Almost always, with the onset of pregnancy, a woman inevitably begins to gain weight. Weight is gained gradually: first slowly, then faster, but, as a rule, a little bit each trimester. This indicator must be kept under control: the total increase should ideally not exceed an average of 12-15 kg for the entire period of bearing a child. Although, of course, it is by no means possible to equate everyone to the same standard.
Weight during pregnancy can often tell a lot to the doctor monitoring her, and therefore a woman is advised to keep this indicator under constant control: she should weigh herself once a week and write down the resulting numbers in a diary.
A pregnant woman who watches her weight will not gain extra pounds, which leads to an increase in many risks during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum recovery.
But it often happens differently: when a woman remains slim, not counting the tummy protruding in front, and sometimes the weight disappears completely from the first days of pregnancy or in its “height”. Losing weight during pregnancy seems paradoxical and impossible for many, but events also develop quite often according to this scenario. Why future mom
Is she losing weight and should I worry about it? Today we’ll talk about the exception to the rule: weight loss during pregnancy.
Pregnancy weight loss in the first trimester
If you find yourself in such a situation, you must immediately notify your doctor about your condition. If you have not registered yet, contact a gynecologist at a clinic in your area or a private doctor. The fact is that severe toxicosis can pose a threat to pregnancy and the health of the expectant mother and child. If a woman vomits several times a day and is unable to eat, then she will most likely need hospital treatment.
If the signs of early toxicosis are not very pronounced, you can try to fight it yourself at home. Eliminate all irritating factors that negatively affect your well-being: exposure to strong pungent odors, overwork, flickering lights, and others. In the morning on an empty stomach, without getting out of bed, eat a simple cracker or biscuit, and only after some time have passed, get up. Eat small portions, avoiding fatty, spicy foods and harmful industrial additives. If there are no problems with the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, then you can drink water with lemon juice or simply suck a piece of citrus. There are other ways and recommendations on how to deal with early toxicosis.
Minor weight loss due to early toxicosis, as a rule, does not pose any threat. With severe weight loss and dehydration, there may be Negative consequences, but if you seek medical help in a timely manner, they can be avoided.
If you are losing weight, but at the same time you feel great and eat with appetite, then the doctor will almost certainly smile at you in response: they say, don’t worry, this is temporary - we will soon begin to get better.
It turns out that such cases are not at all uncommon: a woman observes weight loss in the first trimester, but by the end of the period she gains, and often even more than expected.
Surprisingly, many expectant mothers lose more than 10 kg during pregnancy in the first trimester alone! And at the same time, no disturbances in the functioning of the body occur. But in general, a sharp decrease in body weight should be a reason for an urgent visit to a doctor: in this case, it is better to play it safe.
There is an opinion that weight loss in the first trimester without toxicosis may be associated with the woman’s baseline indicators before pregnancy. Sometimes the body reacts in a surprising way to the “pregnant” changes occurring to it and begins to lose excess weight, if any. Many women begin to lose weight in their bodies with the onset of pregnancy.
In general, it is impossible to comprehend the mystery occurring in the mother’s body. It is completely unpredictable, and therefore weight loss can be an absolute physiological norm. But the doctor should definitely know about this!
Pregnancy weight loss in the second trimester
Manifestations of early toxicosis usually disappear by the end of the first - beginning of the second trimester. But doctors say that weight loss for this reason can normally be observed before the 20th week of pregnancy.
However, there are cases when only in the middle of the term a woman begins to lose weight! In order not to worry, but also not to miss unwanted dangerous changes, you need to tell your gynecologist about this. But if you regularly take all tests and undergo all recommended examinations, and their results are positive, there are no deviations from the norm, then, most likely, weight loss in the second trimester is temporary and is associated with hormonal processes.
However, you shouldn’t relax: it often happens that after a long-term weight loss, a pregnant woman begins to gain it sharply. In this case, you will have to control the quantity and quality of what you eat.
Pregnancy weight loss in the third trimester
Many women say that they went into labor with even less weight than they had when registering. This may be hard for some of us to believe, but it really happens! Mothers also joke that their baby “ate” them during pregnancy.
