Weight Gain During Pregnancy

You probably would have been advised to ‘eat for two’ when you are pregnant. Well, truth be told – it is just a myth. While it is true that you need extra calories from nutrient-rich foods to help your baby grow, but as a rule of thumb, you need to consume only 100 to 300 more calories than you did prior to your pregnancy.

The amount of weight put on by women during pregnancy varies between 9 to 13.5kg, with the most rapid gain usually between weeks 24 to 32. Your uterus, plus the baby, the placenta and the fluids will account for more than half of your total weight gain. In addition, you will also start to produce more blood and lay down fat to prepare for lactation.

How much should you pile up?

Nowadays, doctors consider that the minimum weight gain for most women should be 11kg. If you are pregnant and eat what you need, your weight gain usually follows a natural and predictable pattern. Some women may find that their figure changes quite drastically from the time their pregnancy was confirmed, say at weeks 6 to 8. Your weight gain may be monitored from about 12 weeks during your prenatal checks.

Here is a guide on ideal total weight gain throughout a normal pregnancy.

Duration (months)                     Weight gain (percentage)

            0 – 3                                        10

            3 – 5                                        25

            5 – 7                                        45

            7 – 9                                        20

Although you should aim for weight gain during pregnancy, it is still not a good idea for excessive weight gain. You ought to know that there is a host of problems that comes with obesity – it puts strain on the heart, which is already working at full stretch, and there is an association between excessive weight gain and caesarean section. Medical experts believe that when fat accumulates between the muscle fibers of the uterus, they work less efficiently and cannot contract enough to finish pushing the baby out once labour sets in.

What can you do to gain the appropriate amount of weight?

• Eat five to six small, frequent meals each day.
• Keep nutritious snacks near you. These include nuts, raisins, cheese, crackers, dries fruits, and yoghurt.
• Spread peanut butter on toast, crackers, apples, bananas or even celery. One tablespoon of creamy peanut butter provides about 100 calories and 7g of protein.
• Use non-fat powdered milk to food such as mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, cereals, or to your favorite dessert.
• Use condiments such as butter, cream cheese, gravy and cheese onto your meal.

What if you have gained too much weight?  

If you have gained more weight than as recommended during the early stage of pregnancy, do not try to lose it. Here are some handy tips to slow your weight gain:

• Try to eat regular, nutritious meals. Eat little and often when your pregnancy advances. This way, you are less likely to feel hungry in between.
• When you are preparing meals or snacks, bear in mind these simple rules: eat unprocessed foods that include healthy dose of roughage in your diet. Do grill your food rather than fry them and use natural sweeteners.
• Avoid high-calorie, low-nutrition foods that are easily accessible such as candy bars, chips and soft drink.
• When you eat out, choose lower fat items such as broiled chicken.
• Do not add salt to foods when cooking as salt tends to cause water retention.
• Limit sweet and high calorie snacks such as cookies, candies, donuts, cakes, and syrup. Instead, go for fresh fruit and low-calorie crackers.
• Perform moderate amount of exercise to help burn excess calories.