Pregnancy is a difficult time to maintain your appropriate weight because you have to consider the health of your baby. You can do it, nevertheless, through proper management, and the correct mental attitude.
It is also during pregnancy that you have to take in more nutritious foods because the baby in your womb needs them for growth and development. The normal weight gain for pregnant women is usually 25 to 35 pounds; hence, you have to ensure that you do not go to the extremes. So, how would you maintain your proper weight while simultaneously feeding your baby sufficiently? The following are reliable methods to do both.
Eat three square meals a day
Starving yourself and then going into an eating binge is detrimental, not only to your baby, but to your health as well. Ensure that you get enough of the needed nutrients, such as, the essential vitamins, enough carbohydrate, and proteins. You can have healthy snacks in between your meals. The idea is to spread your food intake so that the body would be able to metabolize the previous food load before the next meal comes in.
Chew your food well
If you eat irregularly by starving yourself and then stuffing yourself the next time, the body would not be able to metabolize your food appropriately to feed you and your baby properly. For food to be useful, the body has to break it down into their simplest forms; monosaccharide for glucose, amino acids for proteins, and fatty acids for good cholesterol.
Increase your vegetables and fruits intake
Substitute your junk foods (potato chips, ice cream) with fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables contain anti-toxins and are rich in vitamins and minerals (calcium, magnesium, potassium,) which are needed for the growth of your baby’s bones and muscles. They are also rich in fiber that could nourish you, while maintaining your ideal weight. They are low in calories too, unlike fats, which are high in calories and could cause cardiac conditions.
Eat less fat, salt and sugar
These three types of foods would increase your weight and are harmful to your health and that of your baby’s. Accumulated fats, such as cholesterol, could form plaques in your arteries to cause atherosclerosis. Excess sugar may cause acquired gestational diabetes mellitus, and increased salt intake could cause kidney dysfunctions and hypertension. You may eat these three types of foods sparingly.
Hydrate yourself well
Drink lots of water and liquids. The body is composed of 60 to 70 percent of water. Water promotes the proper growth of cells in your body and that of your baby’s. Without water, the biochemical processes in your body would not occur properly, hence, impeding sufficient growth of cells.
Walk or do light exercises
Exercising regularly promotes better circulation and muscle tone. When you walk regularly, you would expect a speedier birthing process because the muscles are ready and strong. These exercises would keep your weight in check, as well. You have to consult your obstetrician, though, about the type of exercises that would be appropriate for you; there are delicate pregnancies in which exercises are contraindicated.
Maintaining your weight while you and your baby stay healthy is possible, if you follow these tips diligently. Remember, your weight gain would depend on how much calories you take in and how much calories you give out. In between the processes, you have to ensure that you and your baby are provided the essential food nutrients you both need.
