Overweight and Pregnant

Obesity are not good for any individual, as it increases the risk of certain lifestyle diseases. With an overweight and pregnant woman, the chances of developing medical complications are higher. Nevertheless, the situation of overweight before pregnancy is quite common, as more than 50 percent of women in their fertility years are overweight for their height in America. While the healthy body mass index (BMI) for an adult female is 18.5-24.9, a higher value, within 25-29.9, is considered overweight.

Being Plus-Size and Pregnant

Pregnancy brings about many changes, both mentally and physically, which an expecting woman should be aware of. And one of the most pronounced signs that everyone knows is weight gain during pregnancy. If you are overweight before conception, you can expect to put on more weight in the coming months, particularly after the first trimester. Putting on weight during gestation is something that you cannot avoid at any cost. In fact, gaining weight during pregnancy is quite normal to a certain extent.

A woman having normal weight is expected to gain somewhere around 25-35 pounds by the end of pregnancy. This weight scale is for expecting a single baby, and the standard weight gain for conceiving twins is 45 pounds. In case of an obese woman, the normal weight gain during pregnancy will be an additional 15-25 pounds. For cases of overweight women pregnant with twins, the suggested weight gain towards the end of pregnancy is lesser than 45 pounds. Precisely speaking, it is normal to put on 1-2 pounds in the first trimester, and 1 pound per week in the following months.

No woman wants to be overweight and pregnant at the same time. But, is it safe to lose weight during pregnancy? This is one of the most common queries that lingers in the mind of many expecting women. Forget about restricting diet, cutting down calories and losing weight while pregnant. All these weight loss strategies are strictly not recommended during the gestation period. The question is about providing sufficient nutrients for the growing fetus before and after birth. As for the extra weight gain during pregnancy, the stored nutrients are used for nurturing the baby. After conceiving a baby, the topmost priority for every expecting mother is taking care of her health and her baby's. Hence, it is definitely not the ideal time to lose weight or reduce daily calorie intake. Of course, one can consider losing weight after pregnancy under the strict guidance of a dietitian.

The probable complications for an obese and pregnant woman are gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia and alike problems. In order to avoid such cases, it is imperative to keep a track of the suggested weight gain during pregnancy. For the same, consume a well-planned pregnancy diet and perform mild pregnancy exercises. Besides following a pregnancy diet for overweight women, you should adopt healthy eating habits, like less serving at a time, eat more often, serving energy drinks and drinking ample amounts of water.

Being overweight and pregnant is certainly not good for both the mother and the developing fetus. And losing weight while pregnant is not healthy either. To be on the safer side, plan your pregnancy properly by considering the probable factors that may affect you and your little one. And to ensure that everything is right for you and your baby, it is advisable to go for a pre-pregnancy medical checkup and follow the doctor's advice without fail. This will surely give good pregnancy outcomes, while minimizing the risk of weight related medical complications.