What weight should a pregnant woman gain? Weight gain during pregnancy. Weight after childbirth

05.10.2023

Weight is an eternal problem for women. They very scrupulously monitor the arrows of the scales; some are actively losing weight, while others, on the contrary, cannot cope with painful thinness. But one day the time comes when doctors begin to actively monitor your weight. And not at all in order to turn a woman into a beauty, but to monitor the state of her health and the health of her unborn baby. In this case we are talking about pregnancy.

Weighing for pregnant women becomes as necessary a procedure as, in fact, brushing your teeth in the morning. A pregnant woman is weighed by a doctor at every examination; she herself must monitor her weight: step on the scale every morning, on an empty stomach, and preferably in the same clothes.

In the first two months of pregnancy, a woman’s weight does not gain momentum. This is the stage when the woman’s body and the baby’s body “get used” to each other. In addition, toxicosis often occurs, which contributes to weight loss rather than weight gain. The approximate weight gain is about one or two kilograms.

A pregnant woman begins to grow and expand already in the second or third trimester. On average, the scales each week stop at indicators that are 250-300 g higher than the previous ones.

Normally, during the entire nine months of pregnancy, a woman should gain 10-12 kg. According to doctors, from the thirtieth week, the weight of the expectant mother begins to increase by 50 grams per day. For 300-400 g - per week. And no more than 2 kg per month.

A gynecologist will most likely use it to determine acceptable weight gain. In addition, he also observes the scale of weight gain in the last 3 months of pregnancy.

As a rule, doctors think something like this: no more than 22 grams for every 10 cm of height weekly. That is, if a pregnant woman is 160 cm tall, then normally she can gain 352 g in weight. And if she is 180 cm, then 400 g.

But each case is deeply individual, so all these indicators, although ideal, are quite conditional. How much a pregnant woman “gains” is influenced, first of all, by her age: the older she is, the more prone she is to becoming overweight. Of course, a pregnant woman’s weight also depends on whether she is inclined to be overweight or thin according to the constitution of her body. Of course, the weight you had before pregnancy is also important. By the way, the less she weighed before, the more she can weigh during pregnancy. This is due to the fact that before pregnancy the body could experience a “deficit” in the kilograms it needed. In addition, weight loss cannot but have an effect - the body will try to replenish it. And, of course, if it’s more than 4 kilograms, then the expectant mother has every right to gain a lot of weight.

Again, in “ideal” cases, the gained kilograms of a pregnant woman (the norm is 10-12 kilograms) are distributed as follows: the baby weighs about 3300 g, the uterus and amniotic fluid - 900 g each, the placenta - 400 g, the increase in circulating blood volume - 1200 g, mammary glands - 500 g, adipose tissue - 2200 g, tissue fluid - 2700 g.

This is how these 12 kilograms are formed. It is worth noting that this is the weight that is very easy to lose after childbirth - by eating wisely and properly and doing special gymnastics.

To calculate how many kilograms you can afford during pregnancy, you don’t have to go to the doctor. Try to calculate your norm yourself. All you need to know for this is your height and initial weight. Together they become the BMI index. Calculate your BMI: BMI = weight (kg) / [height (m)]².

According to the results of women with BMI< 19,8 - худощавого телосложения. Если

BMI = 19.8 - 26.0, then these are women of average build, and if BMI > 26, then this is already a category of obese women.

Especially for- Maria Dulina

The body of any pregnant woman undergoes a number of important changes that help to bear and then safely give birth to a healthy and fully developed child. The first trimester is easy for almost everyone, and many people notice that they “bloom” during this period.

Hair gains shine, nails grow quickly, and skin glows. We need to thank for this “pregnant” beauty. They are also involved in less pleasant changes, for example, excessive sensitivity or an uncontrolled desire to absorb foods that are incompatible with taste in large quantities.

Unfortunately, excess weight is becoming a frequent companion for expectant mothers. After all, many pregnant women lack food control. In addition, most people reassure themselves that if they want it, it means it’s necessary for the child’s body.

In a normal (uncomplicated) case, by the end of it, body weight increases by about 10-15 kilograms, everything above these indicators is unnecessary. As you know, excess weight entails serious health problems, which cause a lot of trouble.

Weight gain during pregnancy

We outlined above how many kilograms women gain during their entire pregnancy, during its normal course. Let's talk in more detail about these numbers and what influences them. To begin with, we note that weight gain depends on many individual indicators of the expectant mother. Moreover, it does not increase immediately.

Therefore, if you are tormented by the question “why am I not gaining weight?”, and your interesting situation is only a few months old, then rest assured, everything is going according to plan. The first trimester is like an introductory period, during which the pregnant woman’s body is just beginning to rebuild and prepare for subsequent changes.

After all, the future baby has just begun to grow and develop. Therefore, you should not worry about how to gain the missing kilograms. After all, there are no visible changes yet and cannot be, there are only maternal sensations.

It happens that the opposite picture is observed, and the woman loses weight. This is typical for those who, because of this, cannot eat as before. But this must pass over time, otherwise medical attention is required.

