How much weight is normal to gain during pregnancy. What should be the normal weight during pregnancy

Carrying a baby is always accompanied by anxieties from the future mother. A particularly relevant topic among women is weight gain during pregnancy, what is the rate of weight gain during pregnancy, how to properly gain weight during pregnancy, the minimum weight gain during pregnancy. To understand what weight is normal, and what can lead to complications in childbirth, let's talk in more detail.

How much does the belly weigh

As a rule, many expectant mothers do not think about the norms of weight gain during gestation. Attributing everything to their position, absorbing everything that is dear to the eye and stomach. This approach is not correct, because such carelessness of lovely women can turn into serious problems. In order to feel the difference, you need to understand what is good and what is bad.

So, a woman's body during pregnancy undergoes a number of changes, including metabolic ones. This should not be forgotten the next time you play "locust" in the middle of the night.

• placenta 1-1.5 kg;
• amniotic fluid 1-1.5 kg;
• mammary glands 1-1.5 kg;
• future baby 2.5-4kg;
• additional blood volume up to 2 kg;
• uterus 1-2.5 kg;
• body fat 2-4 kg.

The above calculations can show how heavy the burden of the future mother is, and if you overdo it with pies, cookies, etc., you can seriously harm not only yourself, but also the baby. However, these data are general, gynecologists use calculations based on individual data. Below is what should be the weight gain during pregnancy, the weekly table is calculated for 3 categories of women, depending on the physique and body mass index (BMI) before pregnancy:

• group 1 (BMI up to 19.8) includes thin ladies;
• group 2 (BMI 19.8 - 26) includes ladies of normal build;
• group 3 (BMI above 26) includes overweight women.

How your increase occurs according to the gestational period will help calculate the table of weight gain during pregnancy.

weekly weight gain chart

Multiple pregnancy

There are times when future parents are expecting not one child, but twins or ... In this case, the calculations are provided differently and are very carefully monitored by the doctor. You need to know how to properly gain weight during pregnancy in a future mother who is carrying more than one child, and weight gain is calculated as follows:

• BMI of the 1st group - a total increase of 16-24 kg;
• BMI 2 groups - a total increase of 13-22 kg;
• BMI 3 groups - a total increase of 18 kg.

All calculations are individual and require mandatory monitoring by the mother and the doctor in order to avoid serious complications.

Gaining and losing weight

So, you have familiarized yourself with the norm of weight gain during pregnancy, now let's talk about what can happen when the rules are violated. Pregnancy is an individual process and, as a rule, not repeated.

From my own experience, I can say that all three pregnancies I have proceeded differently. I gained 18 kg with my first daughter, 20 kg with my second daughter, and 10 kg with my sons. So, despite the fact that by profession a pediatrician in the first two cases I sinned with gluttony. After my gastronomic follies with complicated childbirth, I realized my mistake and for the third time I pulled myself together, controlling my body weight with proper nutrition and daily walks.

The first three months in women there is a minimum weight gain during pregnancy due to toxicosis, this period, on the contrary, can be characterized by a decrease in weight. This happens due to biochemical and physiological changes in the body. Fortunately, in this period, the baby does not yet need increased calories, such a need will come later.

The subsequent period until the very birth is characterized by weight gain, in some mothers it is sometimes rapid. Uncontrolled weight gain can lead to the following problems during pregnancy and childbirth:

• complications from the cardiovascular system in the expectant mother;
• development of late toxicosis;
• large body weight of the fetus, which can cause trauma during childbirth, fetal hypoxia, etc.;
• violation of labor activity, ruptures, postmaturity, etc.

However, there are cases when mommy does not gain weight and this also signals danger. Lack of weight gain during pregnancy can lead to the following complications:

• the birth of a baby with low body weight;
• premature birth;
• development of anemia in mother and baby;
• infant hypoxia, etc.

