What if you gain too much weight during pregnancy?

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If you think you are having to eat for 2 people to consume your favorite foods, think again. Studies have shown that nearly half of women gain too much weight during pregnancy and this can lead to health problems for both mother and baby.

1. The truth about weight gain during pregnancy

When a woman gains too much weight during pregnancy, it increases the risk of the baby being born too large and can contribute to obesity later in life as well as birth complications such as vaginal tearing, bleeding too much. In addition, it can be difficult for you to lose excess weight gained during pregnancy, which can put you at higher risk of obesity.
Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analyzed representative data of all women who gave birth at full term in 2010 or 2011 in 28 states. They found that up to 47% of women gained too much weight during pregnancy.
In addition, women who were overweight and obese before conception were nearly 3 times more likely to gain weight than the recommendation compared with women who started their pregnancy at a normal weight.
According to the Institute of Medicine, women with a BMI below 18.5 should gain 28 to 40 pounds during pregnancy. People who start at a normal weight, which is a BMI between 18.5-24.9, should gain 25 to 35 pounds. People who are overweight (BMI 25-29.9) should gain 15 to 25 pounds. People who are obese (BMI 30 or more) should gain 11 to 20 pounds. A few pounds above the recommended threshold is generally considered fine, but gaining too much weight can have negative consequences.
Being pregnant doesn't mean you have to eat for 2. In fact, the need for additional calories is relatively small. In general, a woman does not need to add any extra calories during the first trimester. In the 2nd trimester, just 340 extra calories are needed and only 450 extra calories are needed in the third trimester. An extra 350 calories is roughly the same as adding a snack that includes a medium apple, a cup of fat-free Greek yogurt, and a handful of almonds.
Another factor leading to being overweight during pregnancy is that a lot of pregnant women don't exercise regularly.
Many people still think that pregnant women are not encouraged to exercise. This thinking needs to be changed. Pregnant women should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week throughout their pregnancy. They can achieve this goal by walking briskly for 10 to 20 minutes throughout the week.

2. Potential dangers of gaining too much weight during pregnancy

Keep these things in mind when you're craving and it may be a little easier to put down those pies you're craving. Because when you gain too much weight, the risks you face are:
You'll have more problems during pregnancy: Not all women experience uncomfortable pregnancy symptoms, including varicose veins, joint pain, and heartburn. But people who gain too much weight are more likely to develop them. Excess weight puts pressure on the entire body, making it difficult for blood and fluids to move inside. This can cause leg cramps, hemorrhoids, back pain, exhaustion, and more. You're more likely to develop diabetes: Women who gain too much weight during pregnancy are more likely to develop gestational diabetes, a dangerous condition in which the body can't produce enough insulin to balance glucose levels in the blood. The good news is that most mothers with gestational diabetes will not develop diabetes after the baby is born. However, being diagnosed with the condition puts you at a higher risk of having it again during future pregnancies and developing type 2 diabetes later in life. You're more likely to have complications during delivery: Gaining too much weight often increases the size of your baby. Having a large baby isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it can make labor more difficult. Newborns with a large birth weight are difficult to push out through a natural birth and often require a cesarean section. Heavier babies tend to have shoulder dystocia, a condition where the shoulders are larger than the head that makes natural birth extremely painful and, in many cases, cesarean. Caesarean section isn't bad, but it can slow down milk production and prolong your postpartum recovery. The more weight you gain during pregnancy, the longer it will take to lose weight: Postpartum recovery is a lot easier when you don't gain too much weight. After the birth of your baby, you will notice an immediate weight loss, you will lose about 11 pounds because then the amniotic fluid and placenta are gone. The rest of the body weight will likely take months or longer to lose. Even if you're breastfeeding, it's still going to take a lot of work to shed that extra pounds. If you gain more weight than recommended, it will often be twice as difficult to lose weight after giving birth than pregnant women who gain the correct amount of weight as directed. A study has shown that pregnant women who gain too much weight and are unable to lose weight within 6 months of giving birth are more likely to become obese 10 years later, and are more likely to have health problems such as: high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, or heart disease. You also put your baby at a disadvantage: An overweight mother is more likely to have a large child with an increased risk of diabetes and obesity during childhood and into adulthood.

3. Tips for you to control your weight

If you have gained more weight than your doctor recommends, talk to your doctor about it. If you plan to want to control your weight, here are some tips for you:
When eating fast food, choose lower-fat options like grilled chicken breast with tomatoes and lettuce (no sauce or mayonnaise), salad served with low-fat dressing, bagels or plain baked potatoes. Avoid foods like chips, cheese sticks, or breaded chicken nuggets. Avoid whole milk products. You need at least four servings of dairy a day. However, using 1% or 2% skim milk will significantly reduce the amount of calories and fat you consume. Also, choose low-fat or fat-free cheese or yogurt. Limit sweetened drinks or sugary drinks: Sugary drinks such as soft drinks, fruit juices, sugary iced tea, lemonade, or powdered drink mixes are high in empty calories. Choose water, carbonated soft drinks or mineral water to eliminate excess calories. Reduce or don't use a lot of salt when cooking because salt will cause your body to retain water. You should also minimize or avoid consuming sweets and high-calorie foods: Cookies, candies, donuts, cakes, syrups, honey and chips are high in calories and low in nutrition. Try not to eat these foods every day. Instead, try fresh fruit, low-fat yogurt, food cakes with strawberries, or cookies for snacks and desserts because they are lower in calories. Use fats in moderation: Fats include cooking oils, margarine, butter, gravy, sauces, mayonnaise, regular salad dressings, dressings, lard, sour cream, and cream cheese. Try lower-fat alternatives. Cook food the healthy way: Frying food in oil or butter adds calories and fat. Baking and boiling are healthy methods of preparation. Exercise: Moderate exercise can help burn excess calories. Suggestions for a good form of exercise include walking or swimming. Pregnancy and motherhood is a process that requires a lot of effort and patience, in addition to controlling your pregnancy weight, to keep you and your baby healthy, you need:
Comprehensive fetal malformation screening by Superior 4D ultrasound technique. Screening for gestational diabetes, avoiding many dangerous complications for both mother and baby. Control the mother's weight reasonably to assess the health status of the pregnant woman and the development of the fetus. Understand the signs of threatened early delivery (especially in those carrying multiple pregnancies or having a history of miscarriage or premature birth) so that they can receive timely treatment to maintain pregnancy. To protect mother and baby during pregnancy, Vinmec provides a comprehensive Maternity service to monitor the health status of mother and baby, periodical antenatal check-ups with leading Obstetricians and Gynecologists. enough tests, important screening for pregnant women, counseling and timely intervention when detecting abnormalities in the health of mother and baby.
For detailed information about all-inclusive maternity packages, please contact the hospitals and clinics of the Vinmec health system nationwide.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.

Reference sources: webmd.com, parents.com