Pregnancy Week By Week

Most women lose more than 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) during childbirth — the combined weight of the baby, the amniotic fluid and the placenta and amniotic fluid. They also lose water weight as excess fluids leave their body.  Extra fat from pregnancy, however, will not go away on its own.  Diet and exercise can help Mother lose up to a pound a week, but even if she is breastfeeding, she may not reach her pre-pregnancy weight until six months after the birth and the shape of her body may have changed.   It’s possible to lose weight after pregnancy, but it takes time and commitment.

New mothers who want to slim down need to concentrate on eating healthy foods and exercising regularly.   During pregnancy, mothers’ diets may have changed in order to provide proper nutrition for their growing babies. After the birth, it is time to develop a diet that centers around fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and lean proteins such as skinless poultry, fish, beans, you may have changed your eating habits to support your baby’s growth and development. Or lean red meats.  These types of protein contain important nutrients such as Vitamin-B, iron or zinc

Mothers can also lose weight and eat more healthfully if they have smaller portions at meals and eat only when they feel hungry.   It is not necessary to skip meals, but rather to eat more fruits, vegetables and grains, and to avoid higher calorie foods.  Small and frequent meals may be a better option than the traditional schedule of breakfast, lunch and dinner.   Sometimes new mothers eat more if they feel anxious, nervous or lonely, or simply because it seems like time for a meal.  In these cases, it makes more sense to take the new baby for a walk, or arrange a date with a friend.

Exercising is almost always a good idea.  Mothers who had vaginal births and exercised during pregnancy can safely start moving again, even days after the birth. If the birth was by C-section, or had any complications, Mom can consult with her health care provider to develop a sensible exercise plan.

The plan should be workable and pleasant; otherwise the new mother is unlikely to stick with it.  Baby can breastfeed or drink from the bottle just before Mom begins her workout, then Mother can hold Baby while she dances or does aerobics.   Baby can come along for the ride in a stroller or baby carrier.   The activity can be slow and gentle at first — swimming, walking, using an exercise bike.  It doesn’t have to be a vigorous one-hour boot camp either — several 10 to 20 minute sessions per day are a good way to get started, because after a few days Mother will develop more stamina and energy and feel ready for longer and more strenuous workouts.   While working out, Mom should be sure to drink lots of water.  If they start to feel dizzy, or their vision blurs, or they have a hard time breathing, or if they experience vaginal bleeding, they should stop exercising and rest.

Burning fat takes a long term commitment to a low-calorie diet and aerobic exercise, and for some women who want to see more immediate results, it can make more sense to convert the excess fat into muscle through resistance training.  Kegel exercises that tighten and release the pelvis and crunches and sit-ups that strengthen the abdomen can help Mother tone up her muscles and become both stronger and more confident about her body. Kegels are easy to do while mothers are breastfeeding their babies, lying down, standing or sitting.

Dieting, unlike exercise, is best avoided immediately after the birth new mothers who are getting enough exercise will do fine if they concentrate on healthy eating instead, because the bodies need to recover.  Only after menstruation returns is it safe to follow a weight-loss plan.   At that point, if the mother gained within recommended 22- 30 pounds when she was pregnant, she will be able to return to her pre-pregnancy weight within eight months while remaining healthy.

One of the most sensible strategies for losing weight and keeping the baby healthy is to breastfeed for a year after birth. Research by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has shown that the hormones released during breastfeeding help a woman’s uterus return to the shape it had during pregnancy.   However, in many cases the bulk of the weight is not lost during breastfeeding itself, but in the period right after weaning.  Moreover, breastfeeding is not enough Even for nursing mothers, it’s still important to get exercise and to follow a healthy diet that never drops below about 1800 calories per day as long as baby is still drinking breast milk.

*This article is based on the information at http://www.mayoclinic.com, http://www.annecollins.com, http://www.pregnancy-info.net and http://www.breastfeeding.com/for_moms/weight_loss_after.html

Pregnant women must increase their caloric intake in order to make sure the babies they are carrying grow and stay healthy.  It is, therefore, never safe to lose weight during pregnancy.    However, every expecting mother gains a different amount.   According to the British National Health Service, weight gain during the nine months of pregnancy should range between 22 and 26 pounds.

