During pregnancy, all expectant mothers have a tendency to gain weight. It is inevitable because the amount of food you are going to consume on a daily basis is going to increase in order to support you and the fetus. However, while weight gain is inevitable, healthy weight gain is important because it relates closely to the birth weight of the infant. Babies with low birth rate are more prone to malnutrition, and you want to avoid that for your baby because malnourished babies are more at risk to defects and illnesses. Having a healthy pregnancy nutrition diet may reduce the risk of having a malnutrition baby.
Since the birth of a healthy fetus is closely linked to proper nutrition, pregnant women need to increase their calorie intake during pregnancy. Doctors would usually recommend in increase of about 25-30 pounds in a few specific areas as the one which is the healthiest. Here’s an idea of what a healthy weight gain during pregnancy would be like according to what is recommended:
Infant at birth – 7½ pounds
Placenta – 1 pound
Blood increase – 4 pounds
Uterus increase – 2½ pounds
Amniotic fluid – 2 pounds
Breast increase – 3 pounds
Fat stores – 5-10 pounds
Babies who are born with low birth rate are generally born to mothers who gain less than 20 pounds during their pregnancy. In a healthy pregnancy, an expectant mother should gain about 2-4 pounds within the first three months itself. However, some women might experience some weight loss because of morning sickness during this period as well and this is quite normal. Expectant mothers should then typically gain about one pound a week on average after that.
Pregnancy and nutrition are closely linked to one another, and a healthy calorie intake recommended for a pregnant woman is about 2000 calories a day and an extra 300 calories or so should be just fine to support the fetus at a healthy level. Of course, this would differ depending on the lifestyle of the woman. A woman who is exercising for example would typically require additional calories depending on what kind of workout she is doing and how she is doing it. Women who exercise during pregnancy should increase carbohydrates and fiber intake for additional energy and for the baby’s growth requirements.
During pregnancy, it is important that the woman consume a B-complex vitamin known as folic acid. The folic acid a woman needs would double during the pregnancy stage and it has been shown that taking folic acid early during pregnancy can prevent serious birth defects and help ensure a healthy baby.
The body fat women gain during pregnancy can be lost during the breast-feeding process, as it uses about 600-1100 extra calories in order to support the lactation process.
To read more about pregnancy nutrition visit http://a-pregnancy.com.