How to control yourself

In order not to violate the medical commandment not to gain extra pounds during pregnancy, you must adhere to the following rules:

• We stick to the right diet. We exclude: fatty, floury, spicy and salty foods. Well, if you really want, then a little bit is possible, in moderation. We don’t even look in the direction of soda. We enrich our menu with fresh seasonal vegetables and fruits, meat and fish of non-fat varieties, fermented milk products, more greens, dried fruits as a sweet, black natural chocolate, honey.
• To control the amount of fluid consumed and the amount allocated, to prevent the development of edema, which can also serve as a factor in overweight.
• We play outdoors. You can go in for sports, however, without fanaticism! This approach allows you to control weight and remove excess kilograms.
• Weekly weight control. The above table shows how much weight a pregnant woman should gain per week, according to physique.
• Diets for weight loss are forbidden, especially mono-diets!

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In conclusion, I want to note the period of pregnancy is a very difficult period for the female body, so I do not consider it advisable to complicate it with my whims. Before you reach for the next cake or sausage sandwich, think about whether you and your baby need it. May replace this with healthier foods, such as an apple, yogurt, cottage cheese with dried fruit, or a boiled veal and cheese sandwich. Remember the health of your unborn child is in your hands. Be healthy!

how to gain weight during pregnancy

Weight gain in a future mother should occur regardless of her appetite, desires and height with a physique. But to monitor the weight during pregnancy should be more diligent than before. Weight gain is directly related to the process of fetal growth, and control over weight gain helps to prevent various troubles in a timely manner. Therefore, your own diary will not interfere, where data on weight gain is regularly entered.

So, what is the normal weight of the expectant mother , and how does weight gain occur during pregnancy?

Factors that affect pregnancy weight

In principle, strict norms and weight gain simply do not exist - every woman has her own weight before pregnancy. For a girl of the “middle weight category”, the norm will be considered increase - 10-14 kg . But many influence factors. For example:

• The growth of the expectant mother(accordingly, the higher the mother - the greater the weight).
• Age(young mothers are less likely to be overweight).
• Early toxicosis(after it, as you know, the body tries to replenish the lost kilograms).
• Baby size(the larger it is, the heavier the mother, respectively).
• Little or polyhydramnios.
• increased appetite and control over it.
• tissue fluid(with the existing fluid retention in the mother's body there will always be excess weight).

To avoid complications, do not go beyond the known weight limits. Starving is definitely not allowed. - the baby should receive all the substances assigned to him, and his health should not be risked. But you shouldn’t eat everything in a row - lean on healthy dishes.

How much weight does a pregnant woman normally gain?

The expectant mother for the first third of pregnancy, as a rule, adds about 2 kg. The second trimester every week adds more body weight to the "piggy bank" 250-300 g. By the end of the term, the increase will already be equal to 12-13 kg.
How is the weight distributed?

• Baby- about 3.3-3.5 kg.
• Uterus- 0.9-1 kg
• Placenta- about 0.4 kg.
• Mammary gland- about 0.5-0.6 kg.
• Adipose tissue- about 2.2-2.3 kg.
• amniotic fluid- 0.9-1 kg.
• Volume of circulating blood(increase) - 1.2 kg.
• tissue fluid- about 2.7 kg.

After the baby is born, the weight gained usually goes away fairly quickly. Although sometimes you need to work hard for this (physical activity + proper nutrition helps).

Self-calculation of the weight of the expectant mother using the formula

There is no uniformity in weight gain. Its most intensive growth is noted already after the twentieth week of pregnancy. And until that moment, the expectant mother can gain only 3 kg. At each examination of a pregnant woman, the doctor weighs. Normally, the increase should be 0.3-0.4 kg per week. If a woman gains in excess of this norm, fasting days and a special diet are prescribed.

You cannot make such a decision on your own! If the weight gain has no deviations in any direction, then there are no special reasons for worrying.

