"How much is the ideal weight gain in pregnancy?" It is one of the questions that many women ask themselves when they are waiting for a baby. Taking care of our health in pregnancy is very important, and the weight gain we can have is one of the things we have to watch.
But, How many kilos can you gain in pregnancy? We tell you everything you need to know about weight gain at this stage.
The importance of taking care of weight during pregnancy
As we mentioned at the beginning, taking care of weight gain during pregnancy is one of the health issues that we must take into account during this stage. It is very important that we ignore that famous phrase "now you eat for two", because we can fall into excesses and poor diet.
By carrying a healthy weight gain in pregnancy, we may be less prone to complications such as diabetes, high blood pressure, eclampsia, premature birth or babies born overweight and may have other health problems themselves in the future.
From eating a balanced and nutritious diet, to exercising (always with doctor's permission), we must avoid that the increase of kilos is excessive and that our weight is within the recommendations to have a healthy and safe pregnancy.
BMI: the guide to weight gain in pregnancy
And how to know how much weight we can take in pregnancy if each body and each woman are different? Guiding us by our health conditions and body mass index (BMI) that we have before pregnancy, which is calculated taking into account weight and height.
Based on the information on the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this is the amount of kilos that every woman should increase in pregnancy, according to her BMI:
- If your BMI is less than 18.5, you should increase from 13 to 18 kilos.
- If your BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9 (the normal or healthy range), you should increase from 11 to 16 kilos.
- If your BMI is between 25.0 and 29.9, you should increase between six and 11 kilos.
- If your BMI exceeds 30.0, you must increase between five and nine kilos.
However, the results of a recent study must be taken into account, in which it was concluded that the recommendations on the increase of kilos in pregnancy for women with low weight with obesity should change. While It is not recommended to lose weight or dieting during pregnancyThis study found that in the case of very obese women with a BMI greater than 40, it should be considered losing a few kilos.
Always remember that the best thing is that you go to your doctor as soon as you find out about your pregnancy, so that he makes you an assessment and gives you the specific indications for your body and your health, because each woman is different and so you can keep a better weight control from the beginning of it.
Keep track of your weight
Now, Ideally, before pregnancy we prepare to start this stage with a healthy weight and within the "normal" ranges. In the event that this is not possible, then we will have to pay special attention to our weight and diet during pregnancy.
At each medical check-up, you will be weighed and will keep track of weight gain throughout pregnancy, but it can also help you keep track of your weight yourself, because sometimes the consultations can be very spaced and we can find ourselves with the surprise of a great weight gain between one month and another.
By keeping your own record at home daily or weekly, you will be more attentive and aware of everything you do and eat, and it will be easier for you to take care weight gain during pregnancy.
