What is the pregnancy weight gain calculator used for?
A Pregnancy weight gain calculator is used to determine your weight gain during pregnancy. You can do this week by week and it is important to estimate how much weight you need to gain during pregnancy. You need to understand what a normal weight gain during pregnancy should be and deviations that can occur.
How body changes during pregnancy increase your weight
Pregnancy normally lasts 40 weeks from the last menstrual period. It lasts 38 weeks from fertilization. Pregnancy consists of three trimesters. They include first trimester (first 12 weeks), second trimester (13th to 28th week) and third trimester (29th week to childbirth).
Take note of these body changes
Pregnant women experience body changes including breast changes, changes in hormone regulation, increased cardiac output, increased blood volume, and low arterial pressure. The breasts become larger and the areolae darker. Progesterone dilates blood vessels causing low arterial pressure.
These body changes enable the baby to grow appropriately. They prepare pregnant women for labor and breastfeeding after childbirth.
It is important to note that pregnancy is a physiological (normal) event. However, it may lead to conditions such as urinary infections, cholelithiasis, hemorrhoids, constipation, hypertension, and heartburn.
Why gain weight during pregnancy?
With pregnancy, your daily habits and routines may change including how much you exercise and eat. Pregnant women experience body changes that help provide enough food for their unborn child. These changes start in early pregnancy, increasing as time goes on.
Weight gain is one important body change that is more noticeable in the final months of pregnancy. Women gain weight during pregnancy because of the baby in the womb. Breasts increase in size to store enough nutrients for breastfeeding.
Also, bodyweight increases as a result of the enlarged uterus, increased amniotic fluid and placenta. Additionally, increased blood and body fluid make you gain weight.
How prenatal care helps with pregnancy weight control
A pregnant woman attending prenatal care sessions will have her weight measured. This measurement helps determine the pregnancy weight gain and how healthy it is. A pregnant woman should know if her current weight is within the normal range in pregnancy.
Here is an estimated weight gain during various stages of pregnancy:
The ideal weight in pregnancy is not the same as in non-pregnant women. In pregnancy, weight gain depends on BMI and fetal weight.
BMI during pregnancy
During pregnancy, you should gain 28 to 40 pounds if you have a BMI of less than 18.5. For a BMI of 18.5 to 24.5, a weight gain of 25 to 35 pounds is required. Similarly, the pregnancy of twins should have a weight gain of 37 to 54 pounds.
Further, you should gain only 15 to 25 pounds and 31 to 50 pounds for a twin pregnancy, if your BMI is between 25 and 29.9.
If your BMI is over 30, aim to gain only 11 to 20 pounds, and 25 to 42 pounds during a twin pregnancy.
The weight gain target is for the 40th week. So you should monitor weight changes that occur in the course of pregnancy.
The Institute of Medicine of the National Academies recommends monitoring pregnancy weight gain by week. In line with the institute’s guidelines, this pregnancy weight gain calculator helps you determine if you fall within the recommended range of weight gain.
How can I use a pregnancy weight gain calculator?
Follow these simple steps to determine if you have healthy weight gain during pregnancy:
- Enter your pre-pregnancy weight and height into appropriate boxes in the pregnancy weight gain calculator
- The calculator will automatically calculate your pre-pregnancy BMI
- Indicate if it’s a twin pregnancy or not as this will affect your weight gain
- Then enter the week of pregnancy
- The calculator then shows the recommended minimum and maximum pregnancy weight gain as approved by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies
Plan a weight gain target using this calculator.
Additionally, this pregnancy weight gain calculator will show how much weight you should gain in a particular week of pregnancy.
Weigh yourself once a week, same time of the day with the same amount of clothes, and the same scale.
How do I maintain normal pregnancy weight gain?
When pregnant, remember that a healthy diet is especially important. However, you don’t need to be on any special diet. Try to eat different foods to get all the important nutrients required by you and your baby. The folic acid supplement is necessary. However, it is best to get your vitamins from food.
Eat a healthy diet
Do not count calories in pregnancy though you may get hungrier than usual during. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables as they are sources of minerals, vitamins, and fiber. Fiber helps digest your food and prevent constipation, common in pregnant women.
Also, always eat protein foods like eggs, fish and cooked meat. Do not eat foods rich in sugar and fat. Do not smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol.
Take safety precautions when preparing your foods. For example, always wash your hands. Also, wash your fruits and vegetables before eating. Keep ready-to-eat foods away from raw foods.
Additionally, exercise regularly during pregnancy, drink lots of water, and sleep adequately.
But what if I add too little or too much weight?
Stay calm even if your weight deviates slightly from the recommended weight. Your pregnancy may not follow the recommended weight gain distribution. You should be fine when you reach your weight goal. However, take note of these warning signals:
- Weight gain of greater than 3 pounds in 1 week of the 2nd trimester
- Weight gain of more than 2 pounds in 1 week of the 3rd trimester
- No weight gain for more than 2 consecutive weeks during 4 – 8 months of pregnancy
Excessive pregnancy weight gain
If you gain a lot of weight you run a high risk of health problems and possible complications during childbirth. For example, your baby may be too big leading to a Cesarean section.
It may be difficult to lose the extra weight after childbirth. Also, excessive weight gain may also cause back pain, preeclampsia, and premature labor.
Too little weight
On the other hand, gaining too little weight can harm your baby. There may be preterm birth or low birth weight. Low birth weight, premature infants have more health problems than normal weight, mature babies.
So speak with your doctor if you gain too little or too much weight.
Conclusion
Pregnancy is a key area of study for weight control. Excessive pregnancy weight gain leads to health complications. So there is no need to eat for two, as believed in social circles. That women embrace pregnancy as a period for weight gain is mainly due to social norms, nothing more.
As you use this pregnancy weight gain calculator, keep in mind that you need to keep your weight under control by going on a healthy diet and adopting optimal health behaviors.
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