Also, a slight decrease (usually no more than 3 kg) occurs shortly before childbirth: this is one of the harbingers when body weight stabilizes (that is, the woman no longer gains) or even decreases. But weight loss in the third trimester may be due to other reasons. A similar phenomenon is very often observed by women who carry their pregnancy to term in the summer: due to the heat, sweating increases and appetite decreases, and therefore it is quite normal that weight may also decrease slightly.
As you can see, weight loss during pregnancy may well be a physiological norm and does not portend any threats. However, to be sure that the baby is developing well and the pregnancy as a whole is proceeding well, you must regularly visit the antenatal clinic and undergo all routine tests. If the fetus meets the expected term according to the main development criteria (in particular, height and weight), and you feel great, then there is nothing to worry about. Not all women fit into accepted norms, and individual characteristics have not been canceled! And the child will take everything he needs from you.
Otherwise, if tests or ultrasound show any abnormalities, the doctor leading the pregnancy will determine the further algorithm of actions.
Especially for - Ekaterina Vlasenko
Olya Likhacheva
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Mar 20 2017
Content
It used to be that a woman expecting a child had to eat for two. Nowadays, gynecologists recommend that expectant mothers be careful about their diet and lifestyle. In order for the baby to be born healthy, and for the woman not to lose her attractiveness after pregnancy, she must know how to lose weight during this difficult period.
Excess weight and pregnancy
During the entire period of waiting for a child, an increase in body weight of 12 kg is considered normal. When a woman gains much more, she begins to think about how to lose weight during pregnancy without harming the fetus. Weight consists of amniotic fluid, baby weight, placenta, additional blood volume and enlarging breasts. The fat layer also increases, which is associated with maintaining hormonal balance in the female body.
For this reason, pregnancy and excess weight– the concepts are very vague. However, if a woman gains it rapidly, this contributes to the development of complications such as varicose veins, heart pathologies, and gestosis. The most common consequence of extra pounds is swelling, which indicates poor kidney function. It is important for an expectant mother to be able to control her weight in order to avoid unpleasant consequences.
Is it possible to lose weight during pregnancy?
Gynecologists say that only those women whose kilograms threaten to cause complications for her health or the development of the baby should think about how to lose weight during pregnancy. You should remove excess weight during pregnancy if severe obesity poses a danger:
- spontaneous expulsion of the embryo;
- increased blood loss during childbirth;
- premature birth;
- heavy rehabilitation.
How to lose weight while pregnant without harming the baby
To lose extra pounds, but not harm your baby, you should review your diet and do daily special exercises for expectant mothers. Losing weight during pregnancy will happen faster with an active lifestyle. To do this you need:
- regularly engage in stretching, stretching, and gymnastics;
- swim in swiming pool;
- go for a massage;
- breathe correctly when walking;
- walk more often in the fresh air.
Diet for pregnant women for weight loss
Proper childbearing requires a review of nutrition. Expectant mothers should not lose weight through a strict diet. However, to prevent nutritional obesity from becoming a cause of complications, you need to know some nuances:
- a diet for losing weight during pregnancy should contain 10% more protein;
- you should give up fast carbohydrates (sugar, sweets);
- most of the diet should consist of cereals, vegetables, cereals, legumes and hard fruits;
- Excessive consumption of freshly squeezed fruit juices should be avoided;
- it is necessary to reduce the time for heat treatment of food;
- To lose weight, you need to eat heavy food before 15:00.
Exercises for weight loss during pregnancy
In addition to adjusting your diet, how else can you lose weight during pregnancy? Physical activity, which includes a complex of breathing techniques and muscle stretching. Particular attention should be paid to the muscles of the pelvis, perineum, and vagina. Exercise not only contributes to weight loss, but also prepares the expectant mother for labor and normalizes the functioning of the heart and vascular system. Before doing any exercises to lose weight during pregnancy, you should definitely consult your gynecologist.
