PREGNANCY AND WEIGHT CONTROL

During pregnancy you tend to put on a lot of weight because you have to eat more than your normal quota to support another life. But whatever you eat should be nutritious and healthy. You have to eat the right kind of food. Thus gaining weight is normal but you need to know how much weight you should gain. During your first visit to your doctor, you will probably be told how much weight to gain during the nine months of your pregnancy. It's recommended that most healthy women gain 25 to 35 pounds, but this can vary depending on whether you're overweight or underweight. Try for a slow and steady weight gain, but remember that all women gain at different rates.

During the first trimester, you'll gain only about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds each month.

During the second trimester, you'll gain about 1/2 to 3/4 of a pound a week.

During the third trimester, you'll gain about 1 pound a week!

Though weight gain is normal but it's important to follow your doctor's recommendation for weight gain because gaining either too little or too much can lead to problems. Therefore eating the right kind of food is necessary because its the quality of the food that's important and not the quantity.

If you are overweight you will have to face lots of complications which are as under.

• You put extra stress on your heart, which is already working overtime to pump your increased blood volume.
  
• You add stress to your joints, leading to pain in the joints which might continue even after delivery.
  
• You'll be more likely to develop backaches
• Once you put on so much weight it will be very difficult to loose the extra weight you have put on leading to several health problems
  
  

If you are underweight then your baby is at risk of having a low birth weight. Low-birth-weight babies have a harder time thriving and are more vulnerable to health problems.

Therefore it is necessary that you follow your doctor's weight-gain guidelines and gain the right amount of weight for a healthy delivery and healthy baby.