Many people mistakenly believe that weight increases during pregnancy only because intrauterine development of the fetus . However, this is not true, because In addition to the child itself, the woman’s internal organs also increase in size, which gives a certain weight gain.

Baby weight table by week of pregnancy

To clearly illustrate the statement that weight gain depends not only on the increase in the size of the baby, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the norms for fetal weight by week of pregnancy, presented in the table below.

Duration, weeks	Weight, grams	*Height, centimeters*
11	7	4,1
12	14	5,4
13	23	7,4
14	43	8,7
15	70	10,1
16	100	11,5
17	140	13
18	190	14,2
19	240	15,3
20	300	25,8
21	360	26,7
22	430	27,8
23	500	28,9
24	600	30
25	670	34,6
26	760	35,6
27	875	36,6
28	1000	37,6
29	1150	38,6
30	1320	39,9
31	1500	41,1
32	1700	42,4
33	1900	43,8
34	2150	45
35	2380	46,2
36	2500	47,4
37	2800	48,6
38	3000	49,8
39	3300	50,7
40	3400	51,2

As can be seen from this table, the child’s height and weight increases gradually over the weeks. Ultrasound or measurements of the height of the uterus and abdominal circumference at a later date helps to calculate these indicators. It is possible to measure the unborn child already in the fifth week of his intrauterine life. The child begins to grow rapidly only in the middle of the second trimester, for example, the normal weight of the fetus at 20 weeks of pregnancy is 300 grams, and by 28 weeks it increases more than three times (1000 grams).

The development of a child, first of all, depends on how well the placenta, the organ that is responsible for transporting nutrients and oxygen to the child’s body from the mother, nourishes it. In addition, amniotic fluid plays an important role, i.e. amniotic fluid that contains the fetus until birth.

Table of the amount of amniotic fluid by week

If the doctor records deviations from the norm in the fetal weight by week or there are signs of insufficient intrauterine development, then the reasons for this may be:

poor or unbalanced maternal nutrition;
chronic diseases;
constant stress;
bad habits;
genetic failure.

Normal weight gain during pregnancy by week

It is believed that the average rate of weight gain during pregnancy is 250-300 grams per week or one kilogram per month. In the third trimester, the baby grows at an accelerated pace and an increase of 400 grams per week is considered normal. This is where the previously indicated 10-15 kilograms or 16-21 kilograms for twins come out in nine months.

It is this average weekly rate of weight gain during pregnancy that doctors focus on. If the body weight significantly exceeds or, on the contrary, does not reach the average, the gynecologist will look for the cause in the patient’s health condition. The optimal situation is one in which the weight increases gradually as the fetus develops.

Insufficient weight gain may be due to toxicosis or a woman’s poor diet, which leads to delays in the development of the child, because he does not receive important beneficial elements from food. Normal weight for newborns should be between 2.5-4.5 kilograms.

Children with less weight are at risk of developing congenital abnormalities of mental and physical development. In addition, the lack of nutrients also negatively affects the health of the mother, thus increasing the risk of premature birth or early miscarriage.

Excess weight is dangerous And . Moreover, it affects arterial pressure , contributes to the development of late toxicosis , leads to fetal hypoxia , as well as to premature aging of the placenta (the tissue that nourishes the baby). It happens that a lot of weight is a consequence of hidden or obvious swelling due to a malfunction of the urinary system.

Fluid accumulates in organs and tissues, resulting in swelling. And this is a good reason to seek medical help, because... This condition is fraught with the development of kidney hydronephrosis and late toxicosis.

Weight is considered overweight if you have gained:

in any trimester over two kilograms per week;
in the first trimester over four kilograms;
during the second trimester over four and a half kilograms;
in the third trimester over eight hundred grams per week.

Let's talk about how much you can gain and how to calculate optimal weight gain. To find out your norm, i.e. For a “healthy” increase, you first need to calculate an indicator such as BMI (the full name is body mass index), which is calculated using the formula I=m/h2.

Where m is the weight in kilograms, and h is height squared in meters. For example, your weight is 60 kilograms and your height is 1.7 meters. It turns out that BMI = 60/(1.7*1.7) = 20.76. The gain table below shows the optimal weight indicators based on body mass index.

As you can see, the initial weight of women has the greatest influence on how many kg they gain by the end of pregnancy. Skinny women gain weight faster and immediately, which, in principle, will be within the norm for them. Another thing is the weight of overweight mothers, which will have to be constantly monitored.

The age of the pregnant woman is also important. The thing is that as a person ages, he becomes prone to becoming overweight. At a younger age, the fight against extra pounds is much easier. Body type is another factor to consider.

Mothers of asthenic type, i.e. those who are not inclined to be overweight become “visually pregnant” faster. In contrast, the interesting position of women of the hypersthenic type, i.e. those prone to obesity are visible only when the stomach begins to bulge strongly.