Most pregnant women look forward to the moment when they have. But along with this, expectant mothers are somewhat alarmed by the change in their own dimensions, because other parts of the body are rounded along with the stomach. And this does not please every woman.

Weight gain during pregnancy is inevitable. Any normal pregnancy should be accompanied by an increase. But she "has no right" to go beyond the established limits, which in each individual case may be different.

What does weight gain depend on?

So, if the pregnancy proceeds safely, then as it develops, the weight of the woman will inevitably increase. The amount of fluid in the body increases, the uterus, fetus and placenta grow, the breast prepares for feeding, and small fat reserves are deposited to provide the baby with everything necessary. Naturally, all these increases become noticeable even without weights. However, expectant mothers do not all get better in the same way.

The number of kilograms gained during pregnancy depends on many factors. First of all, from the initial weight. The more he did not reach the norm, the faster he would rise up. The process will go faster if you have a tendency to be overweight, but previously kept the weight off with moderate nutrition and physical activity. Tall women will also gain more than short ones.

If expected, then it is obvious that the placenta will be larger and heavier, and with it the total weight. The tendency to puffiness also affects this indicator: the more fluid is retained in the body, the further the arrow of the scale deviates.

It is noteworthy that weight loss in the early stages due to strong, later can cause its rapid increase: the body, as it were, catches up, trying to recover.

In addition, almost all expectant mothers have increased appetite at certain times, which is associated with an increase in estrogen levels. And if a woman is unable to control it, then overeating also leads to a set of extra, and in this case, unwanted kilograms.

Fluid retention in the tissues (due to which edema occurs) is also displayed with extra numbers on the scales. More illegal kilograms are formed at. Naturally, when the expectant mother will weigh more than if she was pregnant with one child.

We should not forget about age: over the years, the tendency to be overweight and gain extra pounds increases.

Increase rates

Being underweight or overweight during pregnancy can lead to various complications. So, too large increases may be accompanied by what is considered a violation. Excess weight becomes an obstacle during childbirth, complicating the birth of the baby. This is also a big load on the heart and musculoskeletal system of a woman, the risk of developing thrombophlebitis and the occurrence of various pains. And too small increases can be a sign of impaired fetal development.

It is not without reason that doctors monitor the weight of a pregnant woman throughout the entire period, and especially in the second half of pregnancy. To assess this indicator, conditional “corridors” have been created, into which the expectant mother should normally fit. Of course, these norms are averaged and can be adjusted depending on individual characteristics. But in general, they can be expressed in the following table:

Norms of weight gain during pregnancy

BMI in the table is a body mass index, which is calculated as follows:

BMI = weight (kg) / height (m)2.

For example, with a weight of 60 kg and a height of 160 cm, BMI \u003d 60 / 1.62² \u003d 23.44.

Different BMI indicators in the first, second and third columns are characteristic of thin, medium and large women, respectively.

As you can see, you should hardly gain weight: the increase is on average 1-2 kg. In the second trimester, every week the weight can be added by 250-300 g. Starting from the 30th week - 300-400 g per week or 50 g per day. There is also such a formula for calculating the allowed increase in the 3rd trimester: for every 10 cm of growth, you can add a maximum of 22 g per week.

However, the rate of weight gain is as individual as the gains themselves. Some women begin to round up from the first weeks, others increase dramatically in volume in the last months.

Most obstetricians agree that on average, you can gain 12-13 kg during pregnancy. If twins are expected, then the increase will be 16-21 kg.

Undoubtedly, it should be alerted if a woman has not gained a single gram in two weeks or the increase in a week was more than 500 g. You should also consult a doctor if the weight is growing unevenly.

Where do kilograms come from?

We found that "legitimate" weight gain over the entire pregnancy can average 13 kg. What do these "pregnant" kilograms consist of:

• child - 3000-3500g;
• uterus - 900-1000 g;
• afterbirth - 400-500 g;
• amniotic fluid - 900-1000 g;
• increase in blood volume - 1200-1500 g;
• additional liquid - 1500-2700;
• breast enlargement - 500 g;
• body fat - 3000-4000 g.

Total - 11400-14700

As you can see, food for two is not provided here. So this idea can be discarded immediately. However, for the development and bearing of a healthy child, reserves are needed that the mother's body draws from nutrition. The diet of pregnant women should indeed be a little more caloric than the rest, but not much - just plus 200 calories per day in the first half and plus 300 calories per day in the second half of pregnancy.

If the doctor came to the conclusion that the weight of the pregnant woman exceeds the permissible norm, you should first try to give up flour, sweet and animal fats. You should not drastically limit your diet, because weight fluctuations provoke fluctuations. Portions should be reduced gradually, but cereals and plant foods should not be abandoned. You need to eat often, but little by little. And monitor your fluid intake: 6-8 glasses a day without fail.

Every day it is advisable to weigh yourself for control, it is best to do this in the morning on an empty stomach and always in the same clothes to obtain the most reliable data.

Do not rush to get upset if your performance does not match the above standards, because everything is individual. Focus on your well-being and the advice of a doctor. Remember that after giving birth, you will gradually return to your previous forms if you put in a little effort. This process will go faster if you breastfeed your baby. But in the case of gaining excess weight during pregnancy, it will be more difficult to part with extra pounds.

Keep in mind that malnutrition during childbearing is much more dangerous than overeating. However, try to keep yourself within limits.

Especially for- Elena Kichak

It is clear that an increase in body weight for a pregnant woman is a completely normal phenomenon. The question is how much is gained during pregnancy and what weight gain is considered normal.

The norm is 12 kg., That's how much you need to gain during pregnancy. On average, the body weight of pregnant women increases by 7-16 kg. How many kg. gain during pregnancy depends on many factors: the weight of the woman before pregnancy, the weight of the fetus, the characteristics of the mother's body, the presence or absence of diseases, diet, physical activity, etc.

For fragile ladies with underweight before pregnancy, a set of about 14-15 kg is considered normal, for women with a normal weight - 12 kg, for large women - about 9 kg. If there is more than one child (multiple pregnancy), then the normal weight gain is 14-22 kg.

Why does pregnancy gain weight?

In the first few weeks, a woman needs to accumulate a layer of adipose tissue in order to prepare the body for milk production and breastfeeding. Fat reserves are stored after childbirth, being consumed gradually.

More than half of the total increase in body weight of a pregnant woman occurs in the fetus, placenta and amniotic fluid. The "extra pounds" of expectant mothers are distributed in this way:

• fruit - about 3 kg;
• placenta - 0.6 kg;
• uterus (increases in size during pregnancy) - 0.97 kg;
• amniotic fluid - 0.85 kg;
• increase in blood volume - 1.4 kg;
• body fat - 2.3 kg;
• increase in the volume of extracellular fluid - 1.5 kg;
• breast enlargement - 0.4 kg.

Remember that the fetus grows slowly in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy and very quickly in the second 20 weeks. The reverse situation with the weight of the placenta. Amniotic fluid begins to grow only from the 10th week, by 20 weeks its volume reaches 300 ml, by 30 - 600 ml, by 35 - 1000 ml, then the volume decreases slightly.

Scheme of probable weight gain

The most accurate indicators for comparison and analysis are calculated using BMI - body mass index, which is obtained by dividing a person's body weight in kilograms by his height, expressed in meters squared. Use good online weight calculators. With the help of them, you will find out how much you should have already collected.

Schemes have been developed for the probable weight gain of pregnant women depending on BMI by weeks of pregnancy. If the BMI is less than 19.8, then this is a lack of weight, with a BMI of 19.8-26 - normal body weight, with a BMI of more than 26 - overweight, with a BMI of more than 29 - obesity.

