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How much weight gain is right for a mom-to-be? By
Rebecca Hansen Many women all over the world ask the same question: How much weight should I gain during my pregnancy? American society seems to pressure women into remaining lean after giving birth and bouncing back from a pregnancy with a beautiful body. This tends to give many women anxiety during pregnancy, concerning their changing bodies. Liz Rose, a faculty member at Sky View High School, said she feels the pressures of society to be thin. "I don't even have any kids yet and I'm nervous about gaining too much weight during pregnancy," she said. "It just seems like society is telling us women that we aren't allowed to gain weight when we're medically advised to." According to the book Nutrition During Pregnancy: Part I, weight gain during pregnancy has been a debated issue for decades. The book states, "In the 1940s and 1950s, it was standard practice in the United States to restrict weight gain during pregnancy to less than nine kg (20 pounds), with the intent of reducing the risk of toxemia and birth complications that were believed to occur more often in larger babies." Now, doctors and nutritionalists agree that a proper diet and adequate weight gain during pregnancy are vital for the good health and comfort of the mother and proper development of the baby. According to a pregnancy nutrition article available at www.storknet.com, "appropriate weight gain during a pregnancy depends on several factors, including mother's pre-pregnant weight and age. A woman who is of average weight is encouraged to gain somewhere between 25-35 pounds during pregnancy. Underweight women need to gain a bit more weight and high-weight women a bit less." Ariane Mullen, a junior attending Weber State Universtity, is expecting her second child in August. She said her doctor advised her to gain approximately 30 pounds during her pregnancy. "I'm so different from my sisters who have had children because I'm a lot shorter than they are," she said. "You've just got to trust your doctor and focus on what's best for your baby." According to an article by Martha H. Isenberg at www.lamaze.com, the current recommendation for most women is to gain 25 to 35 pounds during pregnancy. "Teens or underweight women may need to gain 28 to 40 pounds while overweight women may be advised to gain only 15 to 25 pounds. Women 5-foot-2 or smaller should gain at the lower end of the recommended range." Many women wonder where the weight they gain is distributed. At www.kidshealth.org, a guideline is given for mommies-to-be. An average baby's weight is seven and a half pounds, and breasts usually enlarge by two pounds. The placenta typically weighs one to two pounds and the enlargement of the uterus accounts for two more pounds. The extra blood produced for the mother's body usually weighs around four pounds and other extra body fluids add an additional four. The amniotic fluid surrounding the baby adds another two pounds and finally, the mother's body stores about seven pounds for extra protein, fat and other nutrients. It is important to understand this guideline may fluctuate depending on the person and, of course, depending on whether or not the mother is pregnant with twins or triplets. However, the main thing to remember is the baby's main source of nutrients depends on what the mother eats and drinks. "It's important not to obsess over every little thing you put in your mouth," Mullen said. "If you focus too much on keeping your figure, you're only going to be disappointed." In an article found at www.parentsplace.com, Sue Gilbert, a consulting nutritionist, said, "Nutrition during pregnancy is serious business. What you eat plays a vital role in determining the health of that little one you are so anxiously awaiting. Contrary to common belief, it isn't how much you eat that's so important (in fact, a pregnant mom needs to increase her calorie intake only by 300 calories a day during the second and third trimester) -- but what you eat." Gilbert said women should also continue to exercise, which will aid in a more comfortable pregnancy and an easier delivery. She said it is important to adjust workout routines and intensity as a woman's pregnancy progresses. Of course, weight gain should be distributed among the three trimesters. At www.family.go.com, Joanne Stone, M.D. said, "A good pattern for weight gain throughout pregnancy is about three pounds in the first trimester, 11 in the second, and 11 in the third. There is, however, a lot of variability in patterns of weight gain, and no obstetrician can say for sure what is the best pattern. Some women gain very little early on, then gain the bulk of the weight later, while other women gain a lot in the first trimester, only to see the weight gain slow down in later months." Medical journals, doctors, and nutritionalists constantly warn women about the negative effects of losing weight or dieting during pregnancy. According to Gilbert, it is generally not a good idea for even an overweight mom to try to lose weight at the beginning of a pregnancy. She said this is when the risk to the fetus of nutritional deprivations greater than risks related to the mother's weight. "However, if you are on a well balanced, healthful diet that is merely eliminating what you were overeating before, this should provide adequate nutritional intake for the fetus," Gilbert said. "Just be careful not to cut back on your eating to the extent that you do not get all the nutrition that is so critical for your developing baby." Kristin A. Collins posted her opinion on a newsgroup about kids and pregnancy: "There is plenty of reason to eat healthfully during pregnancy -- none to diet," she said. "I wouldn't try a weight maintenance plan during pregnancy without the approval and supervision of your care provider." "Tecia," another woman posting on the newsgroup tried to explain to another woman that weight gain during pregnancy is something that can be controlled and natural. "You need to learn to trust your body," she said. "Fat doesn't appear by magic. It appears by eating more calories than you are expending. Weight gain isn't going to happen to you simply because you have become pregnant -- it's not an inevitable side effect." Gilbert said there are a few critical nutrients that play particularly important roles in fetal development and pregnancy requires a lot of extra nutrition. She said no one should assume quantity eating will make sure mothers and developing babies are getting the proper nutrients. The important nutrients mentioned by Gilbert are calories, protein, calcium, iron, folic acid, and fluids. She said expectant mothers should add 200 to 300 calories per day during the second and third trimesters. The National Academy of Science suggests protein intake during pregnancy should be approximately 74 grams per day. Gilbert said calcium is crucial for proper bone formation in the baby and women should drink a little more than one quart of milk a day. She recommends iron intake be 30 milligrams a day during the second and third trimesters and a folic acid supplement should be taken. Finally, Gilbert said pregnant women should drink at least six to eight glasses of liquid a day. Dr. Stone summed it up when she said not to obsess too much about weight gain during pregnancy. "While you want to do what you can to improve your baby's chances of optimal growth and development, you don't want to drive yourself crazy," she said. "Stick to a healthy, well-balanced diet and let nature take its course."
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