According to statistics, in the first trimester a woman gains 0.2 kilograms every day. However, these are very average indicators, because It is during this period that many suffer from severe toxicosis. It is believed that the first half of pregnancy accounts for only 40% of weight gain.

More intense weight gain occurs in the second trimester. This is the “golden time” when everything in the body settles down, hormones do not go wild and new strength comes. Toxicosis is receding and now you can eat for two. The lion's share of weight gain occurs during this period of pregnancy.

The weekly weight gain calendar is a guideline that doctors rely on during routine examinations of pregnant women. The expectant mother herself must exercise control over her body weight so that, if necessary, she can make adjustments to her lifestyle and diet. To do this, you need scales and a notepad in which you can take notes.

It is enough to weigh yourself once a week in the morning on an empty stomach, after emptying your bladder and intestines. For accurate measurements, it is better to take off your clothes or stay in your underwear.

How to calculate pregnancy weight by week?

Calculating weight gain during pregnancy is not difficult and it is quite possible to do it yourself. In addition, you can resort to the help of special programs. They are freely available on the Internet and for convenience they can be installed on your smartphone.

Body weight increases gradually and depends on many individual factors that must be taken into account when calculating. As we said earlier, in the first trimester, a situation in which the weight increases by 1-3 kilograms is considered normal, but in case of severe toxicosis, a woman can lose weight.

Starting from the second trimester, individual weight gain can be determined using the following formula: height in meters (remove the comma) multiplied by 22 grams. Example of calculations: a pregnant woman’s height is 1.60 meters, which means 16 x 22 = 352 grams. This is the optimal weekly weight gain.

To make your task easier and get rid of mathematical calculations, you can resort to help pregnancy weight gain calculator by week . Using such a program is really easy, fast and convenient. You just need to enter the indicators necessary for the calculation - height, weight before pregnancy, current body weight at the time of calculations and gestational age in weeks. The calculator itself will calculate the body mass index (abbreviated BMI), create a chart of weight gain during pregnancy and make a forecast for weight gain by 9 months.

If the result you get is on the normal line in the graph, then there is no reason to worry. And if it is higher or lower, then your weight deviates from healthy levels and there is an excess or, on the contrary, a deficiency. This cannot be left to chance and appropriate measures must be taken urgently.

Nutrition during pregnancy

This topic requires separate consideration, so in this material we will give only general recommendations on how to eat properly. We’ll also talk about which foods are acceptable for pregnant women and vice versa are prohibited. To begin with, we note that the diet of the expectant mother should be adjusted taking into account the needs of her body.

For example, you are a 100% meat eater and don’t like vegetables or prefer sweets to fruits, and so on. Then you will have to reconsider your preferences so that the child grows and develops harmoniously.

In addition, it should be borne in mind that pregnancy is stress for the body and it requires powerful support to ensure the life of two at once.

A balanced diet provides:

proper functioning of the body;
meeting the needs of the developing embryo;
formation and growth of the placenta;
swelling of the mammary glands and prolonged lactation.

If the balance of vitamins, beneficial compounds and other nutrients is disturbed, then there is a risk of:

development of intrauterine pathologies in the fetus;
reduction of all important vital signs of the newborn;
insufficient child;
undeveloped intellect;
hereditary diseases;
low life expectancy.

Bad habits (smoking, alcohol, etc.) destroy the baby’s body no less than poor nutrition. Therefore, you should give up all this, at least for the duration of pregnancy, if you don’t have the willpower to “quit” forever.

The main nutritional mistakes during pregnancy:

Irregular meals. The lack of a full breakfast, an erroneous eating schedule, snacks and evening gluttons - all this affects the health of mother and child. Therefore, during pregnancy we adhere to the rules and principles of a healthy lifestyle. The largest meal that provides an energy boost in the morning is breakfast. After it (a couple of hours should pass), you can have a light snack. Eat soup for lunch, cook steamed meat and porridge for second, and fish and vegetables for dinner.
Overeating at night harms metabolic processes and strains the gastrointestinal tract. As a result, you sleep poorly, and food is not digested normally. Excess calories are instantly transformed into excess fat, which in turn negatively affects weight.
Eating dry food with your favorite cookies, rolls and other flour products not only adds kilograms, but also increases the risk of developing or.
Overly spicy food, which pregnant women sometimes crave, also causes harm and also stimulates appetite.
Sweets and confectionery are acceptable, but only in moderation. Excess blood sugar not only leads to extra pounds, but also significantly increases the risk of developing .

During pregnancy, it is important to eat meat, fish and seafood, as well as fresh vegetables and fruits, sour and dairy products, whole grain bread, cereals and durum wheat pasta. These products will provide the necessary levels of important beneficial compounds. It is better to cook food by steaming, baking or boiling. If possible, it is advisable to avoid salt and sugar or significantly reduce their content in ready-made dishes.

In the first trimester it is important to get enough vitamin B9 , i.e. , which is indispensable for the growth of organs and tissues, as well as the development of the nervous system. Cheeses, beets, cabbage, legumes and carrots are rich in it.