How to lose weight during pregnancy
Excess body weight in a pregnant woman usually begins in the second trimester. How to lose weight during pregnancy is decided by the doctor in each individual case. However, there are general recommendations for weight loss:
- you need to eliminate fluid retention (do not eat salt, drink more water);
- take additional vitamins and minerals;
- reduce consumption of unhealthy fats, flour products, sweet pastries;
- peel meat before cooking;
- eat small meals;
- count calories (2400 kcal/day).
Losing weight in the first trimester of pregnancy
Losing excess weight in the first months is much easier than in subsequent months. How to lose weight during pregnancy if a woman has already gained a lot of weight in the first trimester? The only thing you need is to follow the rules of rational nutrition. Avoiding overly spicy and highly salty foods, which retain water in the body, helps you lose weight in the first trimester of pregnancy.
How to lose weight during pregnancy in the 2nd trimester
If after 14 weeks you begin to gain weight rapidly, then you should take your menu seriously. Weight loss for pregnant women during this period includes one fasting day per week, which is preferably carried out on fermented milk products. You should be careful with chocolate and coffee, as these treats do not allow the calcium necessary for the intrauterine development of the child to be fully absorbed. Eat less foods containing cholesterol: butter, chicken yolks, lard, rich desserts. It is better to replace them with fruits: apples, oranges, pomegranates.
Mysterious and unique time of pregnancy... Time for powerful rejuvenation female body under the influence of hormonal changes. Why not use this fertile time to start a “new” life - lose weight, rejuvenate, and gradually learn a healthy lifestyle?
Someone will think that the author is joking - how can you lose weight during pregnancy, which obviously involves weight gain (in smart books figures from 12 kg are given, and in life it is not uncommon to gain 15-20 kg per fetus), an increase in the mass of the mammary glands, the creation of reserves for subsequent breastfeeding?
The author is not joking - with a reasonable approach to nutrition during pregnancy and breastfeeding, any practically healthy woman can not only not gain extra (I emphasize: extra) kilograms, but also lose those kilograms that were accumulated before pregnancy due to increased physical activity.
Let's start with the concept of extra pounds, what they consist of. The calculations are quite simple:
- At the very beginning of pregnancy, the expectant mother's body makes strategic reserves of abdominal fat, approximately 1-1.5 kg, which serve as additional protection for the growing baby.
- The maximum weight of amniotic fluid is about 1 kg.
- The optimal weight of a child before birth is 3.5 kg.
- The weight of the placenta is 0.5-0.7 kg.
- Enlargement of the mammary glands, uterus and blood volume 2 kg.
Thus, a weight gain of 8-10 kg would be normal. In other words, if, during a normal physiological pregnancy, the expectant mother approaches childbirth with a weight gain of less than 10 kg, this means that the pregnancy has led to a physiological gradual weight loss. Question: how can you lose weight or avoid gaining extra pounds during pregnancy, not only without harming the child, but, on the contrary, making him healthier?
Let's immediately rule out the following explanations:
- Severe toxicosis of pregnant women.
- Intentional fasting or dieting to lose weight during pregnancy.
- Severe stress, turmoil or unfavorable financial situation
- Diseases.
The only reasonable factors will be the following, which contribute, among other things, to the normal course of pregnancy:
- Healthy live food, complete exclusion from the diet of artificial foods and drinks, as well as refined foods.
- Eating food rich in vitamins, mineral salts and trace elements in their natural form.
- Proper distribution of food intake throughout the day.
- Special diet last months pregnancy.
Now, in order.
