Pregnancy weight gain refers to increase in body weight that occurs during the pregnancy. In the world, it is estimated that majority of women experience increase in body weight during pregnancy. The woman`s body increases in size for example, the limbs become a bit bigger and appear to be swollen. The face appear broader, the cheeks may become swollen than normal. The total weight of the mother is her own weight plus that of the fetus, that`s why her weight seems to have occurred suddenly.
Weight gain during pregnancy is a must and therefore a woman who experiences weight gain should not panic. This is because, apart from eating for her own nutrition requirements, she also eats for the growing fetus.
There are women who will gain several pounds and others who gain just a few pounds. In this regard women who are already big tend to gain few pounds as compared to those who are small. The question of being small or big in this context refers to the weight of the woman before pregnancy.
Though weight gain in pregnancy is a common phenomenon, women are encouraged to regulate their daily calories intake. Too much weight gain might be dangerous for the mother and the fetus.
The process of weight gain during pregnancy may be gradual as well as sudden. In the former case, a woman may experience gain in few pounds per week, for instance one pound per week. On the contrary, the weight gain may occur so abruptly that the woman may gain so much pounds within one week. For example, four pounds within one week. Whereas the gradual weight gain is encouraged, the sudden weight gain is highly discouraged because it is not only dangerous to the mother but also to the unborn child.
During pregnancy, a woman may experience increase in weight any time. However, doctors argue that much weight gain occur during the first two trimesters and tend to become constant during the last trimester. In this case, a woman`s weight will tend to increase more during the first two trimesters. In the last trimester, the weight gain is less and thus few pounds are gained. In fact, doctors have found that during the last month of pregnancy, a woman’s weight may tend to decrease.
As far as weight gain during pregnancy is concerned, nutritionist and doctors recommend that an expectant mother should watch out on her dietary intakes. The reason for this is to ensure that only the recommended weight is gained. What is recommended weight gain depends on the individual.
For example obese mothers must not gain much weight whereas normal mothers will be required to gain more weight for the good of the unborn child. Doctors advice is that mothers should at least gain some weigh during pregnancy and that weight gain should not be sudden. The more gradual and constant the process , the better it will be for the mother and the unborn child.