Nutrition in the second trimester should be rich in content:

And calcium (dairy products, fish liver, eggs);
gland (meat, vegetables);
(fruits, berries);
fiber .

How to avoid gaining excess weight during pregnancy

In order not to gain extra pounds, adhere to the following rules:

Don't overeat. The good old “you need to eat for two” or “if you want it, then the child demands it,” sounding from the lips of kind grandmothers and aunties should not confuse you and justify night gluttons. The body must receive exactly the amount of calories that is required for the normal development of the fetus and no more. You can eat more often, but in small portions, then you will not feel hungry. It is believed that you can increase the calorie content of your diet during pregnancy by a maximum of 200-300 calories without harm to your health. But here it is important to observe the measure, this is especially true for women whose BMI is higher than normal.
Avoid unhealthy foods that contain excess carbohydrates. All kinds of sweets, chocolates and bars, confectionery and flour are sources of sugar, which is absorbed quickly and gives only a temporary feeling of fullness, disappearing instantly, and you want to eat again. As a result, you absorb harmful sugar along with food additives and confectionery fats.
Give yourself gentle fasting days. This does not mean that we advise you to fast during pregnancy. Once every two weeks you can give your stomach a break. On this day, replace most of your diet with vegetables or dairy products.
Walk more, and not only in good and sunny weather in the fresh air. This rule helps maintain health for everyone without exception. Physical activity (of course, within reason) is especially important for pregnant women. The more you move, the better your blood is saturated with oxygen, which means you protect your baby from oxygen starvation .
Avoid harmful and useless drinks. Give preference to regular drinking water or natural compotes, fruit drinks and juices without sugar. The recommended daily volume of fluid for pregnant women is 1.5 liters. It is better to drink two thirds before 16.00 to avoid swelling.

Foods that pregnant women are allowed to eat:

dietary flour products, bran or rye whole grain bread;
vegetable soups (limit potatoes, cereals, pasta) to 200 grams per day;
meat products and meat, steamed, baked or boiled;
Fish and seafood;
milk, dairy and fermented milk products (yogurt without additives and sugar, low-fat cottage cheese);
eggs (preferably quail);
cereals (oatmeal, buckwheat are the healthiest);
fresh or steamed vegetables;
sauces and salad dressings (sour cream, olive oil);
fresh fruits;
butter up to 10 grams per day;
Refined sunflower oil should be replaced with unrefined olive oil;
drinks (tea, not purchased packaged juices, fruit drinks, water).

Not all expectant mothers understand how important it is to respect reasonable boundaries when it comes to nutrition. Some people worry about their figure, which will be difficult to get into shape after childbirth, and begin to limit themselves in everything, while others think that now they literally need to eat “for two” and lean heavily on their favorite foods.

In fact, any deviations from the norm can equally pose a danger to the health of the woman herself and her baby. What do you need to know about changes in body weight during pregnancy, and how to correctly calculate optimal weight gain?

What are the dangers of being underweight or overweight during pregnancy?

The average weight gain during pregnancy is from 9 to 14 kg. Of course, this value cannot be applied to each specific case, since the exact figure depends on many factors, but a sharp deviation from it in one direction or the other should alert the expectant mother.

Underweight often occurs in pregnant women in the first months, that is, during the period when they suffer from toxicosis. If the loss is not accompanied by severe vomiting (after every meal), the baby is most likely out of danger.

Low weight carries the greatest risk in the second and third trimesters, when the fetus is in great need of nutrients and their lack can lead to a lack of body weight in the newborn, various developmental pathologies and psychological problems. In this case, the woman’s level of important hormones may drop, which can lead to miscarriage or premature birth.

Excess weight is also not only an aesthetic problem for pregnancy, since the entire burden falls on the health of the mother. Often it provokes the development of gestosis - a dangerous condition called late toxicosis. Preeclampsia poses a direct threat to the child’s health, as it can cause other troubles. Read more about gestosis

Excess weight is even more dangerous when it occurs not due to overeating, but due to edema- usually in such cases the increase occurs in a short period of time (more than a kilogram per week). This may be the first symptom of dropsy - excess accumulation of fluid in the tissues of the body, the main cause of which is a disorder of the kidneys.

It is categorically not recommended to solve such problems on your own, therefore, if a pregnant woman experiences a sharp increase in body weight, she should immediately consult a doctor.

And in order to notice a threatening condition in time and take action, the expectant mother must know what the optimal weight gain during pregnancy should be in her case.

Why do pregnant women gain weight?

Contrary to popular belief, pregnant women gain excess weight not only due to the weight of the growing baby and the fat layer - they make up about half of the total figure. Over the course of nine months, a woman’s uterus, blood volume and intercellular fluid increase, amniotic fluid and placenta are formed, and the mammary glands begin to actively grow.

These changes are necessary for the proper growth and development of the baby, that is, they should be monitored not only by the gynecologist, but also by the woman herself.

What determines weight gain during pregnancy?

To calculate the acceptable weight gain for a woman, her initial weight should be taken into account, that is, BMI (body mass index), which is calculated using a special formula: body weight in kilograms/height in meters squared. The resulting result allows you to evaluate how close a woman’s weight is to normal: if the figure falls in the range of 19.8-26, the weight is normal, less than 19 is insufficient, more than 26 is excessive, and a BMI above 30 indicates obesity.

Thin, fragile women (the so-called asthenic type) should gain 13-18 kg during pregnancy;
For women with a normal build and weight, the permissible increase is 11-16 kg;
Obese and overweight ladies normally gain from 7 to 11 kg;
In case of obesity, the doctor prescribes a special diet for the expectant mother, and her weight gain should not exceed 6 kg.

In addition, it is very important to take into account the gestational age of the fetus by week, since during each week certain changes occur in the body of the woman and the fetus that affect the overall weight.

Weight by week of pregnancy

Weight gain during pregnancy occurs unevenly over the weeks - at the very beginning it is almost unnoticeable, increases significantly in the middle and decreases again closer to childbirth.

The second trimester, when the baby begins to grow and develop especially actively, a woman should be especially careful, as weight gain takes on its initial significance. The numbers are distributed as follows: about 500 g per week for thin women, no more than 450 g for pregnant women of normal weight, and no more than 300 g for overweight women.

In the third trimester, pregnant women gain less weight, and this process is natural, as their body prepares for the birth of the baby.

It is very important to ensure that body weight does not decrease too sharply, as this may indicate pathologies in the development of pregnancy.

What are the dangers of slow weight gain?

Slow weight gain is a relative concept for pregnant women, since in the first trimester it may not only not gain, but also decrease.

Some expectant mothers gain the first kilograms only after the 14th week - this usually concerns petite women who do not have a genetic predisposition to be overweight or women suffering from toxicosis. In the first case, weight gains slowly throughout the entire nine months, which should not cause concern if the pregnant woman is feeling normal. If we talk about women suffering from toxicosis, then by the second trimester the malaise usually disappears, body weight returns to normal and weight gain takes its course.

If a pregnant woman fasts, follows a strict diet, or simply eats poorly, then her risk of miscarriage or premature birth increases significantly.

In such a situation, a woman needs to give up restrictions and bring her diet back to normal. You need to eat small portions several times a day, between meals, snack on cheese, nuts or dried fruits, and you can add a little butter or sour cream to your food.

Read about nutrition rules during pregnancy

What are the dangers of rapid weight gain?

Rapid weight gain is typical for multiple pregnancies, women with underweight and too young mothers whose bodies are still developing.

In other cases, it is the result of normal overeating and requires adjustments to the diet. Excess weight does not pose a direct threat to the life of a child, but it can cause diabetes, high blood pressure, preeclampsia and excess body weight in the baby, which can lead to complications during childbirth and even cesarean section.

If weight gains too quickly, a woman is advised to consult a nutritionist and give up quickly digestible carbohydrates (sweets, baked goods, pasta) and include fruits, vegetables, cereals and dairy products in her menu.

The situation is much more dangerous if excess weight is a consequence of edema. In order to identify the problem in time and receive medical help, the expectant mother should have a table of weight gain during pregnancy and accurate scales at hand - an increase of more than 1 kg per week is a serious cause for concern.

Read about how to avoid gaining excess weight during pregnancy.

Is weight loss during pregnancy dangerous?

In the first trimester of pregnancy, weight loss is quite possible due to toxicosis, in the second this situation is usually associated with various diseases and stress, and in the third trimester, a loss of 1-2 kg is a harbinger of an early birth.

In any case, weight gain during pregnancy is a purely individual matter, so it is very important for the expectant mother to monitor her well-being and the quality of food she eats.

If weight goes away quickly and sharply (especially in the first and second trimester), you should immediately inform your doctor about this, as this can be a serious threat to the health and even the life of the baby.

Diet during pregnancy

Diets, strict nutrition systems and fasting days (especially the so-called “hungry days”) during the period of bearing a child are strictly prohibited, even if the pregnant woman is overweight.

It is very important to ensure that the baby receives all the nutrients, vitamins and microelements, so the expectant mother should not starve - she just needs to balance her diet accordingly, and if necessary, get advice from a specialist.

Norms of weight gain and fetal growth

Increases in height and weight of a child are no less important parameters than the body weight of the expectant mother. They begin to measure it from about the 8th week, since it is simply impossible to do this earlier.

The baby's body weight and height increase unevenly - at first the fetus grows rapidly, and starting from the 14-15th week the process slows down slightly. This is due to the fact that the child’s main task during this period is to develop new skills (blinking, moving his arms, etc.), and not to gain weight and height. At the beginning of the third trimester, the baby's weight gain accelerates again, and by the date of birth his body weight reaches 2.5 to 3.5 kg.

The weight and height of a child are individual parameters and depend on many factors, primarily gender and genetic predisposition, but there are average figures that are considered to be the norm.

In addition, an ultrasound examination necessarily measures such indicators as:

BPR - biparietal head size (the distance between the outer surface of the lower contour and the inner surface of the lower);
DB - thigh length;
AB - abdominal circumference;
DHA - chest diameter.

These indicators should increase in proportion to the duration of pregnancy, and together with height and weight, they are very important parameters that can tell about the presence or absence of any pathologies.

Any lag or advance is a reason for consultation with a doctor, but in no case a reason for panic, because every little person is an individual who may have his own characteristics.

If women eat little and gain weight, they risk giving birth to an underweight baby. Which is fraught with psychological and physical problems for the baby. Undereating during pregnancy can be much more harmful than overeating. Malnutrition during pregnancy damages the baby's brain and metabolism. Also, a woman's level of the hormone estrogen may drop, which increases the risk of miscarriage.

Also, women should not gain excess weight during pregnancy. Large weight gain increases the risk of pregnancy diabetes and late toxicosis. Diabetes associated with pregnancy can lead to an overweight baby (at least 4 kg), while late toxicosis is characterized by life-threatening high blood pressure and has the ability to lead to unwanted disorders. In addition, a woman who is very overweight during pregnancy may experience difficulties during childbirth. Also, excess weight during pregnancy prevents women from losing this weight after childbirth.

Other problems arise if a woman does not gain weight during pregnancy, but, on the contrary, loses it. In such a situation, you need to urgently go to the doctor, especially if you are not yet registered. Weight loss during pregnancy negatively affects the health of the unborn baby.

The best weight gain depends largely on your own weight before pregnancy. In addition, the lower your own weight, the more likely you are to gain excess weight during pregnancy.

If excess weight is below normal - weight gain, no more than 12 kg
With own weight - no more than 18 kg.
With normal weight - no more than 16 kg.
For obesity - at least 6 kg.
In case of multiple pregnancy - 21 kg.

There is a special body mass index, it is calculated in this way: body weight is divided by a person’s height squared in meters (consider an example - 1.70 m).

If the index is greater than 30, then obesity.
If the index is from 25 to 30, then you are overweight.
If the index is from 18.5 to 25, then the weight is normal.
If the index is less than 18.5, then the weight is insufficient.

Where are all the kilos going?

4kg - baby.
500 g - placenta.
1 kg - uterus.
1 kg - amniotic fluid.
2 kg - water in your body.
500 g - increase in breast volume.
Fat deposits in the female body are about 4 kg.

The pace of weight gain is individual for each woman. In some months you can gain more, in others - less. There are women who begin to gain weight from the first days of pregnancy, and then slow down. It also happens the other way around: they can gain weight after 20 weeks. Each option is normal if it does not go beyond the optimal set. If your weight is normal, then during the first trimester you need to gain approximately 1.5 kg. (800 g - if you are overweight, 2 kg - if you are underweight).

During the second and third trimesters, weight gain begins to increase. Between 14 and 28 weeks of pregnancy, women with a completely normal weight can gain approximately 300 g each week. In the ninth month of pregnancy, weight may decrease by 1 kg - this phenomenon is completely normal.

How much should you eat? After all, expectant mothers need to gain a lot of weight during pregnancy in order to later give birth to a normal-sized baby. American researchers have found that the growth of a baby is influenced by the process of increasing lean mass, and not increasing fat mass. Therefore, if there is a large fat mass, then women will have a lot of excess fat after childbirth. Conversely, an increase in lean mass does not affect a woman’s weight after childbirth. It’s absolutely not necessary, during pregnancy there is “for two”.

During the first trimester, you need about 200 additional calories per day, and during the second and third - no more than 300 calories. Make sure that the extra calories come from healthy foods: yogurt, cereal with milk, or fresh fruit. It is possible that you will feel hungry from the 13th week of your pregnancy. During this week, the level of estrogen in the blood increases.

Under no circumstances should you go hungry. If the rate of weight gain increases, then you need to limit your consumption of animal fat and sweets. But don't limit yourself to complex carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables. During a sharp jump in weight (back and forth), blood pressure rises and this is very dangerous during pregnancy. So if you see that you are gaining too much weight, do not suddenly reduce the amount of food you eat, do everything gradually.

Don't eat too much chocolate; it has a lot of calories, fat, and caffeine. It prevents the female body from absorbing folic acid and iron, which is responsible for delivering oxygen to the baby. Also, caffeine impairs the absorption of calcium. For the same reason, limit yourself to coffee and strong black tea.

At the moment of toxicosis, you still need to eat. It is better to eat in smaller portions and often than in large portions and rarely.

Minor swelling is considered normal during pregnancy. If your kidneys are working normally, then you don’t need to limit yourself to fluids. You need to drink a lot of water: at least 6 glasses a day. After all, amniotic fluid can be completely renewed with the help of water.

It will help your baby lose weight after pregnancy.

As a rule, fat deposition during pregnancy is inevitable, this is a completely normal phenomenon and you need to come to terms with it. If you really want to, after giving birth, you can quickly regain your previous weight. If you are breastfeeding your baby, your appetite will increase. This phenomenon is normal, because the baby needs to receive the necessary substances. In fact, you don't need to eat a lot, because the secret is to eat good quality healthy food. Because breastfeeding requires more energy than pregnancy, your body needs 500 more calories each day than usual.

But under no circumstances should you go on a diet or starve yourself. Eat enough calories, plenty of vitamins and minerals, and drink plenty of fluids. It is necessary to drink one glass of liquid before each meal, this will dull the feeling of hunger. Try to eat small meals several times a day. To prevent hunger at night, you need to drink a glass of kefir or milk at night. Be careful with exercise.

Under no circumstances overwork yourself. Especially after a cesarean section, you need to be careful about exercise. Do not carry or lift heavy objects. Avoid any activities that lead to abdominal tension. And if the birth took place without complications, then weeks after the birth, you can perform light exercises - slow bending, stretching and muscle stretching exercises. You can do a Kegel exercise: alternately squeezing and relaxing the vaginal muscles.

Weight gain in a pregnant woman is an important indicator. Of course, in order to understand whether a pregnant woman has one or another pathology in weight gain, you need to know the standard (average) indicators. In addition, it will not hurt to know what these indicators consist of.

What determines weight gain in pregnant women?

The total weight gain during pregnancy directly depends on the woman’s initial weight.
For plump representatives of the fair sex, this figure should be 8-9 kg in nine months.
For women of average build, the increase should be slightly higher - 12-14 kg.
Skinny women can “come off” completely during pregnancy; their body weight by the end of pregnancy can increase by 15-16 kilograms.
Doctors also take into account the age of the pregnant woman; the older she is, the greater her weight gain will be.
Female athletes have a better metabolism (metabolism), which is why they gain more weight.

How is weight gained during pregnancy distributed?

The lion's share of the increase is “eaten up” by the baby himself, because on average his weight ranges from 2 kg 800 grams to 3.5 kilograms.
The placenta and amniotic fluid weigh about 1.5 kg.
The uterus becomes larger in size and gains 1 kg in weight.
The amount of fluid and blood in the body increases by 4 kilograms.
The mass of fat accumulation and muscle tissue increases by 3-4 kg.

Of course, all these indicators are individual.

What weight gain during pregnancy is considered normal: norms of gain by week

Weight control in pregnant women: tips

Women carrying a child must monitor their weight.
To do this, they will have to purchase high-quality scales and keep a special diary in which they will need to record the weekly increase.
You need to weigh yourself once a week on a certain day. For example, on Saturday.
Weigh yourself in the morning before meals. It is advisable to step on the scale in the same nightgown. Before weighing you need to go to the toilet.

The IMI is calculated very simply: body weight (m) in kg must be divided by height(h) in m, squared:

IC = m/h2

For example: a woman weighs 50 kg and her height is 160 cm or 1.6 m, then the IMI is calculated as follows:

Multiply 1.6 by 1.6 = 2.56.
Then divide 50 by 2.56 = 19.5.
So, in this case, the IMI is 19.5

Table of weight gain by week, taking into account BMI

A week	BMI less than 18.5	BMI less than 18.5 to 25	BMI over 30
4	0 - 0.9 kg	0 – 0.7kg	0 - 0.5 kg
6	0 -1.4 kg	0 – 1 kg	0 – 0.6 kg
8	0 – 1.6 kg	0 – 1.2 kg	0 – 0.7 kg
10	0 – 1.8 kg	0 – 1.3 kg	0 – 0.8 kg
12	0 – 2 kg	0 – 1.5 kg	0 – 1 kg
14	0.5 – 2.7 kg	0.5 – 2 kg	0.5 – 1.2 kg
16	Up to 3.6 kg	up to 3 kg	up to 1.4 kg
18	up to 4.6 kg	up to 4 kg	up to 2.3 kg
20	up to 6 kg	up to 5.9 kg	up to 2.9 kg
22	up to 7.2 kg	up to 7 kg	up to 3.4 kg
24	up to 8.6 kg	up to 8.5 kg	up to 3.9 kg
26	up to 10 kg	up to 10 kg	up to 5 kg
28	up to 13 kg	up to 11 kg	up to 5.4 kg
30	up to 14 kg	up to 12 kg	up to 5.9 kg
32	up to 15 kg	up to 13 kg	up to 6.4 kg
34	up to 16 kg	up to 14 kg	up to 7.3 kg
36	up to 17 kg	up to 15 kg	up to 7.9 kg
38	up to 18 kg	up to 16 kg	up to 8.6 kg
40	up to 18 kg	up to 16 kg	up to 9.1 kg

Large weight gain during pregnancy: what diet will help avoid pathology?

Excessive weight gain in a pregnant woman can lead to the most serious consequences:

Blood pressure may rise, diabetes mellitus may develop, and early aging of the placenta may occur;
the development of late toxicosis is not excluded;
excessive gain sometimes leads to fetal hypoxia and serious complications during childbirth.

