Moreover, we must not lose sight of the fact that mothers who are overweight are much more likely to give birth to larger babies. And their birth process can hardly be called easy.
How much can I gain during pregnancy?
Let's try to figure out where the boundaries arenorm and why do expectant mothers so often marry them? Firstly, in no case should you "eat for two" during pregnancy. But this is the advice that an expectant mother hears most often from numerous well-wishers - friends, acquaintances, relatives. Everyone is trying to put the most delicious morsel on the woman's plate. A familiar picture, isn't it? No, no, we do not urge you to offend your relatives with a sharp refusal. But still, try to convey to them adequate information that corresponds to reality. Of course, an expectant mother really needs a little more calories than everyone else. After all, energy costs have become many times higher - the baby's body also needs calories. But this is not a reason to eat everything that is not nailed down. In general, you should consume only 100 - 300 calories more than you did before in order to fully satisfy the needs of your growing child. The number of kilograms that a woman should gain during pregnancy is made up of various parameters:
- The weight of the baby in the uterus.
- Ambulatory water, placenta.
- Weight of the uterus itself and enlarged mammary glands.
- Increased volume of circulating blood and other fluids.
It is all these kilograms that make up that veryweight gain, which is a part of any pregnancy. As a rule, it is from 8 to 12 kilograms during the entire pregnancy. In the same case, if the numbers are higher, doctors talk about excess weight. But do not forget that weight gain during pregnancy is a complex process that occurs unevenly. For example, the baby's weight changes very little in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy, but in the second half it begins to increase noticeably and quickly. But the uterus, on the contrary, becomes heavier most of all in the first half of pregnancy. This is due to the fact that it is during this period that there is an intensive build-up of muscle tissue in the uterus. But the increase in blood volume occurs throughout the entire pregnancy period evenly. In addition, we must not forget that fatty tissue also increases in volume. But this directly depends on what the expectant mother eats.
How to control weight?
Often, the expectant mother wonders abouthow to control your body weight. Often, the most expensive scales are purchased for this purpose. However, this is far from the best solution - the expectant mother cannot independently determine what part is fatty tissue and what part is edema. Unfortunately, edema is a very common problem that many expectant mothers face. This is why it is so important to visit a gynecologist in a timely manner, especially in the second half of pregnancy. The mandatory examination includes determining body weight, based on which the doctor draws conclusions about weight gain. There is a special table by which the doctor determines whether the expectant mother has problems with excess weight. Although, of course, all this data is very average. Therefore, the doctor must make adjustments for the individual characteristics of the body of each specific woman. In particular, for the initial weight that the woman had before pregnancy. The principle is simple - the greater the initial weight, the less you can gain. There are three main groups of women:
- Lack of body weight
If a woman was initially underweight, she may gain up to 15 kilograms during pregnancy.
- Normal body weight
If a woman’s body weight before pregnancy was normal, then the weight gain should be average – from 8 to 12 kilograms.
- Excess body weight
Well, if a woman was plump, then during pregnancy she can gain no more than 5 - 6 kilograms. Otherwise, there is a high risk of developing various complications.
How to get rid of excess weight during pregnancy?
Of course, insure yourself against excess weightbody is very difficult. But you should never let the problem slide. You can and should fight excess weight. Although, of course, this can only be done under the supervision of a medical professional. There are certain universal recommendations that will help you keep your weight under control. They are absolutely safe for all women without exception:
- Food should be divided - 6-7 meals a day, at short intervals.
- Always keep light snacks on hand, such aslike nuts, raisins, cheese and biscuits, dried fruit and yogurt. As soon as you feel hungry, do not rush to the fridge - try to snack something light. However, make sure that snacks are not a habit - they also contribute to the emergence of excess body weight.
- Avoid hiking in a cafe. Often it is during such trips that a woman eats those very extra calories that lead to a set of excess weight.
Also, pay attention to your diet.nutrition. Make sure that the menu is correct. First, you need to avoid whole milk products if possible. Of course, dairy products should be present, because they contain a large amount of much-needed calcium. You need at least 400 grams of dairy products every day. However, try to eat only low-fat products - this will significantly reduce the number of calories and, accordingly, the fat consumed. In addition, do not forget to limit sugary drinks. Sweetened drinks such as lemonade, fruit punch, fruit drinks, iced tea, lemonade supply the body with a lot of calories and very few nutrients. Therefore, try to drink pure still water or homemade fruit drinks and dried fruit compotes. Limit your salt intake as strictly as possible. After all, salt greatly retains water in the body. Simply put, excessively salty food provokes the development of severe edema. And they are the cause of excess weight. Of course, excess fluid is not fatty tissue. But it is also a very, very unpleasant and dangerous phenomenon. Also pay attention to what fats and sauces you use when cooking. Try to limit the consumption of such products as: margarine, butter, gravies, sauces, mayonnaise, sauces, methane, cream and cheese. They are very, very high in calories - just a couple of days of such a diet can lead to a couple of extra pounds. It is much wiser to replace them with olive oil. Of course, it will not be as tasty, but it is definitely much healthier.
Physical activity
To keep your weight under control,Be sure to remember about physical activity. Of course, there can be no talk of any serious training. However, minimal physical activity is simply necessary for the expectant mother. Otherwise, not only extra pounds can stick, but the muscles will also weaken significantly. But the birth of a baby is a very serious job for the mother's body. And that is why it is so important to properly prepare for this important event. How? Doctors say that the safest ways are swimming and simple walking. As a rule, the expectant mother tries to move less, believing that this will save energy. However, this is not true at all - lack of movement is a sure path to various complications, including such as excess weight during pregnancy. That is why it is so important to move enough. The expectant mother should walk at least two kilometers every day. And if strength allows - then more. This is not as difficult as it seems at first glance - it is enough to make it a rule to walk at least an hour every day. In addition, you should not ignore special gymnastics for expectant mothers. And for this, it is absolutely not necessary to enroll in expensive courses. As a rule, classes are available in almost any clinic. Moreover, your doctor will certainly help you choose the most suitable set of exercises that you can easily cope with at home on your own. And such a problem as excess weight during pregnancy will simply cease to be relevant for you. As you can see, pregnancy and excess weight are not the best allies. Therefore, be sure to keep this issue under strict control. This will help to avoid many problems and complications both from the mother's body and from the baby. Be healthy. Easy delivery and happy motherhood to you! We advise you to read:
