How Much Weight Should I Gain?

The question you should be asking yourself is not necessarily how much weight am I gaining, but how am I gaining weight? There are two ways a woman gains weight when she is pregnant.

The first way is to eat anything she feels like because she is eating for two. This woman will make poor nutritional choices, eating junk foods and quick fix foods that have a very high calorie density (meaning there is a lot of calorie for very little nutrition). Then, because her body still needs the good food, she wants to eat more but continues to eat foods that have little value to her health. This woman will gain weight with pregnancy, she will feel tired and sick, and her health will suffer.

The second way is for a woman to eat when she is hungry, making sound nutritional choices (getting a baked potato rather than the french fries when she is eating out). This woman will also gain weight (the average weight gain in pregnancy is 35 lbs, not the 25 most doctors try to tell women) but it will be a healthy weight that her body needs to support the baby. She and her child will be in a good condition because they are well nourished whether she gains 25 lbs or 65 lbs.

The point is, you can be overweight and undernourished; or you can be overweight and very well nourished. Looking at weight gain alone is not an indicator of how healthy you are as a pregnant woman. You need to really evaluate the foods you have been eating to ensure they are good, quality, nutritionally sound choices. If you are eating well, and not overeating then ignore the weight gain. If you are eating well but overeating, stop overeating and the weight gain will decrease to a healthy level for you. If you are not eating well, let the weight gain be a catalyst for you to change your eating habits for the health of you and your baby.

You May Also Be Interested In: Explore ways exercise in pregnancy can help you stay healthy. Finding out how to tell if labor has started. The Coach's Notebook helps you master comfort measures for labor. The Natural Childbirth Directory can help you find more information about pregnancy and locate childbirth professionals. Virtual Labor Game lets you practice your new labor skills.

© Copyright 2000-2007 Jennifer VanderLaan and Birthing Naturally

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