An excess increase is considered:

Weight gain of more than 2 kilograms per week - regardless of the period.
Weight gain of more than 4 kg in the first three months.
In the third trimester, the gain is more than 800 g per week.

Excess weight in a pregnant woman and hidden edema

It is very dangerous if excess weight is the result of hidden or obvious edema. Swelling (obvious) can be seen on your own - the face takes on a puffy appearance; when you remove socks from your feet, you can see a mark that does not disappear for a long time; your favorite ring cannot be removed from your finger.

If a pregnant woman notices one of these signs in herself, she should immediately consult a doctor. Only a gynecologist can detect hidden swelling, so you should not neglect routine examinations, even if you feel great.

How to avoid gaining extra pounds?

Don't eat for two, as grandmothers advise.
Eat little, but often.
Eliminate constipation, which adversely affects the body not only of the pregnant woman, but also of the fetus. To ensure regular bowel movements, it is enough to eat a portion of fresh cabbage salad at night, eat a few pieces of dried apricots or two or three prunes every day. Take laxatives only as prescribed by your doctor. Most often, pregnant women are prescribed: Duphalac, Lactulose - Poly or Stada.
An expectant mother who is gaining excess weight should exclude sweets, baked goods, and ice cream from her diet.
No food additives, coconut or palm oil.
Once every two weeks it won’t hurt to arrange fasting days. These days you can slightly limit the amount of liquid you consume, eat low-fat cottage cheese, drink kefir, and eat more vegetables. No starvation! Remember, you are not alone now.
And, of course, don’t forget about daily walks in the fresh air!

No diets, even ultra-modern ones, are suitable for pregnant women.

How to create a menu for a pregnant woman: tips

The menu must contain at least 300 grams of complex carbohydrates, vegetables and fruits, fish, meat (lean varieties) daily.
You need to cook food by steaming.
Products can also be boiled and stewed.
Salt is allowed only in quantities of up to 5 grams per day.
Oatmeal and buckwheat porridge are very healthy.
But the amount of potatoes in your diet should be kept to a minimum.
A pregnant woman should eat her last meal no later than 19:00, then it is advisable to take a leisurely walk.

List of products that should be on the table of a woman carrying a child:

fresh eggs;
fish;
dairy products;
lean meat and minced meat;
a wide variety of cereals;
nuts;
bread;
dried fruits.

What should a pregnant woman not eat?

The expectant mother should refuse the whole, including in particular:

any smoked meats;
fried foods;
sausages;
canned food;
chips, store-bought crackers, fast food.

How to eatpregnant woman with large weight gain: sample menu for 1 day

Breakfast: low-fat cottage cheese with sour cream.

Lunch: biscuits and tea.

Dinner: chicken noodles.

Afternoon snack: seasonal fruits.

Dinner: rice with fish.

An hour before bedtime: a glass of fermented baked milk.

Some doctors recommend a salt-free diet for pregnant women who are overweight. You need to switch to such a diet by gradually reducing the amount of salt you consume. However, many doctors reject this diet and recommend stopping on fasting days.

Small weight gain in a pregnant woman: causes, dangers

The most common cause of weight loss during pregnancy is. Food for toxicosis should be easily digestible, the diet should be balanced. Toxicosis is a pathological process of adaptation of the female body to pregnancy. About 60% of women suffer from early toxicosis (before the third month). Late toxicosis (third trimester) requires professional monitoring and treatment. Underweight in a pregnant woman can have quite serious consequences not only for her health, but also for the health of her baby.

Weight loss in a pregnant woman can lead to:

To placental abruption.
Pathological development of the placenta.
To early, or rather, premature birth.
To the development of congenital pathologies in the fetus.
To anemia in a newborn.
To a pathological change in body proportions.
To underdevelopment of organs.
To the development of atherosclerosis and hypertension in a child.

How to gain missing weight?

First, eat five to six small meals a day.
Secondly, when going for a walk, put it in your purse and periodically take out a “delicious snack”: bananas, yoghurts, etc.
Thirdly, season dishes with oil (olive, sunflower, butter), sour cream, cream.
Fourth, drink more fluids. Include fermented milk products in your diet.
Fifth, eating peanut butter sandwiches will help you gain weight.
Sixth, lead a calm lifestyle, do not get nervous unnecessarily.

Sample menu for late toxicosis

Breakfast : boiled fish with salad and boiled potatoes. Tea with milk.

Lunch: millet porridge with butter. Apple.

Dinner: rice soup with meat, steam cutlet with buckwheat porridge. Compote.

Afternoon snack: cottage cheese with honey.

Dinner: rice porridge with milk. Rose hip decoction.

Before bedtime: a glass of fermented baked milk.

You can eat 100 g of wheat or 200 g of rye bread per day.

We hope that our advice will help you and your weight will always be normal. Proper and healthy nutrition during pregnancy is the key to the health of not only the expectant mother, but also the child.

Health to you and your baby!