Healthy live food during pregnancy
Everyone knows that during pregnancy it is especially important to eat right - eat unrefined foods, eat more greens, fruits, vegetables (both raw and minimally processed), rich in vitamin C and other vitamins, honey, lactic acid products, bran, unrefined cereals, etc. Use excellent natural products to cleanse and nourish your body:
- drink vegetable and fruit juices in the morning before meals; lemon and carrot juices (if you are not allergic) mixed with water are especially useful
- take honey with sour juices, before meals or at night;
- drink living water- boiled water, as you know, is dead water, and pregnant women are not recommended to abuse the liquid at all; prefer freshly prepared vegetable and fruit juices to water and broths;
- include only whole foods in your diet - fruits with peels and grains (where possible), vegetables with peels and tops, whole grains, bran - wonderful sources of not only proteins and carbohydrates, but also mineral salts, vitamins and microelements;
- do not overuse meat - there are many other healthier sources of protein of both animal and plant origin: seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy and especially lactic acid products, mushrooms, eggplant, nuts, sesame, soy, legumes, buckwheat, bran, tops vegetables, etc., meat should be consumed mostly lean, no more than 1-2 times a week;
- try to reduce the consumption of table salt to a minimum - this is not healthy and leads to an increase in fluid consumption;
- Reduce the time of heat treatment of products to a minimum - steam, stew with the skin on, bake covered, avoid frying products in oil.
Natural vitamins, mineral salts and trace elements
It is no secret that vitamins are best absorbed from food; taking vitamins in various complexes is, firstly, a strong load for the excretory system, and it is already working at its limit, and secondly, most of them are not absorbed at all. Try to eat in such a way as to replenish the consumption of vitamins, but remember: all vitamins, except for water-soluble vitamin C, tend to accumulate in the body, which means that too much is no better than not enough. Live unrefined food, vegetables, fruits, juices, cereals, bran, dried fruits, dairy and lactic acid products are natural sources of vitamins and microelements. Separately, I would like to say about the “nightmare” of pregnant women - calcium, which is force-fed by doctors. According to recent data, excessive consumption of foods rich in calcium, especially in the last stages of pregnancy, is fraught with calcification of the fetal head, which can lead to difficult labor and birth injuries, since the head will not be able to properly configure itself in the birth canal.
Proper eating
Try to take the most high-calorie and difficult-to-digest foods in the first half of the day, leaving more easily digestible foods for the evening, such as: light low-fat cottage cheese, fermented milk drinks, light vegetable salads. vegetable oil or sour cream. In the evening, after 7-8 pm, it is undesirable to eat, since both your body and the child’s body, which has already adjusted to the mother’s rhythm, are preparing for sleep. If you feel a strong feeling of hunger, eat dried fruits, nuts, bran (extremely appetizing bran is now available for sale in the form of air flakes), all of them swell when they enter the stomach and create a feeling of fullness even in a small volume, while having enormous energy value for unit of mass.
Eating vegetables and fruits in their raw, unprocessed form is extremely beneficial, which is especially important in the last trimester of pregnancy. In addition to its nutritional value, fiber takes up a large volume in the stomach, unlike high-calorie, refined fast food products. It must be remembered that the absorption of such food depends on the ability to chew food correctly and thoroughly, as well as on the state of the digestive system as a whole.
It has been proven that the fetus of a mother eating low-calorie foods and experiencing physical exercise, moves much more actively, and movement is a vital function and preparation for a successful birth.
Special diet during the last trimester of pregnancy
In the last 3 months, there is mainly an increase in the weight of the already formed child. According to medical practitioners, at this time it is recommended to focus on vegetables, fruits, nuts, salads, herbs, lactic acid and dairy products, whole grains, dried fruits, excluding or almost excluding meat and meat products, eggs, and white bread from the diet. 3 weeks before giving birth, it is also suggested to exclude dairy and lactic acid products as sources of calcium, as well as animal products (meat, fish, poultry, eggs), switching to vegetables, fruits, decoctions and whole grain cereals. It is noteworthy that in women who follow these recommendations, the weight of the child at birth is about 3 kg, the diameter of the head is no more than 35 cm, and the birth itself is much easier, with minimal damage.
I would like to note the following: the best thing is that switching to healthy food will allow you not only to give birth healthy child, but also to get healthier, lose weight and look younger. Finally, parting words:
- remember that you need to leave the table with a slight feeling of hunger (Academician A.A. Bogomolets);
- Let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food Hippocrates);
- food is far from the only source of energy in this world.
Eat for your health!
