Hello! I hope you are doing great today! In this post, I discuss how I maintained a healthy weight throughout my pregnancy. Before we get into things, you are growing a baby inside of you. You will gain weight. You must gain weight while maintaining the right nutrition for you and bambino(s) to remain strong. So, as much as the topic of weight gain may be on your mind, focus on taking wholesomely care of yourself and the baby.
As a mother-to-be, your body is going through an incredible transformation as it nurtures and grows your baby. One of the biggest concerns for many expecting moms is the issue of weight gain. It's important to understand that weight gain during pregnancy is a normal and necessary part of the process, but that doesn't mean it's easy to deal with. Here are some tips and advice for moms-to-be who are struggling with the prospect of weight gain.
Set Positive Realistic Expectations
Before we get into things, you are growing a baby inside of you. You will gain weight. You must gain weight while maintaining the right nutrition for you and bambino(s) to remain strong. So, as much as the topic of weight gain may be on your mind, focus on taking wholesomely care of yourself and the baby.
You look beautiful. You are strong. You will have plenty of time to lose weight post-delivery. Actually, your body and the universe will work with you in order to make it happen. Apparently, breastfeeding helps some women lose the weight but you should not lie to yourself that breastfeeding will automatically help you if you were out of control during the entire time. Be accountable for your own health.
Ask your doctor how much weight you should gain based on your current weight. Norms vary between 1st, 2nd, and 3rd trimester. I gained about 30lbs by the time I gave birth. I lost about 10lbs after I gave birth. 4 months later, I still have 20lbs pounds to lose. I give myself 9 months to a year to get back to my regular weight, and then I will decide what to do. In the meantime, I enjoy watching Gabi play and enjoy tummy time on my plump belly. He is looking so comfortable
For a 30-pound weight gain, here is the average breakdown of where the weight goes according to www.whattoexpect.com :
Baby: 7.5 pounds
Placenta: 1.5 pounds
Amniotic fluid: 2 pounds
Uterine enlargement: 2 pounds
Maternal breast tissue: 2 pounds
Maternal blood volume: 4 pounds
Fluids in maternal tissue: 4 pounds
Maternal fat stores: 7 pounds
You need weight in all these areas in order to have a healthy baby and to get your body ready for motherhood.
Eat/Snack Smart
Do not starve yourself. Always eat until you feel full and satisfied. I do not know about you but I become an even more terrible person when I am hungry. That being said, you should NEVER eat for two. That is a lie your aunties and your mama may tell you as they happily feed you. Resist the devil and he will flee from you! :) I mean you can, every once and a while we all do! Enjoy that fufu while you can. However, resist the urge to wolf down on food during your entire pregnancy. Overeating can be a sign of depression before or after you give birth so are you find yourself eating for two or three people, check in with your healthcare provider.
Eat smart by buying filling and nutritious foods including dairy products, lean meats, sweet potatoes, salmon, eggs, and dark greens. Also, set your mind not to have ice cream cravings. I really believe that mentally you can set your desires to the right things most of the time. I mean you can go ahead and give in to every single craving, but I would have told you so. I picked almonds and raisins and ate a ton of them! Snack choices I did dnot frown at include:
Apple and cheese
Trail mixes
Greek yogurt
Chips and guacamole.
Mashed avocado on crackers
Tortilla with hummus and tomatoes
On average the second trimester you should add about an additional 300 calories per day, and in the final trimester of your pregnancy you’d need close to 500 calories more per day than you were eating before you conceived.
Do Moderate or Low Impact Exercises
I used to exercise a lot before getting pregnant. By that, I mean going to boot camps on average of 3 times a week. That had to stop after I got pregnant because it was exacerbating my fibroid pain. I could not even walk longer than 10mins. Therefore, I took up yoga and it was awesome for me! I would stretch, tone up, and connect with my baby during that time. There are plenty of pregnancy workouts and regimen online but you should always check with your doctor whether these are right for you and if you get started you should always listen to your body. One way to listen to your body if you are not good at listening is by monitoring your heart rate. I could not find any current reliable heart rate limits during pregnancy but years ago some experts recommend a heart rate of no more than 140 beats a minute for exercise during pregnancy. Either way, talk to your doctor.
Feed Your Mind and Your Spirit
Some weight gain during pregnancy can be attributed to stress. Therefore meditation and prayer could help relieve the stress. At least for me, these helped. Watch videos of women who inspire you, take deeper and longer breaths and rest assure that you and your baby, and you family are going to be ok.
Get Plenty of Rest
Sleep. Sleep. Sleep. Your hormones are changing. Your body is working overtime; you will definitely need it to function and you will feel more relax and less hungry.
Do you agree with the above? Please share your story and additional suggestions!