How much you can gain during pregnancy depends on the initial BMI too. With a BMI of less than 19.8, you can gain 15 kg, with a BMI of 19.8-26, the set rate is 12 kg, with a BMI of more than 26, about 9 kg.

Weight gain by pregnancy

At different stages of pregnancy, the rate of weight gain and the absolute rates of weight gain differ. On average, in the first ten weeks of pregnancy, there is an increase of 0.2 kg per week. From weeks 10 to 20, weight gain should be approximately 0.3 kg per week. From the 20th to the 30th - 0.4 kg per week. From the 30th to the 40th - again 0.3 kg per week. In the 9th month, the weight decreases, unlike the 8th month. How much weight gain during pregnancy, in theory, is calculated by weeks, trimesters, in absolute units and as a percentage. However, these are all approximate average indicators that do not take into account the individual characteristics of each particular case.

When to consult a doctor

You should contact your doctor if:

• for 2 weeks of pregnancy, there is no weight gain at all (not counting the time of early toxicosis);
• recovered in a week by more than 1 kg in the third trimester;
• the actual increase differs significantly from the planned one;
• if there are jumps in body weight.

In any case, only the doctor conducting the observation individually decides how much to gain for pregnancy.

Many pregnant women experience stress before the next appointment with the gynecologist, because the doctor will again “scold” for excessively gained kilograms. Is it really that bad?

Normal weight gain during pregnancy

The weight of a woman by the end of pregnancy will change by an average of 10-16 kg with a plus sign. This is due to a gradual increase in:

• own body weight;
• child's weight;
• amount of amniotic fluid.

own body weight. During pregnancy, a woman's blood and lymph volume increases, fluid accumulates in the tissues, the mammary glands swell, the size of the uterus and fetal membranes grow. In addition, the pregnant woman’s body makes a “fat reserve”, thereby providing the woman with the strength to feed the child in the future, since the fat layer is calories, and therefore energy.

Table 1 - Components of a woman's own weight by the middle and end of pregnancy

Baby weight during pregnancy, it grows unevenly: in the first trimester, all organs are laid down, and from the second, their further development and weight gain itself. Therefore, up to 14 weeks, the weight of the fetus is little noticeable and the weight gain in the expectant mother is small, and is about 2 kg.

The amount of amniotic fluid. The volume of amniotic fluid gradually increases, and by the end of pregnancy it is about 1 liter. Before childbirth, the amount of amniotic fluid is often reduced to 800 ml.

Summing up all the components of the weight of a pregnant woman, we get the following rate of increase:

• in the first trimester, an average of 2 kg of the initial weight;
• in the second trimester, about another + 4 kg;

The total increase will be equal to 6 kilograms from the initial weight.

• in the third trimester, somewhere else + 4 kg.

In total, weight gain will be about 10 kg for the entire duration of pregnancy.

Doctors, for greater accuracy, in determining the optimal weight gain during pregnancy:

1) determine the weight group of a woman - with insufficient, normal or overweight;

To do this, use the formula developed by one Belgian scientist to find the so-called body mass index (BMI).

Body mass index = weight (in kilograms) / height (in meters) 2

For example, a woman's weight before pregnancy is 60 kg, and her height is 168 cm (or 1.68 m). Then BMI = 60/(1.68∙1.68) = 60/2.8224 = 21.2585 ≈ 21.3.

According to the table compiled by the World Health Organization, the calculated BMI is the norm (see table 2).

Table 2 - Interpretation of BMI indicators according to WHO

2) compare the result obtained with the gestational age, and accordingly find out the rate of weight gain during pregnancy;

3) analyze whether the existing weight gain corresponds to the norm or not.

Table 3 - The rate of weight gain during pregnancy by week

Remember that weight gain during pregnancy is often an individual matter. Someone can eat for seven, but weight gain will go slowly, lagging behind the norm, but the baby will be born large and healthy.
And someone, on the contrary, may have a decrease in appetite, and weight gain will still go at an accelerated pace, regardless of the amount of food consumed.

Do not worry about this, the main thing is to control the portion size, adjust the frequency of meals, and review your diet (it must be balanced, complete and healthy).

With childbirth, a woman loses about 6 kilos gained, which includes the weight of the newborn, placenta and amniotic fluid. After a while, the volume of circulating blood decreases and excess fluid is removed from the woman's body. Thus, it takes about 4 more kilograms.

Why is being overweight dangerous during pregnancy?

Practice has shown that in 76% of cases the danger is only an increase in weight gain twice or more from the norm. What promises such a deviation from the norm?

1. Excess weight creates a colossal additional burden on the body of a pregnant woman, on her spine and internal organs.
2. Excess weight contributes to the development of diseases such as varicose veins, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and other diseases of the cardiovascular, endocrine and nervous systems in a pregnant woman. Many of them can negatively affect the health of the child.
3. A significant fat layer makes it difficult to visualize during an ultrasound, which prevents the doctor from more accurately determining whether the baby is developing normally.
4. If you are overweight, there is a high risk of miscarriage in early pregnancy, and premature birth in the third trimester due to premature rupture of amniotic fluid.
5. Excess weight is fraught with weak labor activity, which is the cause of a delayed pregnancy or a forced caesarean section. A large weight can cause difficulties in the operation.
6. The postpartum rehabilitation period is longer, negative consequences are possible.
7. Extra pounds contribute to the appearance of edema and stretch marks on the body of a woman (due to excessive stretching of the skin).
8. Excess body weight provokes earlier aging of the placenta, and the development of late toxicosis, which is a threat to the health of the baby.
9. Excessive weight in a future mother can contribute to the development of fetal hypoxia, neuralgic diseases and obesity in the future.

Rolls and cakes, fried potatoes with sausages, fatty chop with pasta and "mayonnaise" salad, a sandwich with dry sausage or pizza, half a loaf of bread with a spoonful of borscht, pickles and canned food - this is unhealthy food for pregnant women.

“Eat whatever you want and how much you want” is a standard phrase of Soviet-style obstetrician-gynecologists or those who studied at the medical university according to an outdated program based on textbooks, methods of the 90s.

You can eat everything, but in reasonable measures. Half a roll with milk can be eaten for an afternoon snack, provided that the breakfast was hearty and healthy, and for lunch and dinner there will be only healthy food.

And barbecue, eaten in nature with a vegetable salad, will be in favor if such picnics occur no more than once a month, and the rest of the woman's diet is rich in vitamins and contains only natural products.

With fractional good nutrition, a pregnant woman will not gain extra pounds. Everything will go where it is needed and for what it is needed.

If the weight is growing rapidly with proper four meals a day, it is necessary to reduce the portion of what is eaten. During pregnancy, as they say, “eat for two” is not necessary, it is enough to increase the normal portion of everything by half a fist. The child needs vitamins, minerals and a balanced intake of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

For breakfast, you can eat oatmeal with dried fruits and candied fruits, drink a glass of natural juice or compote. Or cook an omelet with herbs and tomatoes, eat it with a slice of bread and drink a glass of berry juice.

An afternoon snack can be light - a banana, a muesli bar or a handful of nuts; or more satisfying - a couple of small pieces of rye bread with butter and a slice of cheese, green tea with three squares of your favorite chocolate, an apple.

Lunch can be as follows: soup with meatballs and a slice of black bread, or rice with a steam cutlet and vegetable salad, and for dessert - natural yogurt with fruit or cottage cheese cake with fermented baked milk.

For dinner, boiled chicken with garlic or cheese sauce, rustic potatoes (from the oven) and fresh vegetables, cocoa with milk and gingerbread are suitable.

Extra pounds are not always so. If before pregnancy the woman's own weight was less than normal, then excessive weight gain during pregnancy is quite normal, the body simply replenishes the missing body fat to prevent miscarriage. It's so laid down by nature.