Brief bibliography:
R. Ravich. Ambulance natural means.
R. Ravich. How to give birth to a healthy baby
A.M.Timofeeva. Conversations with a pediatric doctor.
L.A. Nikitina, Zh.S. Sokolova, L.A. Bludova. To parents of the 21st century,
as well as recommendations from the following authors:
A.S. Zalmanov
I.A.Arshavsky
Spouses L.A. and B.P. Nikitins
Hello all those who care about their health and who want to know a little more useful information about their body. Today I want to talk about a problem that may seem out of the realm of science fiction - weight loss during pregnancy. How is this possible, since we all know that the period of waiting for a child is inevitably associated with weight gain? Normally, the number of kilograms gained is 10-15 during the entire pregnancy, what this weight consists of: the child is born weighing 3–3.5 kg, the placenta weighs about 0.5 kg, the weight of the uterus with amniotic fluid is 2 kg, increased breast volume - another 0.5 kg. Due to the increase in the volume of circulating blood in the body, there is an increase of about 1.5 kg, water in your body is plus 2 kg. Everything else is whatever you eat during your pregnancy.
Why might a pregnant woman start to lose weight?
Weight control accompanies the entire pregnancy, and even if you do not control your weight yourself, your gynecologist will do this. Every time you have an appointment, you must be weighed and the result recorded on an exchange card (you are weighed for the first time when registering), so the doctor can see your weight changes every month or more often. There are norms for weight gain according to the stage of pregnancy. A slight weight loss under certain circumstances is not a pathology and is quite possible, but often this is not the norm and it is worth paying close attention to this fact.
1. The most common cause of weight loss during pregnancy is toxicosis. Due to the constant feeling of nausea and vomiting, we refuse food and switch to dry food and water, which leads to weight loss due to dehydration due to vomiting and reduced calorie content of food. For repeated vomiting, hospital treatment is indicated.
2. Past illnesses of a viral or bacterial nature can also lead to weight loss (if you feel unwell, you don’t want to eat), but usually after recovery the weight returns to normal.
3. Severe stress and nervous tension: your appetite disappears - and you lose weight from your nerves.
4. Increased levels of progesterone in the blood - reduces appetite and leads to weight loss.
5. In the later stages, the baby tightens all the organs abdominal cavity, including the stomach, heartburn often occurs, which also forces you to eat less so as not to provoke it. A slight weight loss before childbirth is normal and serves as a precursor to labor.
6. A meager menu, a passion for diets and restrictions lead to weight loss and poor health.
7. Bad habits: smoking and drinking alcohol.
You should carefully monitor your weight, and sudden weight loss while feeling unwell should be a reason to visit a doctor and find the cause of your condition. Necessary:
1. Be examined in a chair.
2. Pass clinical blood and urine tests.
3. Check hormones: female and endocrinological.
4. Undergo an ultrasound scan of the uterus and fetus.
Weight loss in the first trimester
In the first weeks of pregnancy, many people have no idea about their position; accordingly, there cannot and should not be any sudden changes in weight, but weight loss due to toxicosis often occurs. Although toxicosis is considered a normal phenomenon, it should not be taken lightly. Vomiting causes dehydration; fasting with nausea can lead to the appearance of ketone bodies - poisonous substances for the child. If vomiting more than 4 times a day, hospital treatment, IV drips and medical supervision are recommended. Often the weight goes away on its own, without toxicosis being to blame: if you feel normal at the same time, then there is no reason to worry - such a phenomenon happens. Otherwise, you need to consult a doctor to clarify all issues with weight loss.
Weight loss in the second trimester
In the second trimester, the golden period of pregnancy begins, toxicosis recedes, the belly is not yet so noticeable and does not interfere, but why can you lose weight in this case? As a rule, everything is associated with stress, nervous strain, or the presence of some disease. If you continue to eat normally, but the weight does not go away, you should go to a specialist and get examined.
Weight loss in the third trimester
In the very last weeks, shortly before giving birth, your weight may decrease. Usually no more than 2-3 kilograms. This is a harbinger of childbirth, and this is normal: every woman’s body is individual, like every pregnancy.