In other words, pregnant mothers do not need to eat for two.  An increase of 100 to 300 calories per day is essential, but it is also generally enough.  On the one hand, women who don’t gain enough weight can hurt their fetuses.  On the other hand, women who gain too much can also hurt themselves and their babies.

Mothers-to-be who have a tendency to be overweight can benefit from a combination of healthy diet and regular exercise during their pregnancy.  If their efforts succeed at maintaining weight gain within the recommended range, they can rest assured that their babies are growing well and getting all the necessary nutrients.

In the first three months, during the purgatory of fatigue and morning sickness, an expecting mother only needs to gain about 4 pounds, by consuming only about 150 to 200 extra calories a day — the equivalent of one small low-fat yogurt.   Beginning with the second trimester, the pace of weight gain picks up, and the mother can expect to gain at least 3 to 4 pounds a month, or about a pound a week.  300 extra calories a day is enough to gain this much weight.  The mother’s diet should reflect this priority.  Rather than eat high-calorie foods with few nutrients, she can increase her consumption of whole grain breads and pastas, green salads and black beans, or sliced fruit and vegetables.  If she maintains her prenatal appointments, her physicians and other providers can help her monitor her diet and her weight.

Women who were underweight before getting pregnant should gain 28-40 pounds, which is somewhat more than the recommended range. Overweight women, on the other hand, may need to gain only 15-25 pounds during pregnancy. A good rule of thumb is to gain about 2 to 4 pounds in the first trimester, and 1 pound a week during the second and third. Mothers who are expecting twins may gain 35 to 45 pounds during pregnancy.

Generally, an expecting mother’s weight gain breaks is distributed in the following proportions.  The baby itself weighs about 8 pounds at birth.  The placenta, amniotic fluid, and new breast tissue each weigh between 2 and 3 pounds.   Blood supply increases by 4 pounds, body fat for delivery and breastfeeding is between 8 and 9 pounds, and the uterus gains between 2 and 5 pounds.

For women who need to gain weight during pregnancy, the best options are to eat small, frequent meals about five times a day, and to focus mostly on healthy snacks such as nuts, raisins, fruit, yoghurt, cheese and crackers.  Protein-rich peanut butter can be spread on toast and crackers or fruits and vegetables, and nonfat milk powder can enrich the calorie count of mashed potatoes, cereal or potatoes.  Butter, margarine, cream cheese, sour cream, gravy and cheese can also make the meal more nutritious.

Some pregnant mothers gain weight quickly and go beyond the recommended weight gain.  They should NOT try to lose weight, because it is not safe for the baby, but they can slow their gain by eating a variety of nutritious foods, choosing low-fat items on the menu — such as chicken breasts with tomato and lettuce –and going for boiled or baked snacks rather than fried.  Whole milk products can be replaced with foods that contain low-fat or non-fat milk.  They can also stop drinking sweet and sugary drinks such as fruit juice, ice tea, lemonade or sugar sodas, opting to drink water when thirsty and get their calories through nutritious food instead.  Salt should be avoided, because it causes the body to retain water.  Finally, mothers can put away sweet, high-calorie snacks such as cookies, candies, honey or potato chips, and replace them with more nutritious foods that are equally sweet or savory, such as low-fat yoghurt, strawberry shortcake or pretzels.

It is almost always a good idea to exercise.  Walking and swimming are safe and effective for pregnant women, and they help burn extra calories.  However, before beginning an exercise program, expecting mothers should speak with their physicians.

Pregnancy weight gain is inevitable, and the growth and development of the baby depend on it. Nonetheless, expecting mothers who are “eating for two” — themselves and their babies — do not need to double the amount of food they consume.   A healthy lifestyle allows mothers to control how much weight they gain in pregnancy, support the health of their babies, and make it easier to lose weight after delivery.

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to pregnancy weight gain. How much weight mothers need to gain depends on their pre-pregnancy weight and body mass index (BMI). The health of the mother and baby also play a role.

*This article is based on the information at http://en.wikipedia.org,http://www.webmd.com,http://www.mayoclinic.com and http://www.babycenter.com