Often on later swelling appears, and taking diuretics can also reduce your weight (up to 5 kg in a few days). If everything is fine on an ultrasound, the child is not underweight, he is not lagging behind in development - there should be no cause for concern, but if there are any abnormalities, you should consult a doctor and take all prescribed medications and follow the procedures.
According to the norms, by the end of pregnancy, with a normal initial weight, you should gain up to 13.5 kg. If you are initially underweight, your weight gain will be 15.2 kg. And if you were overweight, your norm is about 9 kg.
As you understand, weight loss is not always a pathology and something frightening, but you must control your weight, since sudden changes in weight, whether positive or negative, are not a good sign and require close attention from both women and her attending gynecologist.
One of the indicators of the normal course of pregnancy is a woman’s weight, which generally grows, and by the time of birth the difference between the initial parameters is about 10 kg. Weight loss during pregnancy may indicate both pathological processes in the body and a variant of the norm, an individual characteristic.
Causes of weight loss during pregnancy
When registering at the antenatal clinic, the woman’s body weight is measured in order to subsequently assess the gain. Normal fetal development occurs with a gradual gain of kilograms. Losing weight most often indicates metabolic disorders, which means the fetus does not receive enough oxygen and nutrition.What reasons cause this process:
- A feeling of nausea or toxicosis, which occurs more often in the morning, leads to decreased appetite and dehydration. Long-term pathology and sudden weight loss are dangerous for the normal development of the baby.
- Gastrointestinal diseases, in particular gastritis, lead to a decrease in body weight and the doctor immediately notices that the woman has lost a lot of weight. At the same time, there are characteristic symptoms by which the disease can be identified.
- Lack of thyroid hormone production, or hypothyroidism, is characterized by drowsiness and increased fatigue. The weight decreases gradually, and the child is at risk of developing developmental defects.
- Infectious diseases lead to minor weight loss. After proper treatment, the indicator stabilizes and begins to increase.
- Progesterone levels above normal provoke a deficiency due to a decrease in appetite.
- Deficiency of some nutrients ( folic acid, iron, vitamin B9) is caused by poor health and insufficient nutrition.
Is she losing weight and should I worry about it? Today we’ll talk about the exception to the rule: weight loss during pregnancy.
On early stages the decrease in body weight is almost imperceptible, because the child does not grow as rapidly as in subsequent periods. The internal organs of the fetus develop and the placenta forms.Additionally, at the beginning of pregnancy, toxicosis may begin, which is caused by loss of appetite and dehydration. Prolonged nausea and vomiting is a pathology and should be treated by taking vitamins.
Often, upon learning about pregnancy, a woman realizes that she has lost weight due to a sudden change in diet and the elimination of most harmful foods. Starting to stick healthy image life, metabolism accelerates, which contributes to a decrease in muscle mass.
If body weight decreases against the background of good health, then there are no reasons for concern, since this is considered a variant of the norm in the first trimester.
Pregnancy weight loss in the second trimester
The fourth and subsequent months of intrauterine development are characterized by active growth of the baby. In connection with this, a pregnant woman should increase her body weight. Minor weight loss in the middle of pregnancy may be due to psychological state. In this case, rest is recommended, Fresh air and positive emotions.A significant decrease in the second trimester indicates various pathological processes that form in the body.
The doctor will conduct diagnostic tests for the presence of diseases that affect your weight. Urine and blood tests will be ordered, ultrasonography If necessary or if a serious illness is suspected, additional laboratory tests are used.
Weight loss during pregnancy in the 3rd trimester
In the last weeks of pregnancy, a decrease is considered normal, because the body is preparing for labor and the functionality of the placenta decreases. If the 3rd trimester falls on summer period, then an additional decrease is associated with increased sweating. In winter, this situation is associated with costs large quantity energy to heat the body.To prevent a decrease in this indicator, you should follow the correct mode of activity and rest. Excessive fatigue affects the child’s condition, so proper nutrition is required so that everything is present in the diet essential vitamins and microelements.
